Republican news item. [volume] (Laport, Pa.) 1896-19??, 1904-08-25
ROAD IMPROVEMENT.
A FEW FACTS FOR THE FARMERS TO
CONSIDER.


What UniMpr0ved Highways Are
Costing Them Construction aAd
Care Sk Dirt ROads-FHrm Wagons
should Have Wide Tires.
At no time in the worlds history has
there been such an agitation on the
question Of roads as Is going on at the
present time, says Il writer in Good
Roads Magazine. People seem to be
just awakening from their lethargy
into realization that the old, rusty,
i'll kept highways Of their fathers time
are not the means for oper travelling
facilities. Generally the farmer Is
cautious man and must be faced with
facts and be certain Of success before
he will bestir himself. But when he
views with clear, unbiased vision the
Losses from bad roads and then turns
to the influence Of good roads he gives
his hearty aid and support to the
work. He finds that bad roads cause
idlsnsss to teamsters during the win
ter months and that they make the
cost Of hauling three or four times
greater than 1t should be. Perishable
products are lost because Of no access
to market, towns cannot be reached
when prices are good, and the most
profitable products are often not grown
on this account All this results from
bad roads. IL 1t not enough to move
any farmer?
Good roads, on the other hand, make
farm products more profitable. They
econOmize time and force In transpor
tatiOn aud reduce wear and tear on
horses, harness and vehicles. They
raise the value Of farm land aud make
habitatiOn on it desirable. The country
is beautifed, and rural mail delivery IL
made possible. In short, good roads
aid the country commercially. socially
and sducationally. They will make q
country just az sure as bad roads will
unmake 1t.
A good road must be the easiest,
shortest and most economical line of
travel. 1t must have dry level crown
and good surface and soil drainage.
Moreover, it should be As light in grade
as possible and ut all seasons be in good
condition. These are the things we
must work for. To begin with. pur-
chase a grader and heavy roller Of
six or eight tons. These are the prin-
pical machines necessary for the work.
First grade up the crown Of the road
little by little. Roll each layer thor
oughly each time 80 that when the
crown 10 finished II 10 nrm aud solid
from top to bottom. Wetttng the lay
ers during the rolling often aids In
bringing the soil particles into closer
contact.
The slope Of the crown depends upon
the grade Of the road. On the level
the slope should be one foot in twenty,
while on the hillside little sleeper.
On very steep hill broad xnd shallow
depressions can be made to denect the
water into the side bitches, hut this
should be done only when necessary.
1t is a serious menace to traffic. Now,
after the crown has been finished the
next thing to attend to Is the bitches.
These bitches may be dug out with the
point Of the cutting blade of the grader
or, better, be dug with scrapers. These
bitches should be broad and rather
shallow, 30 that vehicle will not upset
on driving INTO one of them. BY being
large they quickly carry away the sur
face water In flood time and do not
leave 1t on the surface to soften the
fOunda ton Of the road.
Now, when the soil, freed from per-
ishable matter, has been rolled as hard
as possible and when the bitches con-
form to the requirements, only one
thing remains to complete the road.
This is drainage. the factor which is
to solve the problem Of dirt road build
ing When the crown is rolled and
sloped properly aud the bitches dug,
surface drainage IL disposed Of, but un-
derdrsinage must be considered. Its
duty 10 to take up the soil water and
preserve a solid and firm foundation
for the road 1t 10 out Of sight, yet its
influence is very beneficial. These
drains are laid the long way Of the
road just inside the storm ditch and
outside the rolled crown. All Of the
water that escapes from the ditches
sooner or later must enter the drain
and be carried away. Besides these
main drains lsterals may be laid at
intervals under the crown itself, but In
properly constructed road they are
not at all necessary. Further than
draining the road 4 great deal Of care
must be taken In regard to grade. No
greater load can be hauled over q road
than can h~ dra Wu I'M ita stsoDeat hill
The grade Of NO road sheuld be more
than per cent. and the less the bet
ter.
If all this 10 properly carried out. We
will have a smooth, level road. ready to
be used Immediately. But as with
anything else, roads need care and at
tention. Farmers, when they once have
spent their money in building these
roads, should do everything in thstr