Mexico weekly ledger. (Mexico, Mo.) 1855-1956, 1906-04-19
GOOD ROADS MADE.
ARTICLE FROM WALLACE
BAssF0RD DEALING IN THE
MANY METHODS OF MAX
ING BETTER HIGH
way.
AUDRAIH MAY HAVE
MACADAM ROADS.
Dirt Burning Has Proven One Of
the Best Methods For Eliminat-
ing Sticky Mud List OF
Expense,


| WASHINGTON, ID, G. April 13-I
thoroughly endorse your agitation for
improved roads, but is it liable to
bear much fruit II you keep talking
about 'rocked roadss How many
people want primitives rocked roaks?
Is there any kind of road known to
road builders that Is as unsatisfactory?
| think not A well built earth road,
drained, dragged and rolled, is better.
A sand road, oiled with mineral oil, or
a burnt gumbo road, or a macadem
| road, is highly superior and all Of
these, Except the macadaml is cheap
er in the construction. The macadam
also Is cheaper II you count in ten or
twenty years repairs necessary on the
"rockedn road. don't think you will
be able to get up much enthusiasm
for the miserable rocked roads we
have been used to In Mexico--big
cobble stones rolling under the wheels
for years after the ro,k is spread on
the road-no proper crushing, rolling
or surfacing. Through some soil of
mistaken courtesy these have been
called ''macadamn roads. They have
been a disgrace oour intelligent CON-
munity.
| was glad TO note what W. W. Nc
Kinney said about burnt gum50, or
burnt clay roads. But there is bet
ter and even cheaper method than
burning the clay and spreading IL on
the road, as he seemed TO have In
mind. This better way is to deeply
plow the road, throw 1t into deep cross
ridges and burn it right there, after
ward grading and rolling it. 1t was
never again stick together or gum up,
but will pack down smooth aHd
hard.
Mr.. W. l.. Spoon at Clarksdale,
Mississippi, burned a stretch 300 feet
long and II feet wide at cost Of sS3.-
95. After it was rolled he found it
was IA feet wide, so It only cost 1Sl
cents per square yard Here is the bill;
Wood used, 30l cords, at $3.50 tcut
near the road ss965.
Barks and chips, ETC., 20 two-horse
loads, $500
Labor at sl.25 and teams at ss per
day, $3.50
Total cost, sS3.95
Total cost per mile at this rate,
81, ,477.52.
Mr.. Spoon is 4 Government expert. |
In describing the work on this piece
Of road he says: In the preparation Of
the road for burning it was first plow-
ed up as deep as four mules and q |
steel plow could break 1t, from ditch |
to ditch, a width Of 20 feet, after
which 1t was crowned up with road
machine Then trenches were cut
across the road feet apart and about
~ inches deep, the earJh being thrown |
up so as to form ridges between the
trenches. Next, on the middle part
Of the road to width of II feet a |
layer Of 4-foot sticks Of cord wood was
placed over each trench, the ends OF |
the sticks resting or the tops of the
ridges and the intervening trenches |
forming flues across the road Upon
this floor Of wood was thrown "gum-
bo" in Jumps and clods, 50 as to form
an open layer, only partially covering
the wood. On this was placed a Sc
cond floor of wood, the sticks being |
laid at right angels to the road and
as close together as possible, and be-
ing supplemented with sticks, chips,
bark, and brush, to make tighter
floor. On this floor was thrown a lay
er about 10 inches thick OF ''gumbo"
partly clods and partly pulverlzed.
"Firing was begun. The fires were |
started very much as they are
in the fires Of brick kiln. The
fires were started on the windward |
side. We found 1T desirable TO burn
in sections OF 60 feet, Is fiues at a |
time, as this enabled one person to
look after the burning property and to |
see that the fires In the flues advanced |
at the same rate and burned out
evenly.
"After being burned and sufiicien- |
tly cooled to permit working, the burnt
surface was smocthed down so as to
form a proper crown, and the road was
opened to travel without adding clay
or any other substance The ridge and
the space between the ridges was gen.
orally burned and rendered nom
plastic.n
AS TO REAL MAcADAM.
Last year the Office OF Public Roads
OF the U. s. Department Of Agricul-
tnre built three obiect.lesson roads In
Missouri; they we're all built Of
macadam and finished as smooth as
a dancing floor. In each case the peo.
Pile In the neighborhood benefited,
furnished the materials and the labor.
The Government supplied the expect
supervision and the machinery free of
charge. Here is brief statement Of
what was done In each case and what
lt toost the community.
Lebanon, Mo,-This road, located on