The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1899-08-12
For The Ledger.
ROAD AND STREET MAKING
The Sand-and-Clay Method Sub
mlttcd for the Consideration of
Our Town and County
authorities.

Some time ago The Columbia
State said that roads made of
sand and clay we're as good if not
better than maCadam, and that
practical demonstration of this
method of road making was to be
had near Columbia. The Chester
Lantern asked for further facts
as to cost, width of road, method
Of construction, and so On-to
which The state replied as follows:
"The estimate of cost seems
very low, but it was given to u
representative Of The State by
competent authority, a gentleman
under whose direction many miles
of these roads have been built
this year The roads vary some-
what as in width, but are nowh ere,
we believe, less than 90 feet wide.
X X K
"Speaking roughly, the method
of construction is as follows: The
roadbed is invariably so arched
that the drainage Is made perfect,
and the sides are thoroughly
ditched; fer it is fatal to a road
Of this character TO permit water
to settle in it and be churned by
hoofs and wheels into mud. If
the roadhed is already of clay,
sand is spread upon 1t and
thoroughly rolled in until the
composition is stiff, gritty and
smooth. If, on the other hand,
the road bed is heavy with sand,
the looser sand is removed and
from six to eight inches of clay
are spread upon the track and
rolled: and then sand is freely
sprinkicd ON the clay and thorough
ly rolled in. In doing work On
these different classes the state of
the weather and the road is con.
sidercd, for there are times when
by reason of extreme moisture or
dryness it is ineXpedient to at
tempt perfecting the roadbed.
For detailed information on this
and other points the county super-
visor of Richland should he con-
suited, or, better still, the pro
cess should be personally studied.
"rhe systematic improvement
of our roac!s on this plan was be-
gun, we think, some time last fall
or winter. < y = Within one
year from the start upwards
of 35 miles of roads will have
been converted into really
admirable highways which lit,
tie attention will afterwards
maintain in their present condi-
ton. This has been the work of
two small convict gangs inteIli-
gently directed, and outfits of
mules, dump carts, scrapers and
a road roller. Next year the i'm
provement of these roads will be
carried TO points 10 or - miles
from Columbia, and at the same
rate Of progress two years more
will take the good roads to the
county limits.
CAS- for the quality Of the
roads thus improved, we NAV say
that they are as smooth and
pleasant for riding and driving as
the best laid macadam in Colum-
bIa. We have cycIcd five miles
out and back on the Winnsboro'
and Camden roads without dis
Elouuting-fnding the roadbed |
delightful. The wheel spins |
swiftly and easily now over sand |
hills where the sand used to lie I
nearly foot deep and the land |
on either side of the road is still |
furrOwed with the tracks of ve~
hiCles that "OOk to the woods"
in the effort to discover an easier
passage for over the desert of
sand is now laid broad track of
clay, hard, dry and smooth. The
ability of these weIl-drained COM
DOsite roads to withstand the in
huence of bad weather was demon.
strated last sprin when, after
weeks of rain, the roads we have
here referred to were found Who'll
y unimpaired. OF course they
will need care to keep them in