Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1893-08-25
A PERFECT GRADE.

stakes, it will be observed, have each
been driven into the ground until the
hook is Just G5 inches above the bottom
Of the tile.
Then a wire "a fine steel wire of the
kind used for holding stovepipes IN
place. is stretched very taut on the
ground between the two inclined stakes,
and when fastened it is then lifted into
the hooks on the stakes. This wire
must be, if the survey is correct,
straight line and parallel with the bot.
tom of the ditch and just 65 inches
above it. The wire is on one side Of the
ditch, but not over it. In the illustra-
ton the line Y is a level or horizontal
line, the line X is the grade line, and
the space between these lines indicates
the fall
The difficulty in constructing ditch
for tile drain on grade may be seen
in the cut, The upright stakes are %
feet apart, but different depth is re-
CURED at each point. The tendency is
to make the ditch at all points about the
same depth below the surface. In that
case the bottom of the ditch would be
parallel with the surface. Thus in the
Illustration tho first cut, the depth OF
one spade, about - inches, will have
bottom parallel with the surface of the
soil. as seen at d. The second may be
made in the same way, provided 1t does
not reach the grade of the tile. In the
illustration the bottom of the second cut,
at c. is placed on grade parallel with
the line Y by means of the measure at
z The third cut is made in the same
way, but is made so that it lacks about
II inches of being to the grade at which
the tile is laid, as indicated i'll the figure.
Then with the bottoming tool, or spoon,
the bed for the tile is cut out carefully
until t'e grade line is reached. This
will he determined 10y the measure il.
Gicated at +
These measures are constructed as fol-
lows: Theupright piece is 6 feet long and
q by five-eighths inches. This is laid OIL
in inches Attached to the upright is a
movable arm, Z, about lSinches in length,
having thumb screw for fastening it AT
any point on the upright This arm Is
fastened at right angles. y plumb is at
tached to one end of the movable arm.
The movable arm in this caseis fastened
Just e. inches from the bottom of the
upright. Hence when the measure Is
placed vertically on the bottom, If the
grade line has been reached, the arm
ought to touch the wire. In this way
the bottom on which the tile rests may
lie made a perfect grade and parallel
with the wire.
1t is important that the tile be placed
in soil which has not been disturbed,
that the alignment may not be affected
bv the tile settling The tile should be
laid so that the ends are brought as close
together as possible, and so that the tube
will be continuous. By the method
above indicated short lines of tile may
be laid on n perfect grade without any
survey being made by first determining
the depth of the ditch ut each end and
then adjusting the wire an equal dis.
lance above each end and in a straight
line between these points. The height
of the wire above the surface of the soil
is immaterial, but it must be placed par
allel with the grade ON which the tile is
TO rest. Those who are interested in the
subject of drainage will find much of
interest in works devoted to that subject
bvsuch authors as French, Manly, Miles,
Klipart and Warning.