The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-04-05

~ used This srzpserens weighs 30
pcsn1z. ard hrraks q width Of two incSes
ar1 50 hard n rnts mixture os clay and
san3 that Il requires ssx mites. weighing
E.sS Sousds each. 20 pail tnA plow when
running six inches deep. The bzr1pan
riow - frst used 10 foose1 the sol. SIX
rpulsz being attached: ard this Is fos-
iowe1 b. farm turning plow. With two
rnsx1es hstched 90 s. When szmczen-
ground Is Ioosered. the team Of SIX mules
81 put 20 ne grader. ard the TWO mules
are hstchec 20 an Iron farm roller The
latter - kept or The center % The rcsd Al
the time. ire road l. by this raears round
ed up. srsooshee. and made "a hard IS
this roller VIII make s. When the wheels
CUT down IN the soil, the ruts are flled
wiki oyster shells. and as Ih%se work
down. clay, shells ard sand are psst Il the
burrows. and by ttsss means 4 good hard
face IL made IA the road for tire wheels 20
roil or These reads car be made for $50
per raze
the following method for constructing
rad In the muddy part OF Louisiana
Take common hay. rice straw. or. best OF
ssl. bs<axse fs1asaeS sugar camel cover
the muddy holes psentifuFIy with x. and
trampie r. down thoroughly. Cover this
with dir or mud. then roll X far. and uEs-
on this bed place small poles or brush
tV*<I Ills VIII 4fT 4Al1 OF Gfafrzs ~s@G%-
pie and roll IL down thoroughly. then
make "a good. wide ditch 20 drain the road
on both sides. ard finally roll the surface
Of the road 10 make " slope toward the
bitches a road carefully ana properly
made In this manner will last twenty-five
years with but iissie repair. II the drain
age Ia maintained. and slight ruts or
holes repaired al once
SIR. Curtis G. Turner, Of Omaha. Nen..
says that road scrapers. drawn by eight
horses. are largely used in that county.
and have given very great satisfaction
when properly handled, but THAI better
results could be secured II heavy rollers
were used IN conjunction with them. and
that more care should be used in rsEnov-
from the roadway.
TIE farmers OF Sewcomb township. Ill,
have done much toward building good
dirt roads. draining them with tile and
with open side bitches. and keeping them
carefully rounded up In the center. They
tried the experiment OF working a grad
Ing machine or them by the use OF a trac-
ton engine. such as II employed for haul
Ink thrashtng machines around the cosIn-
try. and the trial was 30 successful that
the engine was employed again next sea-
son for the same work. The expense Is
two men. and the result Is said TO show
that the work can be done more satigfac-
tortIy and rapidly. and at far less ex-
pcnxe. than by the use OF men and teams.
In regard TO sandy roads. the usual way
OF improving such roads Is TO cover the
surface with clay. or TO mix the clay with
the surface SAND. but the Massachusetts,
Highway Commission saws II is question
able whether this method of treatment IL
IN the long run economical. The commits
sion estimates the average cost OF doing
this at IS cents per square yard, with re-
newal In about Ave years, or 3 cents per
square yard annually. /; also estimates
that a good macadam road can be con-
struc;ed for 90 cents per square yard. and
taking into consideration the small
amount of travel and that the road is
estimated TO last - years, with hardly
any repairs. the annual cost viii be
cents per square yard. or the same in
each case.
Other materials have been used for the
more or less. temporary hardening Of sand
roads. and some of them with marked
success. For this purpose any strong
fbrous substance. and especially one
which holds moisture. such as the refuse
OF sugar cane or sorghum. and even COM
mon straw. fax, or swamp grass will be
useful. Spent tan r. Of come service. and
wood fber IN any form Is excellent. The
best Is the fbro9s sawdust made in saw
ing shingles by those machines which cut
used to some extent In portions OF Wis
consin. and Mr.. J. T. Kingston. of Niece
dan, Wis. states that the officers OF that
town have for several years past used
shingle sawdust on the principal travelled
roads In the town. where the land is very
sandy. Sawdust Is first spread on the
road from eight 20 ten inches deep. and
this is covered with sand TO protect the
road against fire from pipes or cigars
careiessiy thrown or ernptied on the road
bed. The sand also keeps the sawdust
damp. The dust and sand soon become
hard and packed. so that the wheels Of
tho heaviest wagons make no impression
upon the surface. and the roadhed ap-
pears 10 be almost as solid as plank
road. but IL much easier for the teams.
The road prepared In the above manner
viii remain good for four or five years.
and win then require renewing IN some
parts.
The ordinary lumber sawdust would not
be 80 good. OF course, but IL mixed with
pianer shavings might serve fairly well.
Nv. g. IA. Simons. Of Friendship. Wis.
states that on the sandy roads OF Adams
county no sawdus: ia used, bat clay ard
marsh muck are used instead. the clay
making the hest road when put on as Il
should he. Since the introduction OF wsie
tire wagons Gour~inch ttres) there has
been little trouble with sandy roads and
very heavy loads are hauled over the
saBfiest roads without difficulty on four
inch tired wagons. SIR. Sin1ons considers
the use Of wide tires on wagons and bug
giles OF far more Importance than any
road filling that could be done TN the
county with the means az disposal for
the work. In Juneau county some very
fine roads have been made with sawaust.
4 road OF this kind from Secedah 20 the
Wisconsin river q distance Of about three
miles. If n boulevard OF the county. and
IL Is a pleasure 20 ride over II. In that
county sagduSt II cenvenien, and cheap.
In Adams county roads which have been
well graded. and have trenches about
eighteen inches wide and ten inches deep.
filed with clay. and having about two
inches " sand on top inst where the
wheels ran, have made tire best lasting
roads for all kinds ~ uSe. and ara the
cheapest that car BE made, though, buck
wheat. rye and sorghum straw have been
used with good results.