The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-06-24
MILITARY ROADS In CUBA.
GEN. stones Idea of How They should
he Made by the Troops.

WASHINGTON, June 23.-Brigadier Cen
eral Stone. now on the staff of Major Cen
eral Miles, has prepared a manual for the
use of troops operating in Cuba covering
the most expeditions means of cutting mill
tary roads through the tangled tropical
vegetation, Swamps and underbrush
through which the American army must
push it's 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 as
signed to the military service with view
to making his expert knowledge available
in road building through Cuba. He has
made a study of Cuban SOIL vegetation and
timber, and, besides a personal acquaint-
ance with the country, he has collected
large number of photographs maps, ETC.,
which show in detail the topography and
vegetation of the island; With this material
in hand General Stone has framed his man
ual for military roads in Cuba, which has.
within the last few days, been distributed
to commanding officers for their guidance.
In opening roads through Cuba General
Stone makes 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
turned upward making a compact roll
about the size of a small log. These guava
bundles, known as fascines, are laid length
wise. one row of bundles tapping over an
other, like shingles. There are successive
layers of these bound together, making
serviceable road, strong enough for troops
and even for field ordnance
The manual lays down the following gen.
eral plan for Cuban roadmaking: 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 adj
vance or clearing party should be equipped
with axes. machetes. bush scythes and a
rev forks, and should be instructed to cut
and clear away all vines, weeds and small
Underground and to bind up into bundles
all small bushes less than an inch in thick
ness, these bundles being kept for the re-
PAIR or the roads If there is heavy timber,
the second gang, equipped with axes and
roots in the ground, and saw the trees into
such length as will allow the logs to be
hauled or rolled off the roadway.
1t is then provided that the third gang,
equipped with axes and Irvine, will cut the
bushes and make the fascines, or bundles,
to be used for the roadbed. The fascines
are placed lengthWise, butt end forward,
and over them a covering of earth about
three inches deep. Each additional layer of
fascines has layer of earth. The roaobed
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 inse-
cure, they are, as a matter of fact, more
solid than any ordinary corduroy road, the
bundles of bushes being crowded together
with crowbars until they lay with the So
| lidity of baled hay.
| General Stones manual also gives direc-
tions for grubbing out timber where exca-
vations are to be made, for making sluice-
Of 1dxy
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 surface
and covered with about two inches of sand.
with alternate layers upward Another Gu
ban growth utilized for this purpose is the
palm tree. 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 to the surface and are liable to be
burned off. The manual is illustrated by a
number of diagrams which show in detail
how these military highways through Cuba
can be best constructed.