The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1906-07-03
called a "split log road drag.',5

road drag the reason that it worked
this wonder was not entirely clear
to its inventor until he received In
spiration from observing q hog wollow
He says: "One day I noticed that
water was standing in one of these
wallows long after the ground all
about it had become dry. Probably
had many times before observed
this fact, but not until now had it
occurred to me to inquire into its
cause. Examining the edges Of the
wallow, was impressed with the fact
that it was almost as hard as pice
of earthenware. Clearly this was be-
cause the wallowing of the hogs had
mixed or 'puddled' the earth and the
water together, forming a kind of
cement which dried into hard and
practically water proof surface
An Active Campaign.
The man who had by such simple
means worked such wonders with his
road was D. Ward King, of Maitland,
Mo. His idea was soon taken up by
the Missouri State Board Of Agricul-
ture and an active campaign was STAR
ted for better roads through Missouri.
Cooperation was soon secured from
the railroads running through the
great corn belt section. The result
is that to-day Mr.. King is travelling
throughout the states of Iowa. Kan
saS and Missouri. in fact all through
the Middle West section on special
trains in company with college pro-
! feSSorS and railroad officials preach
ing the gospel of good roads and
dra" and use it. Villages and town.
ships, citizens and nei"hbors are for
getting their traditional differences Of
opinion and becoming "soldiers of the
common .ood' in making better
roads. The Atchison, the Chicago &
Alton. the Burlington. and in fact all
the great Granger railroads are run
ming special ''good roads without
money! trains. giving demonstrations
of the King idea Of road dragging.
and encoura@aing the organization of
Good Roads Associations in the COM
muuitieS through which they pass.
How to Build the Drag.
After several years trial. it has
been developed that the best of
drag is made by splitting log and
plaein" the pices about thirty inches
apart. with the flat sides both facing
i'll the same direction and pinning
them together. The kind of wood
used is not vitality important any kind
of light timber will do. 1t is better
not to use oak. Mr.. King says that
the best split log drag he ever used
was made Of red elm. The lower edge
of the front piece should be protected
with iron and Il wagon tire will answer
for this purpose. The log should be
! ten feet long. \ chain or heavy wire
| is fastened three or four inches from
the right hand side, and about half
way up. 1t is then carried. to the front
till it IS about two feet away from the
drag. then to the left and over the
top Of the front slab and fastened
around the cross bar. The team
should be hitched so that the drag
will move the dirt to the centre of
the road. The Importance Of hitch
ing up properly cannot be over-esti-
mated. as it is only second in import
auce to the time at which the drag
"ing is done. The road should be
dragged after every wet spell because
Il smooth surface is thus produced.
But that IS not the object Of drag
ging. It's object is to put the road in
to such shape that it will shed the
next rain instead of absorbing it.
There are several things to be re-
membered in operating the drag 1t
is certainly not plaything for child
rem, and they should not be allowed
to ride it any more than they should
on harrow. If the drag should
strike a rock, the result would pro-
badly be serious fall. 1t does not
pay to plow a road before dragging,
because that makes the foundation too
soft. However deep the nuts may be.
if you keep at them with drag they
will soon disappear. BY hauling the
drag in slanting position, the dirt
can be esily dragged to the middle Of
the road In the case of narrow roads,
first drag the wheel tracks. After
three or four rains plow shallow
furrow just outside the part that has
| - lnn., La rsnunnI ILL.,