Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1891-02-20
aou ID, Mako a Koad.


I'VE condense." says the Engineer
ing NeMs, the following hints from q
circular issued by the Roads Improve
ment Association OF England, aD Or
ganization formed to distribute matter
for the educstion of local highway au-
thorities, road contractors and others,
Oh the proper construction, nainten-
snce and repair of highways.
Never allow hollow rut or pud-
die to remain on road, but fill it up
at once with chips from the stone
heap. Always use chips for patching,
and for repairs during the summer
months. Never put fresh stones on
! the road if by cross picking and o thor
ough use of the rake the surface can
be kept smooth. and kept at the proper
sirens 9Th of section. The rake is the
most useful tool in your collection, and
it should be kept close at hand the
whole year round. Never spread large
patches Of stone over the whole width
of the road, but coat the middle or
horse track first, and when this has
worn in, coat each of the sides in turn.
In moderately dry weather, and on
hard roads, always pick up the old sur
face in ridges Six inches apart, and re-
move all large and projecting stones
before applying new coating. Never
spread the stones more than one stone
deep, but add a second one when the
first one has worn in, If one coating be
not enough. Use steef-pronged fork
to load the barrows at the stone heap,
so that the siftings may be available
for binding and for summer repairs.
I Nayor oR,orf or tho rn0H nd
crack them where they lie, or smooth
over the whole of the new coating ev-
cry day or two with the rake, and
never leave the stones in ridges. Never
pnt a stone upon road for repairing
purposes that will not pass freely in
every directions through o. two-inch
: ring, and remember that still smaller
stones should be used for patching and
{ all slight repairs. Hard stone should
| be broken to finer gauge than soft,
' but the two-inch gauge is the largest
Q that should be employed under any
/ circumstances. Never be without your
1 ring gauge. 1t should be to the road
q man what the compass is to the mari
9 ner, and if you have no ring gauge,
B remember Macadam's advice that any
# stone that you cannot easily put into
y your mouth should be broken smaller
Use nothing but chips for binding
newt, laid stones together, and remem
= Der that road sweepings, horse drop
pings, sods of grass, and other rubbish
8 when used for this purpose, will ruiz
s. the best made road.
T, "Water-woHnl or rounded stone
10 should never be upon steep grades, o
IS they will fail to bind together.
90 "Never allow dust or mud to lie o
es the surface of the road, for either c
Is these will keep road ina filthy cor
S. dition for weeks at time, instead {
st allowing it to dry in few hours. Sc
eo that all sweepings and scraplngs al
u put into heaps and carted away II
y. mediately.
10 "The middle of the road should 6
rs ways be little higher than the side
,es so the rain may run into the side-gu
de tiers at once. Never allow the waite
til tables, cutters and bitches to clog u
n. but keep them clear the whole ye'
through. Always be upon your rot
in wet weather, and at once fill L
od with chips any hollows or ruts whel
ny the rain may lie. When the main Goa
US ings of stone have worn in, go over Il
~ whole road, and. gathering togeth'
oy all the loose stones, return them to tt
n stone heap for use in the winter to fo
o. low; for loose stones are source
et danger and annoyance, and shon
as never be allowed to lie on any road. I"