Lawrence democrat. (Lawrenceburg, Tenn.) 1884-1925, 1892-08-26
NUMBER Al.
DRAINAGE OF ROADS.
An Able Little Essay from the Pen Of Mr..
John M. Stahl.


The one thing necessary to a good
road-earth, gravel, macadam or paved
is through drainage of the foundation.
Money has been misapplied in road.
making because of neglect of thorough
drainage, even when the money has
been used to build roads of material
that should give them permanent
character On the western prairies,
where the natural drainage is poor, un-
drained gravel roads have suddenly be-
come mud roads when put to the severe
test of long rainy spell in winter and
early spring. Not the least unfortunate
result of this has been II prejudice
against gravel roads in particular and
a scarcely less pronounced distrust of
permanent roads in general. Lack of
drainage was the real canse of the fail
ure.
gravel or macadam the earth roadbed
should be graded, crowniDg 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 shallow ditch. This is
correct general statement, which
of course should be modified to
suit peculiar circumstances. Thus
in very hilly country, es-
pccially if the soil washes easily,
the bitches should not be cut at tho
sides, as they are not necessary, and
will become serious gullies. In hilly
country it is not necessary to crown the
roadbed so high, but the browning must
always be sufficient to insure ready sur.
face drainage. Twelve to fourteen feet
in width is sufficient. Making the road
wider has been found needless ex-
penSe.
With those soils and subsoils special
ly well adapted to drainage, crowning
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 ad-
Gitional measures must be taken. In
the country in which ! reside gravel
road has been made for twenty miles
near the Mississippi river bluffs This
road is on a soil and a subsoil decidedly
gravelly, 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 little in
low places. To make gravel road in
this way over the greater part of the
same country would be 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 black sur
face soil and clay subsoil, to lay drain
of tile along each side, near the edge of
the roadbed. This has been found q
better location than near the middle of
the roadway. The Office of the tile is
to carry off water brought up from be-
low rather than water sinking in from
above. In some localities it is neces-
sary to use three drains-one line of
tile beneath the center of the roadway
and one under each ditch at the side.
1t seems unnatural to put the tile un-
der the side bitches, but this location
has been proved best .,
When the roadbed is to be graveled or
macadamized the crowning earth foun-
dation should be nicely smoothed and
then rolled until quite solid, 1t is well,
also, in this case to put the clay subsoil
from the bitches on to the surface.
When rolled it makes hard, smooth
surface, almost impervious to water,
and over which will flow, off to the
bitches at the sides, the rainwater that
may sink through the gravel or mac
adam. When the surface is to be of
earth only the clay subsoil should be
kept underneath, and the natural soil
be placed on top The surface soil will
usually afford much better drainage
than the subsoils, and make better
road surface. American Agriculturist.