The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1899-10-20
GOOD GRAVEL ROADS.
FAR SUPERIOR TO THE COMMON
EARTH HIGHWAY.


tion - Grading and Rolling Very
Important.
In connection with the building and
maintenance of gravel roads the most
important matter to consider Is that of
selecting the proper material A small
proportion of argillaceous sand. clayey,
or earthly matter contained in some
gravel enables it to pack readily and
consolidate under traffic or the road
roller Seaside and river gravel which
is composed usually of rounded. water
worn pebbles. is unfit for snrfacing
roads Tho small stones of which they
are composed. having no angular pro-
irctions or sharp edges. easily move or
slide against each other and will not
hind together. and even when mixed
with clay may turn freely. causing the
whole surface to be loose. like materials
IL Il shaken sieve.
Inferior qualities of gravel can some
times Ire used for foundations. but
where it becomes necessary to employ
such material even for that purpose 1T
is well to mix Just enough sandy or
r,aycy loam to bind it firmly together.
Fer the wearing surface or the top layer
the pebbles should. ii possible, be COM
para,iv..y clean. hard. angular and
tan2h. - thut they will readily conSol-
iLuta and Will not lie easily pulverizcd
by the iuract of traffic into dust and
mad The sloUii le coarse, varying in
s!gu from half an inch to an inch and
ona-half
Where blue gravel or hardpan and
4, l. l., GOOD
road may he made by mixing the two
together Pit gravel or gravel dug from
the earth. rs Il rule contains TOO much
carthy matter This may, however, be
removed by sitting For this purpose
two Stoves are necessary, through which
the gravel should bo thrown. The
mcshos Of one sieve should be one and
one half or two inches in diameter.
while the mcShcs of the other should be
three -fcurthS Of IN inch. All pebbles
which will not go through tho one and
one. half inch meShc5 should be rejected
| or broken SO that they will go through.
All material which sits through the
thrcetourths inch mcshes should be re-
| jccted for the ro@d. but may bc used in
| making side paths. The excellent road
which can he built from materials pre-
pared in this way Is SO far superior TO
| the one made of the natural clavey ma
| tcrial that the expense and trouble Of
sitting are many times repaid.
Some earth roads may be greatly I'M
! proved by covering the surface with a
| layer Of three or four inches Of gravel,
| aud sometimes even n thinner layer
may prove of very great benefit If kept
| in proper repair The subsoll Of such
| roadway ought, however. to be we'll
drained or of IL light and porous nature,
! Roads constructed over clay soils re-
| uuire q laYcr of ut least six in.lssa- #
| to prevent the weight of traffic forcing
| tho surface material into weak places
| IN the clay beneath. and also to prevent
| the surface water from percolating
| through and softcning the clay and
| causing the roadway to be torn up.
Owing to laci, Of knowledge regard
| ing construction. Indifference or caro-.
lessness in building or improving, roads
made of gravel are often very much
! worse than they ought to be. Some of
them are made by simply dumping the
material into rurs mliGholcs or butter
lil;o dcpressions or on unimproycd fuuD
dation and are left thus for traffic to
consolidate, while others are made by
covering the surface with inferior ma
terial without any attention being paid
TO the Fundamental principles of drain
ago AS n result of such thoughtlcss
and haphazard methods the road usual
ly becomes rousi,cr and more complete
ly covered with holes than before
In constructing gravel road tho
| roadbcd should first bo brought to the
| proper grade. Ordinarily an excavation
| is then made to the depth Of 8 or 10
! inches. varying in width with the re
| uuirements Of traffic For q farm or
! farming community tho width need not
| he grr:ter than 10 or II feet \ road
way which is too widc is not only use
| less hrt the extra width Is positive
damage Any width beyond tLat need
ed for the traffic is not OILY a waste Ci
money in constructing the road. but i
the cnUs" Of Il never ending expense III
m&iv'"ininS il The surface Of til"
ronibci sn' I'D preferably have q fall
from tn" ccu;.r 20 the sides tn, same A.
t,lnj 20 be given tn" finished road, and
shuUll. ii poo. Vie. Or Thoroughly rolled
II J rHaJl.dat"l un'ii smooth and firm
y !'!t ti, i.bt t''ItNti lI!ilN iOul lfCi't..
Q: good gravel such as that recon-
- nd"d above. .;.0!ld then hc spread
evenly over the prepared roadbcd
u Il roller cannot DC had, the rOai is
thrown open t. traffic until it becomes
well Consolidated. but it is impos> BILE
{ properly consolidate materials by the
!. Jvcmcnt Of vehicles over the read
'i'o If this means i, pursued constant
'v"tcEfo mess ~ necessary to prey II
Unc Iua! v"ar aIi - Keep the surface
s,lCpth and free from ruis The W Jrk