The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1901-08-12
HOWT0 BUILD GOOD ROADS
PROPER DRAINAGE Is A VERY ES-
SENTlAL PREREQUISITE.
Some Suggestions that Are Particularly
Pertinent at the Present Time.
As to Drainage.

AS Harris county is soon to inaugurate
general system Of road building, the fol
lowing suggestions secured from prac-
teal source will be found of interest at the
present time. The gentleman who gives the
Information Is a practical road builder but
for reasons best known TO himself does not
desire the use OF his name.
Drainage" says he, "ls the most In
portant matter TO be considered in the
construction of roads. No road, whether
earth or stone, can long remain good with
out drainage. Drainage alone will often
change a bad earth road to a good one, and
the best road may often be destroyed by
! the absence of proper drainage. No road,
| however well made, can long endure II
water Is permitted TO collect and remain
upon IT, A perfectly drained road should
have three systems Of drainage, each Of
| which should receive special attention II
the best results are to he obtained. rms
| Is true whether the road be Of gravel,
| stone or earth, and particularly true If OF
| earth, These three systems are under
| ground drainage side bitches and surface
| drains.
"a good road can not be maintained with
! out good foundation and an underdrained
| soil Is n poor foundation. 1t is the uni
| yersal observation that roads in low places,
1 which are tiled, dry out sooner than the
/ untitled roads on the high land. The tiled
| roads never get SO bad those which are
/ untitled The cost of tile drainage Is about
! Sl60 per mile, the Improvement is per-
llAheut WIN 10 tAPelav, ~ i o.tair
anu lile pguStt 70 id ,,,,, nm m,
drained Foundation Is almost sure TO sink
| gradually, whatever its thickness, whereas
q Slihn uHV "a! ~ upVi ~ ~, ,,,.i itSd-
| tiled without gravel are much better thhn
! rsouS SraYelea Miiino9t nv I thn
shouiu pe unutI Ii i 81 40 d s,,1'fncc
! WAFER ieNel NJ, Mn ny,Vm w 70 ,,nnitsI, 4
| In most ioehl,es TINS can pe .SCoiiip ilsuSp
| reasonably wen pS HNlhB tile thltc VI
! three ana mar rect DyloW Lut lo"u =, su l.,
race aIons 0ne sue a. Vs ~ in"u shyld h e :
sometimes claimpu mn M Smtu IN, y" ino
me on each siue OF the r1nn, pu, az ~ ~
WIN give ImrN gq3u urHl VIII unu ,t ~" ~,
most adverse G9hultions. Mhile +" unv ",
tile on one slde OF tne rohu ~ S usuliS
! sufficient, thtrc IS often great uliieISntN,V
as to the SIDE on WhlGh ! snHounu ~ an ~,
If one SIDE OF the r9hq Is nishet LIN, I'm ~ ~
| othet the tic shoulu pe On w. " II az
TO Intercept the ground water tuaI IS nov
ing down the SLOPE hhaer lhe 9 t,, ,,ro i :,
course tue ule Shouiu nav d uu,tVt w. a ''
n euniclent ran ana an aueluNle ouiltC
The side dltches are cohstVuctea 20 k
celve the water from ihe suIlhce o. w
Travelled way anu sh9ulu pG 80 TuliSt' n,,
as to carry y rhplulH M, Anu nn'it M ,,f
from the roadside. prdlnanS lheE nee
not be deep and, II possiple' shouiu ~ "
broad, harinE size tnWnIu 1b hu ~ ,bti,I
way to prevent accluent II Neutcttt SUI -
be crowded to the extreme size OF thc ROM
way, The outside bank shou1u pe ma
enough to prevent caNlng; ~" ~ Prop r,
form Of ditch Is easily MADE py M ne usin
road machine or road grader inc SUI
ditch should nave a free outlet mo , Soa'i
stream SO as to carry me VAL" r' a,, II,
away from the road. No GOOD roal can ~
obtained with side bitches that ho'o tu
water until u eVapoiS,IeS, - ,ho trayelo,
'"lhe surface drainage OF , Luz uvuNtiU ",
y portion of a road Is FUZZY as lmporlah' ~
its Undertakings and is provided Tor .!
making the surface browning. Drainage o
tho surface is natter chiefly affecting tn
=. maintenance OF the roads ne Sl3pt 'Iu.