St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1905-05-13

ONE OF THE IMPROVED ROADS.
he never undertook a work that gave
him SO much pleasure and qualification.
For 80 years he had been compelled to
drive over the country roads night and
day. summer and winter, and had had
an opportunity Of observing them in
their worst and in their best aspects. He
had involuntarily, and actually without
intending to do SO, studied the question
of road building and road-repairing. AS
he rode along, splashing through the
mud or humping over the stones, he for
muiated plans in his mind for remedy
ing the evils of the prevalent conditions
as pertained to the roads OF his vicinity.
When he was surprised by the proposal
to run for the Office Of road director. or
supervisor, he cheerfully arranged to
sacrifice some of his business to put into
effect some of his cherished schemes.
In the beginning his somewhat unique
methods grated harshly on the nerves
of those who had been in charge of the
work-they were different. and suggest
ed advancement and enlightenment;
but as he progressed. and as the effect
of his work was observed over every fur
long of the roads under his charge, the
sentiment changed to one OF approval,
and enthusiastic support was accorded
him from everybody. In one short year
he brought the roads up to high state
of perfection-so much so that his meth
DDS were described at length, and print
ed, to be copied by other directors who
sought the best plans.
1t had been the custom from the start
to fill up mudhole. This new director
sought way to drain it. The idea was
new, but surely sensible. He graded the
road so that crown appeared, slightly
higher in the middle than at the sides.
bitches of depth and width to suit the
requirements were made at the roadside.
In this country it is the custom to drive
one horse to buggies and carriages.
This causes track to wear in the middle
of the road. When rain comes, this
track becomes ditch having no side
drains to carry the water Off To rem
edy this required the services of man
for several months until the middle of
the road became hard and thoroughly
packed This mans duty was to look
out for depressions in the middle of the
road, and Immediately fill them up.
Again, the wheels had frequently made
cuts or ruts. in which water gathered
every time it rained or showed These
became mud-puddles. Fresh gravel
dropped in such places did not solve the
question. At such points the roads were
remade from the bottom up, and there
were few places in which this condition
reappeared.
All gravel hauled on the roads was
screened at the pit through coarse
screen, which took out all the larger
stones and boulders. There is nothing
more troublesome than those loose boul-
ders in roadway. and few things that
cause so much damage to vehicles.
Every foot of the roads under this man S
charge was carefully scrutinized and
raked over All such loose stones were
collected. and hauled to spots where a
new road-bed was being constructed.
No attempt was made to macadamize
these roads-such expense was out of
the question; nothing was attempted in
the way of new material. Just common
sense plans were followed, and a dill
gent and conscientious application of
every dollar and every hour Of time to
which the roads were entitled.
T;se physician had an automobile, and
a. &c hic boast that his machine can rim
as fast in the remote portions Of his dis
trict as it can on roads contiguous to the
towns. He is constantly going about
over the roads in all parts of his district
He observes every portion with care
and should place need repairing, he
orders the work done at once, never wait
ing until the road at that point becomes
impossible or dangerous. This plan is
more economical and satisfactory.