New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-06-24
WAKING ROADS IN CUBA.
\ MANUAL BY GENERAL ROY STONE WHICH
WILL. BE OF VALUE TO THE
ARMY ENGINEERS

ARMY ENGINEERS.
Washington. June 23-Brigadier- General Roy
stone now or the staff OF General Miles, has pre-
pared A manual for the OF troops operating in
cuba covering the most expeditions means OF cut
ing military roads through tangled tropical
vegetation swamps and underbrush through which
ne American Army must push It's way In Cuba.
General Stone was the road expert Of the Agr-
cultural Department. but on the breaking out or
he war Secretary Alser asked that be be assigned
I'D the military service. with view Ia making his
eV7ert knowledge available IN road-buiding through
cuba. He has made study OF Cuban soil vegeta-
ton and timber growth. and. besides personal ac-
guaintaucc with the country. he has collected a
large number Of photographs maps etc. which
show Ia detail tho topography and vegetation OF
she Island. With this material In hand General
stone has framed his manua! for military roads in
cuba which has. within the last few days. been
distributed to commanding officers FOR their guild
ance
In opening roads through Cuba General Stone
makes good use Of the guava tree or hush when
grows IN luxurious abundance throughout the Isl
and. He gives diagrams by which this is to be
cut and the houghs bound upward. making a com
pac: roll about the size OF small log. These
guaya bundles known as .ascines laid length
wise. ono row Of bundles tapping over another.
ike shingles. These are successive layers OF this
bound together. making serviceaole roadway
strong enough for troops and even for field ord
nance
The manual lays down the following general plan
for Cuban roaG-making:
II the road is important one Il should have
about sixteen icct Of travel-way and. 10 allow ior
al least thirty fee; wide Running through wood,
cd country. the advance or clearing party should
be- equipped with axes. machetes. hush scythes
and few forks and should he instructed 10 cut
and clear away all vines. weeds and small under.
growth and 20 bind UP INTO bundles ali smaii
bushes less than an inch In diameter AZ the ground
these bundles 10 be- kept for repairs OF roads. II
there is heavy timber. the second gang, equipped
with axes and saws. viii cnop ont all trees, leaVlnS
the roots o. tho ground and the trees into sucn
lengths VIII allow the logs to be hauled or rolled
OF ihc roadway
with axes. hatchets and twine, will cut the bushes
and make tho fascines or bundles. to be used for
the roadhc1
The las ines placed lengthwlse. butt end for
ward and over them is a covering OF earth about
three inches deep Each additional layer Of fascines
has layer Of earth. The roadted is 50 lad as 70
hc solid D. Itself. with bitches on each side. and
with au easy slope. tha, n wagon may be driven
or without E.settirg In crossing low, swdmpy
gsound. a layer Of poles or canes IS first aid
While these bush roads might seem insecure, they
are. as matter OF fact. more solid tnan an oral
crowded together with crowbars until 'hey lie
with ;hc soIidity OF bdl"d hay.
General stones manGa. also gives directions loE
DfI'prE out timber wnerc eXcaVa IONS are 70 ne
made for making sEiceways. and FOR me improve
mort u sandy roads sugar-cane which Is aoun,,
tno best layers Tor improving the, sandy roads,
Th" cane is aid upon the surface and covered WIN
about NO inches of sand. with alterha" h!tis
upward. Auo ac~ cuban growth utilized Tor TINS
purpose Is tho palm tree. The fbre from the bar
~ thl. tree makes ono OF the best materials for
Improving sandy roads Warning is given against
the use % pine needles. Us they Work 10 the sur
flce AND are liable 70 be burned or -.
The manual IS Illustrated by a number or dla-
grams which show IN detail how these military
highways through cuba can be best constructed.