The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1902-04-10

400, tho writer was for a short time en-.
Moved as Supervisor of Public Roads
Tor Warren Co., N. G. A road law
snecially enacted for the county had
abolished entirely the old plan Of "call.
ing ont the hands to do free work on
the roads, substituting therefor a tax on
poll and property. This tax was very
small, netting not Quitc $1,000 per an
mum during the two years OF my service.
There were about 300 miles Of roads to
be cared for in q territory or about 300
so, miles OF this mileage a consider.
able percentage, of course, WAS not much
used. OF the main roads, some parts,
lvinp ON sandy or gravclly surface, were
never very bad. a large part of these
roads however. lay on - surface which
was either wholly composed Of clay, rcd
or yellow, or Of clay covered with thin
layer Of light sandy loan which when
not drained was easily cut through or
washed of, exposing the clay.
These parts Of tn" roads in winter and
in wet weather generally became un-
speaksbly bad the clay cutting up to a
dopth of from ! to : feet, and some
stretches of road becoming wholly i'm
passabc.
The very limited money available for
road work led toa careful study Of the
conditions Of the case, with the follow
ing results:
It was observed that many parts OF the
roads which were always good had q
surface covering Of sand or gravel, often
very thin, covering Clays, rcd or yellow,
beneath Careful examination Of the
thickness and nature Of this covering
and its relation to the underlying clay
disclosed several interesting and impor-
tant facts.
1t was found that the covering Of
sand gravel or sandy loan WAS often
very thin, on sections Of road that were
hardly ever cut up or in bad order. In
some cases, in which there was no
noticeable deterioration of the roadway
in seasons that were quite unfavorablc
the sandy covering WAS not over an inch
thick over 81 yellow and rather porous
clay. 1t was also noted that an ordinary
sandy loan, or "soil,' as it was com
monty called, often made as good y
covering rs any other the varying fine
ness Of its materials causing a closer
packing This appeared to make it
superior to a fine sand Of uniform grain,
which was more apt to cut up when dry.
Many parts Of the roadway had alter
nate sections Of dcnudcd clay and Of
sand or gravel surface, while others in
which the clay was more generally cX.
posed, had sand, or gravel, or sandy soil,
nearby. 1t Was determined to try the
plan Of shaping up the claycy parts OF
the roads into good surface, either by
hand or machine, and then covering the
roadway with the best materials pro
cursblc, by the use Of wheel scrapcrs.
This plan proved signally successful,
Parts Of the roadway thus repaired,
w hinh had fnr C1ty
bad, and almost impossible during
winter and wet seasons, have been so
entirely changed in character that a team
may be driven over them at q trot any
day in the year. The material, when
properly selected and applied, has com
pactcd into a firm, hard surface, which
sheds water freely and rapidly, is dry
soon after tainfalls, and is scarcely ever
cut to any apprcciablc depth. and often
hardly marked by the passage Of vehicles
even when heavily loaded.
The writer has recently visited and in
spcctcd some points at which this work
was done four or five years ago, and
found them still in admirable order,
while he is assured by those in u posi-
ton to know that only very trilling
amount Of money has been expended on
them in the interval Of time mentioned
The results have been surprising even &c
the writer, although he hoped much for
the work. OF the estimate placed on il
by citizens generally, the accompanying
letters from an cx county commissioner
who has always taken deep interest
IN such matters, and from u re
putablc physician, who has frequent 0c
cason to pass to and fro over the work
will testify:
WARRENToN, N. c., Nov. 81, 1901.
am thoroughly convinced after five
or six years observation Of the rcd hills
gravclcd under your direction while
Superintendent Of Roads Of Warren
county that it is by far the best and
cheapest method that can be adopted
with limited amount OF money. The
hills on which you had gravel placed
hvc or six years ago arc now rs good as
or better than when the work was first
done, and in many cases are now the
best part Of the road.
WAKKENroN N. G Nov. -, 1900
Iour road work still remains in almost
as good condition as when first done ant
IN the meantime has required very little
repair. Only once has it been necessary
70 MI in q few ruts and breaks or wash
outs on tho side of the roadbcd. | have
ol!cn blessed you when driving at
th vtisk ge't instead Of tugging through
Mn HMe muo' foot deep. at snail's pace
hhc same system, ! am glad to say, has
nooh useo az several points in the county
sely niuch 10 the benefit Of the roads
"ns, "nu ioil''oit 10 OF the travelling public. Tho
I Ios. ,s d mere trliic compared with the
pencilts derived, and when the gravel is
optHin"olc 1t is the cheapest and besl
ROAD Tor the expenditure.
RnAnwAy rpnvs ,,,,,,u,
APPLYING COVERING.
In Fig. |, the lower line shows IN,
snapo which was given to the or;p;na,
Gay roadDed. The rise in the centcr !,
haac as hight as will secure drainayc or
tha' inc greater rise necessarily pivcn ~
the covering will not cause i 10 T,ao, y,
off in heavy rains. ""s'
The covering is put on TO q dent, =
from 3 to 5 ms, when packed: ~ ttH fa;ri, y
uniform thickness, for a width Of ahn,;
8 IT,, thence tapering out to NOTHING |;
Q or 3 #. more though sometimes undc
favorable circumstances. and on nor
used roads little wider. Fig 2 show
another section where the old road
wider. The dimensions OF the improve
part arc the samo as in Fig I the unin
proved part being ahaped up and left fc
passing. In Fig. 1. the road is in ma
row cut, such as is often found on on
older roads; the cuts being gradual
made by washing, and often being &c
Is, and oven 20 IT. deep. Passing IL
4 ooo ,,orrouu ,>1o ,oo Ia 4, ~, 4 pt ,,.I.