The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1896-05-29

Sometimes, instead of tiling, bundles
of rods or straight limbs of trees, bound
together fagot fashion, are laid in the
bottom of the drains instead of tiles.
Thsis Il cheaper construction, but is not
regarded sD good as the U-shaped tiling.
| When the roadway has been graded
and rolled and the drains have been built
the first layer of broken stone is put OH
the rolled surface of the earth founda-
ton. This layer is about six inches deep,
and consists of broken stone, no piece too
large to pass through ring of two and
one-half inches inside diameter.
When this layer is evenly spread over
the foundation the roller is again brought
into use, and the stone layer is rolled
until il is firm and compact. The stone
is sprinkled with water before the roller
is passed over it, and sometimes clean,
sharp sand is sprinkled over the stone.
The second layer. thick enough to
bring the stone bed up to ten inches, is
next spread OH and rolled, and then top
layer of clean gravel OF stone clippings
is put OH and rolled. Care is taken that
the gravel shall not Ike waterworn. with
smooth, round corners. for this is injuri-
GUS to the roadway
| The Telford road differs materially
from the macadam, for it has foursla-
ton OF stones laid down singly, with the
broad side down, and the spaces between
the stones filled with smaller, rough,
wetlge-shaped stones driven in solid.
Originally the Telford foundation was
"convexed" 10y laying the largest stones
to form the crown in the center of the
roadway and then grading down to the
cutters with smaller stones, but this
practice is 10 longer followed, for the
earth is graded to form the crown rs it is
done in II nlac;idam road.
The earth foundation is well rolled
and then the sub-pavement is laid on
with the long side of the stone set trans
versely. Between these stones stone
chips are packed firmly and then broken
stone is placed over the sub-pavelnent in
two layers, the first layer being rolled
and packed before the second is laid OIL.
This layer of broken stone forms the
intermediate course, for the surface is
made of stone broken in smaller pieces
and packed under Il light roller Sand is
swept over the surface and another roll
ing with Il heavier roller completes the
pavement. The sand is moistened and
the rolling is continued until the sand
can no longer he driven in between the
broken stone. Drains are laid, as they
are for macadam roads. before the sub
pavement is built
simple experiment. which can Ike
made with any wheel, will show why a
smooth. llarl-surfaced road makes haul
ing easy for Il horse. On such a road the
roadway is tangent to the circumference
of the wheel. The wheel stands on the
Immediate point of contact, and there is
no obstacle over which the wheel must
be lifted. On Il sandy OF loose. soft
earth road the wheel sinks into the road
way. L" draw the wheel forward the
earth before its track must be displaced
or passed over, 50 that Il horse. in ad,li-
| ton to the force il must exert 10 draw
the load, must Use extra force to over
come the obstacle in the path of the
Whrel
I'm MccklenbirS county, North Caro-
lima, the systematic improvement of
roads has made progress for nearly fif-
teen years. The general plan adopted
was to start at the city limits of the
county seat and to grade and macatlam
all public roads from this point out to-
ward the township and county limits.
These roads have Il width of forty feet
for the first two miles from the city linn
its and beyond this point ii width of
thirty-siX feet
The average cost Of these roads, in
cludinS the macadamizing and grading.
is about $1,000 mile
Much Of the ROAD building in this
county is done lN cQnvicts. The aver
age NUMBER Of convicts employed is
about eiglity, and the average cost of
this labor por convict, including food,
clothing, medical attention and guards.
is from 20 to - centSa day.
The rate of taxation in the county is
Is cents on 500 worth of prop
crtN. In addition each township lpvies
a tax varying from ! TO IS cents
Hn each 500 worth Of property The
law requires all able boiled citizens along
the public roads to labor fonr days Of
each year on llt Iuiilic foads VI tn r~