The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1906-12-23

president Of the Oklahoma Good
Roads association. and practical
road builder. has prepared the fol
lowing paper un Drainage and Road
Building that is applicable TO this
country.
MI Colt knows the condition of
this section Of the country and On,
needs of good roads.
one OF the first considerations of
the road builder should be adequate
drainage. He should make survey
of the entire ground of the rirbtof
way, and all drainage areas or water.
sheds contiguous to- the road whose
slopes would bring storm water onto
the rightofway This is necessary
] before ho could provide proper size
/ culyorts and bitches to determine the
quantity and outlet for an storm WA
ter TO be- handled To do this he
shuld be- properly equipped with nee.
. essary instruments, such as a level.
and rods, in order To- determine the
exact fan. with knowledge Of the
drainage areas and fan ne will be
able TO calculate the quantity or wa
ter to be handled and determine the
exact size of culvcrts required; also
the outlet for side bitches, and posi-.
bly, avoid the necessity of making
deep cuts, whore the storm waite
could be disposed of in some conve.
niont draw or rayino, without the ne.
cossity of so large an expenditure OF
moneys
In considering this feature of the
work the road.bunuor will find his
greatest obstacle i'm sub-drainagc. or
the lowering of the water levels SO as
to obtain a thick, dry crust TO carry
his grade; this he can accomplish
where necessity demands, by laying
all drain tile longitudlnally along the
road.bod, with outlets into the side
bitches after the tile has been carried
sufficient distance down the road
bed to permit.
The shaping up Of the ground or
roadway for the purpose of construct
ing a permanent grade, IS necessarily
as essential IN the construction Of
dirt roads as any other roads, and
should receive quite as much consid-
Grafton at the hands OF the builder
as though he were constructing mac
adam or other roads. The term bitches
does not cover the ground; in reality,
the roadbuilder should never con
stGct bitches, but rather create de
pressi0ns along on either side Of the
grade that will provide a temporary
place for the water flowing off the
grade or dump. When / say temporary
| mean to emphasize the word tempo
rary, because of the fact that the
water should not be allowed or per
mitted TO be retained in the side
bitches or deprcssions, but should be
carried on to an outlet with adequate
fall so as to move freely and drain
the ground adjacent to the roadway.
It is quite as necessary to retain the
BERN in dirt road construction as it
in railroad work or macadam con.
ruction. Doubtless many of you will
not understand tho meaning o. the
word BERN. The BERN is that portion
Of the roadway between the bitches
and the grade proper, which is slight.
ly lower and retains the grade I'm
proper form, preventing the erosion Of
the water and permitting OF narrow
er grades.
The essence of road building is
drainage and one cannot be too per
sistent in demanding that it be OBJ
tanned regardless of expense. The his
tory Of ancient roads shows conclu-
sively that this feature received the
particular attention of the ancient
road-builders as their work In exist
ence today demonstrate. We OF this
udg anu hHt are btlltl tQullptu III
every way than were the Romans
and while we lay claim 10 being the
most progressive of all the nations
of the world, on the question Of
roads We are farther behind than
any other nation-and the education
OF properly equipped engineers for
this work should receive the serious
consideration of our agricultural f.
colleges, whose students should find I.
in the study Of economics that the
expenditure for haul from farm to
shipping point is frequently 25 per
cent Of the value Of the product. To
build and maintain roads is a bust
ness or profession which has recent /.
ly sprung into active existence, and f.
efforts are now being made by par
ties interested in the good road
work TO keep this matter before the /.
EuI.1f4 in uugb yruy Rt,