Herald and tribune. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1869-current, 1896-09-02
ABOUT HARD ROADS.
Their Advantages to Farmers Set Forth by A.
G.. Judd, Of Dixon. Ill.

Their Advantages to Farmers Set Forth by A.
@. Judd, Of Dixon, Ill.
A good road is a road that is BY arti.
fetal means prepared with a surface Of
much more permanent and solid ma
terial than that Of its natural state.
The kind of material used for such arti-
fetal surface may differ with the To-
cality or the use for which the road is
intended.
The abundance of stone and gravel
in a country makes it possible to build
excellent roads at a reasonably moder.
ate cost, and the probabilities are that
they are the only materials that we
shall use in constructing any of the
country roads of Lee County.
Brick, wooden blocks, a~sphaltum,
etc., are used for building roads in
cities, but l shall not describe the va.
rious modes of construction, as / I'M
derstand that they are not included in
this subject,
Let us realize at once that different
compositions Of soil require different
treatment in order to make equally
se%rviceable roads. In this county we
have practically three classes of soil to
be recognized: First, black loan; Sec
ond, yellow clay; third, sandy loan.
There are certain conditions, such as
springy, %quicksand or mucky places,
liable to occur in localities where any
of these three kinds Of soil exist, 80 I
shall treat draining In q few general
remarks, and trust that the road CON
~missioners" Of each district will be in.
telligent enough to determine what to
do in their particular locality.
The prime requisite of every good
road is a thoroughly underdrained
roadbed. When this is not naturally
80 by reason of a porous subsoil, it NAV
be economy to put in a line of tile,
from two to four feet below the center
OF the road, of sufficient size to carry
OF the ground water. There may be
spots where it is best to put in a line of
tile on each side Of the road.
bitches along the size to carry of
the surface water are among the neces-
sary elements of a good road. These
bitches should be of a uniform grade,
SO as to carry the water on as nearly
level grade as possible. in order to pre-
vent washing, and connect with proper
culverts or natural water courses. Great
care should be used in making these
side bitches not to get them deep
enough to be dangerous in turning of
from the main road either day or night.
Now let us turn our attention to the
construction of a stone road upon our
ordinary soil that does not need tile
drainage; and that We may better un-
derstaud each other, ! will draw an IL
lustration:
knowing how much money is to be
spent each year, determine the cost per
rod, and proceed to prepare the num-
Der of rods by grading up the natural
dirt to the desired height and width. It
is desirable to have roads around the
main cities for at least two miles in
each direction not less than eighteen
or twenty feet in width, as they are
used 30 much by the city folks for
pleasure riding that it is necessary to
have them wide enough for safety at
all times.
After the grading is finished, 1t Ia
best, but not the common practice, to
put on the heavy roller and roll the bed
thoroughly, that it will better keep its
shape and support the heavy loads, for
it is not the stone filling that supports
the load, but the dirt beneath supports
both the stone roof and the loads upon
it's surface as well; therefore, too much
pains can not be taken with the dirt
bed.
Stone or gravel, when properly
broken and packed together, forms an
i~mpermeable roof that water can not
enter. One of the great mistakes of
roadmaking is in not rolling the dirt
bed, but simply grading up and putting
the stone on. The result is that the
loads pass over the center first, the
stones settle into and pack down the
dirt in the center, in q short time a
road that when built had the properly
curved surface becomes almost or quite
level, thus allowing water to stand on
its surface until evaporation and abb
sorption emove it. While thus stand
ing, it has a tendency to soften certain
grades of stone, and allow them to
wear away faster, thus producing ruts
and requiring needless repairs.
An eighteen foot road requires six
cubic yards of crushed stone and one
and n half cubic yards of dressing
to the rod, making it nine inches deep
in center and tapering to four or five
inches on the sides. After the entire
number of rods is properly stoned and
dressed, furrow vs. should be plowed along
each side, throwing the dirt against
the edge Of the stone, thus forming a
bank to keep 1t in place, and prevent
its working off and becoming scattered
over the adjoining portions of the road
way.
Then when the road is properly
trimmed and leveled off to a nice grade
to the outer edge of the ditch, take the
big roller, commence at this outer edge,
roll lengthwise, going around in a land
and finishing nm in the center Tina