Herald and tribune. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1869-current, 1892-08-11
DRAINAGE OF ROADS.

The one thing necessary to a good
road-earth, gravel, macadam or paved
is thorough drainage of the founda-
ton. Money has been misapplied in
roadmaking because of neglect of thor
ough drainage, even when the money
has been used't t build roads of a mate
rial that should give them a permanent
character. On the western prairies,
where the natural drainage is poor, I'M
drained gravel roads have suddenly be-
come mud roads when put to the severe
test of a long rainy spell in winter and
early spring. Not the least unfortunate
result of this has been a prejudice
against gravel roads in particular and
a scarcely less pronounced distrust Of
permanent roads in general. Lack of
drainage vas the real cause of the fail
Ire
Whether the road is to be of earth,
gravel or macadam, the earth roadbed
should be graded, browning it twelve
to fourteen feet wide, and twelve to
eighteen inches higher in the middle
than at the edges. Along each edge
should be cut a shallow ditch. This is
a correct general statement, which of
course should be modified to suit pecu-
liar circumstances Thus in a very
billy country, especially if the soil
washes easily, the bitches should not
be cut at the sides, as they are not nee
essary, and will become serious gull
lies. In a billy country it is not neces-
sary to crown the roadbed SO high, but
the browning must always be sufficient
to insure ready surface drainage.
Twelve to fourteen feet in width is suf-
ficient. Making the road wider has
been found a needless expense.
With those soils and subsoils special
~ well adapted to drainage, GROWING
the roadbed and cutting the bitches at
the sides will secure the necessary
drainage; but where the soil and sub
soil are not favorable to drainage addi-
tional measures must be taken. In the
country in which I reside a gravel road
has been made for twenty miles near
the Mississippi River bluffs. This road
is ON a soil and subsoil decidedly gray
ely, giving splendid drainage. This
gravel road is now eighteen years old,
and has proved satisfactory. The only
means taken to secure drainage was to
crown the roadbed a little in low places.
10 make a gravel road in this way over
the greater part of the same country
would be a waste of money, for in most
places the soil is a black prairie loan,
and the subsoil a tenacious clay.
1t has been found quite satisfactory
in most localities having a black sur
face soil and clay subsoil, to lay a
drain of tile along each side, near the
edge of the roadbed. This has been
found a better location than neal the
middle of the roadway. The office of
the tile is to carry off water brought up
from below rather than water sinking
in from above. In some localities it is
necessary to use three drains-one line
of tile beneath the center of the road
way and one under each ditch at the
side. 1t seems unnatural to put the
tile under the side bitches, but this To-
cation has been proved best.
When the roadbed is to be graveled
or macadamized the browning earth
foundation should be nicely smoothed
and then rolled until quite solid. II is
well, also, in this case to put the clay
subsoil from the bitches on to the sur
face. When rolled it makes a hard,
SIN 9th surface, almost impervious to
water, and over which will flow off 10