The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1905-05-11
DRAGGING THE EARTH ROAD,

s-S8 From time to time attention has been
called to the system of road dragging
introduced a few years ago by Mr. d.
Ward King, Of Missouri. The system
involves the use of wooden drag, and
it's very simplicity has doubtless stood
In the way of its more general introduce
ton.
However, Mr.. King, backed by the
Missouri State Board of Agriculture,
has been able to effect vast improve
ment in the earth roads of Missouri, and
recently he has been given an oppor-
tunity to spread the doctrine of good
earth roads in other states. The Chica-
go & Northwestern Railway placed at
the disposal of Mr.. King special. train
and mapped out for him an itinerary
that gave him the opportunity of demon
strating the virtue in his system to
several thousand Iowa farmers. AS a
result of that campaign it is expected
structed this spring and put to work on
the roads.
The King system is not primarily a
road-builder, but rather road-main-
tainer, and as such it is, without doubt,
one of the most inexpensive and effec-
tive systems that has yet been employ
ed.
In discussing the subject of maintain
ing earth roads Mr.. King points out
that good road is oval, smooth and
hard. The oval shape enables it to shed
water; it's hardness has to do with bear
ing up loads, while it's smoothness also
facilitates easy movement of vehicles.
These three states or conditions are
claimed by Mr.. King to be brought
about by the sensible use of the drag.
He recommends that labor be distribute
ed throughout all seasons of the year
when the ground is bare, preferring to
drag highway once or twice after wet
spells to that of putting on considerable
labor at one time. In other words, Mr..
King says that the evil of the old sys-
TEN is that you move entirely too much
earth at one time, with the result that
you have spongy road-bed. His
theory is to move only small amount
of dirt towards the center at one time
and allowed this to be packed by traffic
before placing another layer on the top
This in time will make the soil so firm
that it will practically shed Off COM
pletely all the water that falls upon the
surface. AS water is the enemy of all
roads, when you get rid of it you are
then employing the first principle in
good road making.
1t may be said that the King drag is
nothing more nor less than split log
seven or eight feet long, the halves
placed from thirty to thirty-six inches
apart, or it may be constructed out of a
fourteen-foot oak plank by cutting in
two and placing them parallel at dis.
lance of two and half or three feet
apart. 1t is hauled over the road at an
angle of about forty-fve degrees, al,
ways throwing the dirt toward the cen.
ter of the highway.
So small is the cost involved in max.
ing a drag of this kind that we believe
there is not farmer in the corn belt
who cannot afford to do little expert
menting on the side. Judging by the
extent to which this drag has been used
in Missouri and in certain localities il
other states, we would say that in oul
opinion it has almost passed the expert
mental stage and that when it is prop
erIy used it will bring the earth road
into the best condition possible without
the use of gravel or some hard surfac
ing material.