The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1906-09-20

DETAILS OF THE M'MILLEN DRAG.
feet, one piece by 4 inches by feet,
four one inch steel pins twelve inches
long. one link twelve inches long, with
eye bolt and two staples to hold rear
end in position; two staples to hitch to-
two pieces Of band from nine feet long
by four inches wide and oneeighth Of
an inch thick for shoes and two pieces
Of band iron three feet long ten inches
wide and one-eighth of an inch thick
to make the adjustable opening in rear.
"To make the Y drag first bolt on
the shoes, letting them come even at
the front end and extending half an
inch below wood for a cutting edge.
Next bore through the ends of the 2 by
pieces the six inch way; then bore
holes six inches deep and twenty-four
inches back from front end in the side
pieces; then bore holes and put in sta
pies to hitch to- These should be about
the center up and down in side pieces
and three feet from the front end.
Next set up the sides and put the by
s inch piece on top up edgeWays, and
drop in the pins; then place the sides
together at the rear end with one ex-
tending three inches past the other.
Pin on the by by 6 feet. Now bore
a hole in the side that extends farthest
back three inches from the upper edge
and two and half inches from the
rear end; put in the eye bolt, which is
fastened to the link, and place the link
up beside the other side piece; put in
one of the staples to hold the extended
side from drawing back and the other
one to hold them from working up and
down on each other; put in a pin as in
barn door fastening The side pieces
.hould be cut out on lower side at the
rear end, starting five inches from the
upper side and coming to the lower
edge three feet from the rear end, thus
making an opening for extra dirt to es-
cape; bore hole in lower front end Of
the three foot band irons and three
holes In the rear end of each, and by
placing them over the opening In rear
end Of drag the opening can be made
adjustable. This opening should be
kept closed as much as possible, SO
that it does not carry too much dirt,
though the drag should carry some dirt
Ia the rear all Of the time to fill holes
and low places. When the surface of
the road has been cut and rutted by
travel during prolonged rain and be-
fore the earth has dried out, the drag
should be drawn back and forth over
the road This fills the holes and ruts
and crowns the road, preparing it to
shed the water precipitated by the next
ratnstorm, and by doing the work be-
fore the road has become hard and dry,
the material thus scraped up becomes
incorporated In the road instead OF re-
naming on the surface to be ground
into dust. The cost OF the construction
OF the drag being insignificant, it is
possible for almost every farmer living
along road to build one and by de-
voting few spare moments after each
rainstorm, maintain good highway"
The idea of the V drag was derived
from the pioneer split log drag, which
from the recent earnest advocacy of D.
Ward King has come to be known by
his name, and it is claimed as an i'm
provement in that, having more slant,
it draws more earth to the center; hav-
ing two sides, one balancing the other,
1t keeps its position on the road better
and, being wide and rigid, it cuts the
humps and fills the holes without leav-
ing a wavy surface, as results from
using one sided tool.