Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1898-08-11
MAKING ROADS IN CUBA.
MANUAL FOR USE OF TROOPS IN
CUTTING MILITARY HIGHWAYS,

General Roy Stone, Who Has Studied the
Island, Says Good Use Can BE Made
| of the Guaya Tree and the Palm-Of
Value to Army Engineers.
Brigader- General Roy Stone, now
on staff of General Miles, has pre-
pared q manual for the use of troops
operating in Cuba, covering the most
expeditions means of cutting military
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 Agrl-
cultural Department, but on the
breaking out of the war Secretary AL
ger asked that he be assigned to tho
military service, with view to MAX
ing his expert Knowledge available in
road building through Cuba. He has
made study of Cuban soil, vegeta->
tion and timber growth, and, besides
personal acquaintance with the
country, he has collected large num-
ber of photographs, maps, etc., which
show in detail the topography and
vegetation of the island. With thrs
material in hand, General Stone has
framed his manual for military roads
in Cuba, which has, within the last
few days, been distributed to COM
manding officers for their guidance.
In opening roads through Cuba
General Stone makes good use of the
guava tree or bush, which grows in
luxurious abundance throughout the
island. He gives diagrams by which
] this is to- be cut, and the boughs
bound upward, making a compact
roll about the size of q small log.
These guava bundles, known as fas-
cines, are laid lengthwise, one row OF
bundles tapping over another, like
shingles. These are successive lay.
ers OF this bound together, making q
serviceable roadway strong enough for
troops and even for field ordnance.
The manual lays down the following
general plan for Cuban road-making.
eff 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 n wooded country,
the advance or clearing party should
be equipped with axes, machetes
bush scythes and a few forks, and
should be instructed to cut and clear
away all vines, weeds and small un-
dergrowth and to bind up into bun
dies oil small bushes less than an inch
in diameter at the ground, these bun.
dies to be kept for repairs of roads.
III there is heavy timber, the second
gang, equipped with axes and saws,
will chop out all trees, leaving the
roots in the ground, and saw the trees
into such lengths rs will allow the
logs to be hauled or rolled off the
roadway"
1t is then provided that the third
gang, equipped with axes, hatchets
and twine, will cut the bushes and
make the fascines, OF bundles, 70 be
used for the roadbed.
The fascines are placed lengthwise,
butt end forward, and over them is O
covering of earth about three inches
deep. Each additional layer of fas-
cines has a layer of earth. The road
bed is so laid as to be solid in itself,
with bitches on each side, and with an
easy slope, so that wagon may be
driven off without upsetting. In
crossing low, swampy ground, layer
of poles or canes is first laid length
wise to the road, and the fascines on
top. While these bush roads might
seem insecure, they are, as q matter
of fact, more solid than au ordinary
corduroy road, the bundles of bushes
being crowded together With crowbars
until they lie with the solidity OF baled
hay.
General Stones manual also gave
directions for grubbing out timber
where excavations are to be made, for
making sluiceways, and for the i'm.
provement Of sandy roads. Sugar.
cane, which is abundant in many parts
of Cuba, is suggested as one of the
best layers for improving the sandy
roads. The cane is laid upon the sur
face and covered with about two
inches of sand, with alternate layers
upward. Another Cuban growth util-
lied for this purpose is the palm tree.
Tie fiber from the bark of this tree
makes one Of the best materials for
improving sandy roads. Warming is
given against the use of pine needles,
as they work to the. surface and are
liable to be burned off.
The manual is illustrated by num-
Der of diagrams, which show in detail
how these military highways through
Cuba can be best constructed.
The Laughing Plant of Arabia.
The laughing plant grows In Arabia