Blackfoot news. (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1891-1902, 1892-08-27
nlRr ROADS.
The Most Important THING in Its sIaia-
tenance Is Drainage.

our only FOaun pit'AAN ~ sS"N nHA
city limits. and win for many years
be used largely In country districts.
and especially on the lines Of cross.
roads which connect the main high
WAYS. Dirt roads at their best arc
greatly inferior to Maeadam and Tel
ford roads IN every essential Of a good
highway; in durability. cost Of maln-
tenanee. drainage tractive qualities.
and. in many locations In point OF
economy also. But the dirt road 10
here and the public hand must be d.
rected to its treatment The FIRST and
most importsnt thing necessary for
the maintenance OF dirt road may DO
stated In single word drainage
is the one thing that can neither b
dispensed with nor neglected Most
dirt Is soluble and is easily displaced
under the soltening influence OF rain.
and this process Is hastenod in the
dirt road By the passing Of heavy
wagons over the wet surface. Ga
every mile OF roadway within the M
tied states there falls each year m
average OF ~. UOl tons OF water a
heavy. lLmpid tuid always direeglng
itself 10 the nearest Quiet aud seek
ing the lowest level. Water Is hard
to eonhue aud easy 70 release ana set
through sheer neglect % the simplest
principles Ot drainage, water il the
most active destroyer Of our cOanteg
| roads
Ia providing Tor tho drainage 81 i
llr; road ws should DIS. consider the
i material o. which the roadway il com.
posed. writes Isaac Il Potter Ia tho
Century II heavy viseoas elag
pred0minatcs tbs ordinary side
lltchCs should be 81 good depth nni
viii oven thea ID many eases g. n.
ALE 3uatc Tor thorough drainage win.
out the addition D. ceni0r drain
running midway between and parallel
With. tho stde-aitrhgs The center,
\ drain should 81 course b5 1.lel with
loose irregular boailers c0bbls.
stones br1xeG bricks and similar ult.
Ing covering line 81 tiles or laselngs
40 the bottom aH4 should o. cga.
pectoI w.th tho lido d.tchss by cross.
drn,uz carrying tho water oatmasl
from tho caatcv drain .. propcr latsr.
walls along tire iength ~ the roadaay.
Center.dra.as tEUlsh o.teu graagty
ID dcd FOR the improvement oF conn.
Try roads are not n common nss.
They add soMswhlt b the c1si 81 tho
roadway bIt "a m0ss cAsek con.
s.dcgao.y more % Us value and should
| b. employed III all situations whsr5
sand or grave. caHnot 81 had 10 70.
iiErN Yhf hma ~ ,tr#a. sr.Y ys...s... t..~tF..
properties o! the clay II gravel
sand or other porous material can 80
conveniently or cheaply obtained The
center and os8aratns may often ia
dispensed Wish by mixing the gravel
Or sand In plentiful quAntlt q with
tho clay roadway - A. 20 insure 10
nearly % possible a porous and self.
draining suriacc-lRycr which should
not be less than tun inches Ia depth
ana should ho laid on tho rounded OF
stopped sutsol, - a. % insure easy
drainage into the side ditchos
| In locations wher5 tho prevailing
material "a Of loose sandy nature
the difficulties 81 drainage nra moro
easily overcome ard aldo diichct IN
found necessary ~ all may ba made
o! moderate depth and lnis open
without mourning the risks aud dan.
gers 81 travel that prevail whore tho
deeper open bitches are used for
} draining heavier ,otlA But on tho
other hand the light and shifting
nature OF sandy road matoriaI dc.
stroys ia vniae ~ a surface layer Tor
On earth roadway and is deficiency
~ This RESPECT "a most easily RENE.
died By the addition o. a stronger
and more tenacious substance such
! as stiH clay. When mixed with sand
IN proper proportions (Which IN each
case depend upon the nature OF tho
clay and snud used and which can
best DO determined by oxnsrimentl.
THIS composition affords many ad.
vanthgcs which make Il superior 10 4
roadway composed OF either pAnd or
clay when used alone The sand
serves 70 quicken the drainage and "a
destroy The sticky. tenacious qualities
Of the clay while the clay supplies
tho quality Of cohesion In the sub
stance OF the road surface counter.
: acting the shifting qualitios of the
sand. and making tho roadway moro
easily packed and rolled and more
likely to retain its proper grade and