The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1891-10-30
HOW TO BUILD CHEAP ROADS.
Some Suggestions for the Construction Of
Dirt and Gravel Highways.

Agricultural, cOnMoyCtdl ana mAuuIact-
uring industry would be materially
benefited Every article brought to
market would (be diminished In price,
and the number Of horses would be so
reduced that by these and other re-
trenchments, the expense Of $4,000, 900
would be annually saved to the public.
"The expense of repairing roads and
the wear and tear of carriages and horses
would be essentially diminished, and
thousands of acres, the produce of which
is now wasted in feeding unnecessary
horses, would be devoted to the produc-
ton of food for man. In short, the pub
lie and private advantages which would
result from effecting that great object
the improvement Of our highways and
turnpike roads-are incalculable; though,
from their being spread over wide sur
face and available in many ways, such
advantages will not be so apparent as
those derived from other sources of i'm
provement of more restricted and less
general nature"
only kind of roads in this country have
their surfaces covered with the natural
soil, which makes them deficient in hard
ness and smoothness. In wet weather,
and under much travel, they become
almost impossible. The principal means
Of improvement for these roads are to
reduce the grades, thoroughly drain the
roadway and freely expose the same to
the action Of the sun and wind, In q
fat country it is advisable to raise the
roadway above the general level Of the
ground.
If the soil be loose sand coating of
six inches of clay carried upon it will be
the most effective and cheapest way of
improving it, if the clay can be obtained
within moderate distance. Only one
half of the width need be covered with
clay, thus forming road for the sum-
mer travel, leaving the other sandy por-
ton untouched, to serve for travel in
the rainy season. If the soil be an ad-
hesive clay the application Of sand in =
similar manner will produce equally
beneficial results. On q steep hill these
improvements will be particularly valu-
able.
In repairing these roads the earth used
should 90 as gravelly as possible and
free from vegetable earth. Sod or turf,
though at first tough, soon decays and
forms the softest mud in wet weather.
Stones of considerable size should not
be used, as they will not wear uniformly
with the rest Of the road, and win pro-
duce hard bumps and ridges.
To diminish the resistance or friction
on earth roads it is necessary to cover
their surface with some material such
as gravel, stone, Stag, shells, wood, ETC.. ),
which will not only make them hard
and smooth. but protect the ground be
meath from the action of the rain water,
which by penetrating to it and remain
ing upon it would not only impede the
progress of vehicles, but render the road
too weak to bear their weight.
In Michigan and Wisconsin good roads
have been made through swampy forests
by Telling and burning the timber and
covering the surface with the char
coal thus prepared. The timber is cut
and piled up lengthwise in the center of
the road, and then covered with straw
and earth in the manner of coal kilns.
The earth required to cover the pilea,
taken from each side, leaves two good
sized bitches. When the timber is
charred the earth is removed to the sides
of the bitches and the coal is raked down
to width of fifteen feet, leaving it two
feet thick at the center and one at the
Sides
In districts where lumber is cheap
road coverings Of plank have been used
The method most generally adopted in
constructing road of this kind consists
in laying flooring or track, eight feet
wide, of boards from 9 to 10 inches in
width and 8 inches thick. The planks
rest upon two parallel rows of sleepers
or stills laid lengthwise of the road and
having their center lines about four feet
apart, or two feet from the axis of the
road. The sleepers are imbedded in the
earth, and the planks are laid perpendic-
ular to the axis of the road, as this posi-
ton is as favorable to their durability
as any other, and is also most econom
ical. Deep bitches are dug on the sides
of these roads to insure perfect drainage.
In making a gravel road the roadway
is first prepared by removing the soft
and loose earth, and thoroughly draining
the road. The bed is sometimes of the
shape Of the upper surface, and some
times level On this layer Of gravel
about four inches in thickness is laid,
and when compacted by the travel over
it, OF better still, with heavy iron roll
or, another layer is laid, and so on until
q thickness Of sixteen inches at the cen. |
ter has been reached. It is sometimes
advisable to compress the bed by rolling |
it we'll with q heavy iron roller before
to lay the gravel. In some |
cases bed of broken stone has been
used.
Gravel from river shores is generally
too clean, there not being enough clayey
material mixed with It TO bind the grains
together. That from pits is apt to Be
too dirty, and requires partial cleaning.
The gravel should Be sifted through
screens, and all pebbles over two inches
In diameter should be broken into small
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