Rogue River courier. (Grants Pass, Or.) 1886-1927, 1905-04-21
HOW TO BUILD STREETS
A Correspondent Makes Some
Pertinent Suggestions.

i note VIDE ulHerencc OF opinion
as TO the proper way to make roads
and streets with broken rock. AS
this class Of work is one part Of my
study and experience, / take note Of
all opinions suggested, and will offer
a few points on the subject. First, l
believe there is only one way to
build macsdam roads or streets and
that is the right way, which is as
certained by the past experience Of
building this class of street and roads
in different climates, and on differ
ent kinds of grounds, also the kind
OF rock used.
As subject we will suppose we
are improving street in this town.
The first to take in consideration is
the climatic conditions and what is
the best material for foundation in
this climate. We have seven months
dry road bed, and about four months
that the water fills the ground TO the
surface, we have no subsoils or hard
pan, so that evidently the only founda-
tion lays directly on the top or sur
face, and is made by the sun baking
the top dirt. To make a street OF
this material Or foundation, we must
have good cutters on each side at
least two feet lower than the center Of
street with inter drains crossing the
streets at short distances, as we must
depend wholly on drainage to hold the
foundation, for the sun will not dry
the ground after the rock is in place.
The next Of importance, is the prop
or shape Of the foundation to wear to
the best advantage. The street should
have just enough conyexity to throw
the water off and not too convex a
surface, forming fiat surface at the
center. | have seen several streets
that would have been first-olass. only
Tor this defect.
An arc of a circle is often used bat
| believe curve more convex at the
sides is best. The raise from the
sides to the center need not exceed
one IN 40 of the width and one in &C
il ample in dryer climates.
But this work of shaping the ground
must be done properly before any rock
is placed. The rock should be placed
uutil a thickness Of 10 inches OF
packed rock is in place. This is best
put on in two layers say six inches
first, and then four and raking by
hand is the best way to distribute the
rock to evenness. This should be con.
tinuod as long as the rolling is being
done, there should be very small
amount of grouting or filling placed
with the rock, in fact. it has been
thoroughly demonstrated that the
rock from a orusher of the sizes that
will pass through a two-inch ring
down to a ring is the best to make
solid roads. The road should be rolled
until no movement can be seen in the
rock as the roller passes over them,
and for the first six months all places
that show defect by sinking more rock
should be placed at once. The roller
should have not less than two weight
per square foot of ground surface,
and three tons would be better.
II the above rules are followed al
that remains to determine the length
of time the street will last is the kinC
Of rock used The best rock for the
purpose is that which has the hard
ness, tOughness, and ability to resis
the action of the weather and those
qualities are not always found in tn,
same rock. Certain hard lime stonei
are the best as the dust forms {
oementing material and makes til,
road perfect. But for streets that
have heavy traffic, syanite, basalts
/ greenstone, quartzone, Rrits, anC
/ chirty sandstones, win answer the pur
pose very we'll For the coeiiicien
OF wear and crushing qualities of the
above named rock, quartq is best il
fairly pure, next comes syanite anC
/ the diorites, limestone aud granite
The wear of a street made of syenitt
should not be over \ inch of deptl
/ per year in this climate under heav,
traffic Vosy little water should b,
used ON the road, and sweeping