Little Falls transcript. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1876-1894, 1894-04-20
DRAINAGE 4 IMPORTANT.

DRAINAGE ALL IMPORTANT.
Unless FREQ From Water Good Roads Cam
not BE Maintained.
Among. those who have given the sub
ject of road improvement careful atten-
ton there is a settled conviction that the
good condition of any road depends upon
asystem Of thorough drainag system
which embraces not only the removal of
the storm water which falls upon the
surface of the road and the land adjoin-
Ing, but also the water which filters
through the ground. The latter, if al
lowed to percolate into and through the
subsoil underlying the roadbed, will rem
der the travel way soft and springy, Of
ten affecting the compacted surface Of
the road, so as to cause it. to break up,
or, in other words, "the Bottom drops
out" The remedy is thorough draining.
In fact, the basis Of all road improve
ment in the country is the thorough
drainage of the road surface and the
Z foundations of the road embellishments.
In the experiments which have been
made in road drainage by laying one or
two lines of tile drains along the sides
and parallel with the road the result has
been SO satisfactory that some parsons
have become enthused with this method
Of road improvement and conclude that
in it there is a remedy for all the defects
which may be encountered. But we are
convinced that the best improvement of
our highways will combine at least three
essential features, which are:
First-A road embankment of sufh-
cient height to be at least above over
flow from extraordinary rainfall, and
sufficiently GROWING to shed the water
readily, and wide enough to accommo-
date the travel and not of greater width.
Second-That the road shall have open
bitches on each side of sufficient capacity
to carry all food water from the road
way and from the lands adjoining into
the nearest water course without him
drance. The surface or open bitches
should have such a perfect grade that no
water will find a Judgment along the
line of the road on either side.
Third-That two lines of tile drains
be placed parallel with the roads, one on
each side, at the base of the embank-
ment.
The underdrains should be laid at the
depth of three or more feet. The size of
the tile will depend on the length of the
drain and the fall, but it is probable that
! they should not be less than 4 inches in
| diameter in any case, and as much larger
as the needs may require. The three
essential features named embrace two
systems the removal of the surface
water speedily and effectually, the re-
moval Of the water of saturation remain
ing after the removal Of the surface wa
ter and the prevention Of the flow Of soil
water under the roadbed. The under
drains should have a uniform descent or
| grade to some natural stream or outlet
where the water discharged will flow
away freely and at no time back up in
the drain. The browning of the road
should be sufficient to cause the water
falling upon the surface of the road to
flow readily through the side bitches. If
it fails to flow away and remains in the
ruts and depressions, it will increase the
amount Of mud and the Inconvenience
of travel. Roads in such a condition
should have road machines passed over
them as often, as necessary to make and
keep the surface level.
It is a mistaken idea that an under
drain laid in the middle of the road will
drain the surface Of the road The travel
and the action Of the water falling upon
the road will so efectually cover the
surface that no water on the road will
find it's way down to the drain thus laid.
To the contrary, theshorse tracks and
ruts will hold water Hike earthen vessels
until it is removed by evaporation or
otherwise. Roads graveled and drained
as proposed will cost from $40O to $500 a
mile, but when done they will be good
roads for II months and commercially
passable the remainder of the year with
a little timely repair.
Where gravel and stone are not be
had at reasonable cost we know of nc
improvement so satisfactory in all re-
spects as the roads well graded and suf1i
>ciently drained. Where gravel or bro
ken stone can be had, it will be found
that the thorough drainage Of the road as
proposed will save half the gravel OF
stone that would otherwise be required
to make a good road. A dry foundation
to build upon is the most important fac
tor in road construction. Tile drains
may be used to intercept water perco
lating through the earth Of the higher
ground adjacent and likely to interfere
with the road, or springs or secret place:
under the roadbed may be drained ou
with tile so as not to interfere with thu
embankment. After road has been pu
into good condition and thoroughly I'm
derdrained nothing need be done excep
to keep the surface Of the travel wa,
smooth and the open bitches free from
any drift accumulations.-J. J. W. Bill
1irrc1ov