Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1906-07-26

Il
grasp the idea The same effect is
produced by inserting a three-cor-
| nered strip of wood under the steel at
the ditch end of a plank drag.
have been on the farm so little the
last year and am so busy when | am
here that my man has done most of
the dragging. He complained recent
ly that he could not get the effects
| that l did. When / made an exami-
nation | found The three-cornered
strip had lost off. We put one ON and
gave him few lessons as to where
to stand and how to drive, and we are
getting better effects"
Some Suggestions.
AS a general rule, adds Mr.. King,
always haul the drag at an angle of
As degrees, moving the dirt TO the
center of The road. The action of the
drag is covered by four things:
| LIST. The length of the chain, which
is regulated by slipping it backward
or forward through the hole in ditch
end of drag. The length of the chain
regulates the hold taken on the earth
TO make the chain longer is equiva-
lent to putting weight on the drag. If
your drag is TOO heavy, shorten the
| chain.
2. The position Of the snatch hook
which attaches the double trees. To
move much dirt or cut small weeds
hitch the hook close to the ditch end
Of drag and stand as nearly on the
end of the front slab as is safe. Drive
very slowly when thus hitched. This
one hitch seems to be the hardest to
learn. The others suggest themselves.
2. Position of the driver on the
drag.-To move dirt see above. In a
soft spot stand on rear slab. On a
| hard spot stand on front slab and
| drive slowly If the drag clogs with
straw, weeds, sod or mud, step to a
| point as far as you can get from ditch
end of drag. To drop dirt in a low
place step quickly from ditch end to
other extreme. To fill a low place
or mud hole nicely is the severest test
of skill with drag. II suspect"
he declares, that you will become
thoroughly disguised when you first
make the effort. But remember it
will not be the fault of the drag if you
| fail" Then he adds:
4th Presence or absence and
sharpness or dullness of the STEEL
The steel may project half an inch
below the wood at the ditch end of
The steel, but should come
up flush with the wood at
other end of the steel. After
clay or gumbo road has been drag
| ged four or five years the soil become
so Tough and putty-like that one must
study 1t closely to know what to do.
Sometimes | use sharp edge of steel;
sometimes dull edge (holes are bored
in both edges of steel so that | can
turn 1t upside down and use same bolt
holes), and sometimes the plain wood.
This can be learned only by ex-
perience and you have several years
In which to study the problem"
He concludes with this emphatic
statement:
Il hope these details and fancy
points will discourage no one Never
forget that the poorest drag used in
the poorest manner by a man who
wants to learn will surely improve
the highway"
Maintaining Dirt Roads,.
The great problem is to find some
method of organization that will
bring about the general use of the
drag Some plan of organization
must be brought about. A number
of plans might be successfully inaugu.
rated. First, under the special road
district law the commissioners may
contract with someone to drag The
roads OF the district or perhaps a
better plan will be TO contract with a
number of farmers 10 drag a few
miles OF road, so that the dragging
may be done at the proper time. Sec.
ond, commercial clubs in the differ.
ent towns can accomplish a great
deal by Offering cash prizes for the
best half mile of dragged road on
each oil the main roads leading into
| town, This has been done In num-
Der OF places and has accomplished
n great deal. In other places road
associations have been formed along
some particular line of road, and each
farmer has agreed to drag certain
portion, the road to be inspected bv
some competent person and sugges.
lions made for its Improvement. I'm.
der township organization the con.
tract system may be adopted; a super.
lnlendent may be employed by the
township board. This superintendent
can arrange with the farmers living
along the different roads to drag a
certain portion. Under this plan the
entire mileage of the township may
oe dragged at cost not to exceed
IS per mile per year.
Great Interest in Road praqoino
The great interest in road dragging
In Missouri and other states has
necessitated the printing of the f,fth
revised edition OF the bulletin by n
| ward King. No bulletin nrin,ea ~,