Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1897-05-13

often the difference between profit and
loss, to farmers situated far from mar
ket.
1t has been my privilege for the past
year to be in position to see and know,
in a practical way, the manner and
methods of construction of these state
roads, in different parts of this state,
as now being built. I am convinced
that to construct roads intelligent!y
requires a good degree of professional
skill, but not that alone. Technical en-
cheering must yield to practical COM
mon sense methods in dealing with the
problems constantly being met with III
the varied conditions in road building,
such as variety of soil-hilly, wet, clay
land that is necessary to thoroughly
drain, and in some sections loose sand
ard in others good gravel, and every
where is to be met the destructive eff
feet of the elements and the deep frost,
which work great injury to an inn
properly built road. Economic condi-
lions must also be considered. Nearly
all Of these state roads are the main
thoroughfares radiating from the bust
ness centers, where there is large
amount of travel, making it necessary
to build substantial and expensive
roads, with q view to a constant in
crease Of travel. But good engineering
does not consist in expanding large
sums, but in building the best possible
roads with the least amount of money,
although the opposite sometimes APP
pears to be the. case.
The preparation Of the subgrade or
roadbed, making it suitable for the
broken stone, is first in order 1t is to
be brought to the grade line and with
the same crown as the finished road
way, then rolled with roller Of not
less than ten tons weight, until hard
and compact as possible, all depres-
sions being filled SO that the stone will
be of uniform thickness. Then it is
ready for the first course Of broken
stone of four inches in thickness, which
is as thick as will roll to the best adj
vantage. This course is then rolled I'M
til compact enough not to be disturbed
by the empty teams passing over 1t.
Then it is ready for the second course
of the same thickness, to be treated in
the same manner as the first, care al
WAYS being taken to roll from the out
side towards the center. With this
course the shoulders of gravel are to be
rolled and it is then ready for the last
course of screenings or dust. Care
must be taken in putting this on; it
should be spread just thick enough to
cover the broken stone and fill The
spaces between them, then watered and
rolled until the mud shall flush to the,
surface. This works the dust down be-
tween the stone, making solid COM
pact waterproof roadbed.
The above description applies to
roads built entirely Of macadam, but
where there are soft places or wet clay
or springy land, it is first drained by
putting in tile drain pipe, then Tel
ford paving is used. This consists of
stones four to ten inches in width and
six to twenty inches in length and not
less than eight inches in depth, placed
vertically and lengthwise across tt5
roadway, making a firm pavement
when driven down and rolled. Upon
this the broken stone is placed and
treated as, before stated. During all
of the work from the beginning, teams
should not be allowed to pass over 1t
unless absolutely necessary, rs any dis
turbing of the foundation on the diff
ferent courses of stone is an injury
to the durability of the pork.-R. e.
Allen. C. E., in American AgTiculturist.