Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-10-08
How to Make a Road.

HOW u MAKE u 1IOaOs
We condense the following hints from a cir
cular issued by the Roads Improve ment Asso
citation Of London England, an organization
formed to distribute matter for the education
of local highway authorities, road contractors
and others, on the proper construction, MAIN
tenance and repair Of highways:
Never allow hollow, a rut or a puddle to re-
main On road, but fill it up at once with
''chips" for patching and for all repairs during
the summer months Never put fresh stones
on the road if by cross-picking and thor
ough use of the rake the surface
can be made smooth and Kept at the proper
strength of section. The rake is the most
useful tool in your connection. and it should
be kept close at hand the whole year round
Never spread large patches OF stone over tho
whole width OF the road but coat the middle
or horse track first. and. when this has worn
i'll, coat each Of the sides in turn. In
moderately dry weather and on hard
| roads always pick up the old surface
into ridges SIX inches apart. and remove
all large and projecting stones before apply
ing rew coating. Never spread stones more
than one stone deep, but add a second layer
when the first has worn in, if one coating be
not enough. Use steel-pronged fork to load
the barrows at the stone heap. SO that the sift-
ings may be available for binding and for sum-
mer repairs. Never shoot stones on to the road
and crack them where they lie, or a smooth sur
face will be out Of the question. Go over the
whole Of the new coating every day or two
with the rake, and never leave the stones in
| ridges. Never put a stone upon a road for re-
pairing purposes that will not pass freely in
every direction through two-inch ring and
remember that still smaller stones should be
used for patching and for all slight repairs.
Hard stone should be broken to a finer gauge
than soft. but the two-inch gauge is the largest
! that should be employed under any circum-
stances. Nevsr be without your ring
gauge. 1t should be to the roadman
and if you have no ring gauge
remember Macadam's advice, that any stone
| you cannot easily put in your mouth should be
broken smaller. Use nothing but chips for
| binding newly laid stones together, and re-
member that road sweepings, horse droppinCs
sods Of grass and other rubbish, when used for
| this purpose, will ruin the best made road
Water-wOrn or rounded stones should never
be used upon steep grades or they will fail to
| bind together.
face of the road, for either OF these will double
| the cost Of maintenance. Dust becomes mud
| at the first shower, and mud forms a wet
| blanket which will keep road in filthy con-
| dition for weeks at time instead Of allowing
| it to dry in fow hours. See that all sweeping
| and scrapings are put into heaps and cartod
| away Immediately.
| The middle Of the road should always be a
| little higher than the sides, so that the rain
| may run into the side-gutters at once. Never
allow the water-tables cutters and bitches to
clog up, but keep them clear the whole year
| through. Always be upon your road in wet
| weather and and at once fill up with .'chips"
| any hollows CT ruts where the rain may lie.
When the main coatings Of stone have worn
| in 60 over tho whole road and, gathering to-
| gether all the loose stones, return them to the
stone heap for use in the winter to follow; for
| loose stones are 4 source OF danger and annoy
ance and should never be allowed to lie on any
| road.