The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1898-06-24
MAMMAL EOR TROOPS

Washington, June 23.-Brigadier General
Stone, now on the staff OF Major General
| Miles, has prepared a manual for the
use of troops operating in Cuba, covering
the most expeditions means Of cutting mil
itary roads through the tangled tropical
vegetation swamps and underbrush
through which the American army must
push its way in Cuba General Stone was
the road expert of the agricultural de-
partment, but on the breaking out of the
war Secretary Alger asked that he be
assigned to the military service with d
view to making his expert knowledge
available in road building through Cuba.
He has made a study OF Cuban soil, vege-
tation and timber growth and besides
a personal acquaintance with the country,
he has collected a large number OF pho
tographs, maps, etc, which show in de-
tail the topography and vegetation Of the
island. With this material in hand. Cen
eral Stone has framed his manual for
military roads in Cuba, which has within
the last few days been distributed TO COM
handing officers for their guidance.
In opening roads through Cuba, General
Stone makes good use of the guava tree,
or bush, which grows in luxurious abun-
dance throughout the island. He gives
diagrams by which this is to be cut, and
the boughs bound upward, making a com
pact roll, about the size of a small log.
These guava bundles. known as fascines,
are laid lengthwise, one row of bundles
tapping over another like shingles. There
are successive layers of this. bound to-
gether, making a serviceable roadway,
strong enough for troops and even for
field ordnance.
The manual lays down the following
general plan for Cuban road making:
IF the road is an important one it
should have about sixteen feet of travel
way and. to allow for bitches on either
side. the ground should be cleared at
least thirty feet wide. Running through
a wooded country, the advance or clear
ing party should be equipped with axes,
machettes, bush scyths and a few forks,
and should be instructed to cut and clear
away all vines, weeds. and small under
growth and to bind up into bundles all
small bush less than an inch in diameter
at the ground, these bundles to be kept
for repairs of roads. If there is heavy
timber, the second gang, equipped with
axes and saws, will chop out all trees,
leaving the root in the ground. and saw
the trees into such lengths will allow
the logs TO be hauled or rolled off the
roadway"
It is then provided that the third gang,
equipped with axes, hatchets and twine
will cut the bushes and make the fascines
or bundles, to be used for the road bed.
The fascines are placed iengthwise, butt
ends forward and over them is cover
ing Of earth about three inches deep.
Each additional layer Of fascine has a
layer of earth. The roadbed is so laid
as to be solid in itself. with bitches on
each side and with an easy slope so that
a wagon may be driven off without up
setting While these bush roads might
seem insecure, they are, as a matter Of
fact, more solid than an ordinary cordu-
roy road the bundle of bushes being
crowded together with crOwbars until they
lay with the solidity Of baled hay.
General Stones manual also gives direc-
tons for gru5biug out timber whore ex-
cavations are 10 be made, for making
sideways, and for the Improvement Of
sandy roads. Sugar cane. which is album
dant in many parts Of Cuba, IS suggested
as one OF the best layers for improving
the sandy roads. The cane is laid upon the
surface and covered with about two inches
Of sand with alternate layers upward.
The fibre from the bark OF this tree makes
one Of the best materials for improving
sandy roads. Warning IS given against
the use Of pine needles as they work 20
the surface and are liable 10 be burned
&c -~1~ II =
Der Of diagrams which show in detail
how these military highways. through
Cuba can be best constructed.