Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1904-10-08
ROAD IMPROVEMENT.
A FEW FACTS FOR THE FARMERS TO
CONSIDER.
What Unimproved Highways Are
Costing Them - Construction and
Care of Dirt ROads-Farm Wagons
Should Have Wide Tires.


Costing Them - Construction and
Care of Dirt Ronds-Farm 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 OH at the
present time, says writer in Good
Roads Magazine. People seem to be
Just awakening from their lethargy
into n realization that the old, rusty,
Ill kept highways OF their fathers time
are not the means for proper travelling
facilities. Generally the farmer ia n
cautious man and must be fnced 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
idlcness to tcamsters 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. Is 1t not enough TO move
any farmer?
Good roads, on the other hand, make
farm products more profitable. They
economlZe time and force In transpOr-
tatiOn and reduce wear and tear on
horses harness and vehicles. They
raise the value OF farm land and make
habitation on 1t desirable. The country
is beautified. and rural mail delivery Is
made possible. In short, good roads
aid the country commercially. socially
and educationally. They will make
country just as sure as bad roads will
unmake 1t.
a good road must be the easiest
shortest and most economical line Of
travel. 1t must have a dry level crown
and good surface and soil drainage.
Moreover. 1t should be as light in grade
MS 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 rOnd
little by little. Roll each layer thor
oughly each time so that when the
crown is finished It is firm and solid
from top to bottom. Wettlng 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 and shallow
depresslOns can be made to defect the
water into the side bitches, but this
should be done only when necessary.
1t is n 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
ditchcs should be broad and rather
shallow, 80 that vehicle will not upset
on driving into one OF them. by being
large they quickly carry away the sur
face water in food time and do not
leave 1t on the surface to soften the
foundation Of the road.
Now, when the soil. freed from per-
ishable matter. has been rolled ns hard
ms 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
slopcd properly and the bitches dug.
surface drainage is disposed Of. but I'M
derdrainagc must be considered. Its
duty Is to take up the soil water and
preserve Il solid and firm foundation
for the road. 1t Is 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 bitches
sooner or later must enter the drain
and be carried away. Besides these
Illlll uTalllS IuteTilS ulity De lulu ~
intervals under the crown itself. but in
properly constructed road they are
not Mt all necessary. Further than
draining the road Il great deal OF care
must be taken in regard to grade. No
greater load can be hauled over a road
than can be drawn up its steepest hill.
The grade of no road should be more
than 8 per cent. and the less the bet
ter.
If all this Is properly carried out, We
will have a smooth. level road, ready to
be used Immediately. But. rs 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 their
power to preserve them. Nothing will
help In this more than the general use
of wide tires in hauling heavy loads.
Wide tires do not cut in as do narrow
ones, but they net as rollers, and the
crown becomes better packed the more
traffic there Is on It. Besides this, some
person should be placed In charge of
every section of road in the township
to keep 1t In perfect condition. The
roads should be inspected daily and
every rut and hole filled up. A spade
full Of material will I'LL hole one day.
while wagon load would not mend
It q week nfterward.