The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1899-12-13
Good Roads.
a Cheap and Substantial Wav
to Build Them.
Aiken Journal and Review.

Aiken Journal and Review.
All will admit the great Importance
of this subject, especially in Aiken
county. where We have so many nun
dred miles OF poor roads whose worst
features are the sand beds If bv sny
means we can kill them, we shall be
able to change the above expression
to good roads and the main difficulty
will be done away The bony car.
caeses of our horses and mules show
only too plainly the terrible strain
going On year by year
1t is a poor preacher, who after
showing the people their sins does
not point out remedy, and this is
the object of this short article.
First: We have two of the best
elements to build with, sand and
clay The latter lie easy to reach
throughout the County, but we cannot
build house unless we have a good
foundation. and the same rule will
have to be applied to road By
some strange provision of nature on
all sand bed roads will be found
below the loose sand hard and porous
bed, forming substantial foundation
to build upon 1t would take a
scientist to tell US how and wby this
occurs, nevertheless, it is an impor.
tant tact.
Second: The main difficulty is to
get rid of or chan ge the loose sand into
a hard road bed By actual measure
'he top sand varies from two to four
inches deep Our plan is very simple
and cheap one, by spreading clay on
the top from oDe to two inches thick,
according to tho depth Of the loose
sand and mixing it by blowing or
narrowing so the sand and clay will be
thoroughly mixed together. One aud
one half inchs of clay on a three inch
bed thoroughly mixed will make q good
6rst class road after few rains. Do
not put the clay on top without mixinR,
'he sudcess is 10 the mixing. and you
will be surprised to see how little oIay
it takes to kill ssud bed, aud bow
Inexpensive mile could be changed to
Q good road
Now q word about the width of
roads The Grsniseville. langley and
Mootuorenci roads should be twelve to
fifteen feet, but most of our county
roads from elk to eight feet aud we'll
rounded up to the center.
We propose that every ueig hborbo bood
through the county form . road
club. appoint u msusger, and every
farmer voIuotarily furnish . team,
shovels and picks so tar ss able, then
have . road bed for certain days when
oil could unite and work together to
push the work. November. Decem.
Der aud January are the best months
of the year Do not wait for our
County Commissioners or the chain
gang or you will never have . road.
We must remember that they have
hundreds of miles to look after aud
besides they are uot oIayiug The ssod
beds and are not prepared for this kind
of work.
1t can best be done by neigbbor hood
clubs bringing out their teams, men.
etc. 1t bss been published that it
would cost $50 to clay ten foot road
a mile long The plau suggested will
cost little. Not dollar 10 money aud
. mile Of sand bed could be killed 10 a
few days. By actual test Oh several
roads it has been found tha. little clay
need be hauled. especially 90 narrow
roads One inca of clay where sand
is twoto two and o half inches deep !;
one inch aud a half where three inches
deep two inches where four and q
common turn shovel is the best tool to
mix it with.
Now is the time to push the work all
over the County. Let the new century
dawo upon us With many a mile Of
terrible sand beds killed.
Robert Powell.
Chairman of Road and Streets Commit.
tee, Aiken Improvement 500.
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