Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1906-01-11
GRADERS FOR ROADS
POINTS ON MAKING GOOD USE or
TAE MACHINES.

Seasons work should Ne Planned In
Adyance--VaI1e of Having Graders
In Use a. Soon as the Ground In
Dry--Eaest Way to Work the Horses.
The grading machine Is unquestiona-
bly, the most generally useful OF mod
ern roadmaking implements on roads
of the class being built IN Ontario. says
the commissioner of highways In 0nta-
rio. Canada. Iii his ninth annual report.
A road grader is necessity In every
township where good roads are being
constructed. BY their use the cost of
grading the roads is greatly reduced
and a great Improvement In the max
ing and repair of roads is effected.
They are of greatest value In town
ships where gravel and broken stone
are not TO be had and dependence must
be placed on earth roads. At the same
time they are none the less a necessity
In the construction and repair of gravel
and broken stone roads. and even
among stumps and stones when proper
lly handled they work in a most sur
prising manner. 1t IL not their use
which 1t now seems necessary TO urge.
but rather there is need OF guarding
against their misuse.
A matter of tirst Importance in max
Ing good Use of grader IN to plan the
seasons work In advance. The town
ship road commissioners. councillors or
a committee of the council, according
to the local system Of road manage.
ment, should go over the roads early In
the year and determine what grading
is required. This work should be stalk
ed out according to the definite width
and dimensions of roads as required by
township regulations. The grader when
1t commences In the spring should pro
oeed to each piece of work consecutive
ly and should be In use continuously
until the grading is done for that year.
In some townships 1t is customary
for the grading machines to go here
and there over the township without
method--one day on one side of the
township. next day on the opposite
side. then to another distant part.
backward and forward, wasting con
siderable part OF the wages of men and
teams in moving from one part of the
township to another. BY following a
well considered schedule the cost of
moving the machine between different
pieces OF work Ia reduced to n mini
mum.
Arrangements should be made every
spring to have the grader in use as
soon as the ground is sufficiently dry.
The soil Is then in It's best condition for
manipulation. having been mellowed
by frost The roads are rough and
most in need of treatment Roads
which are properly graded early In
spring are at once compacted by traf-
hc, and they will remain In their best
condition all summer. IL the work is
left until late in the season clay soils
become baked and hardened, difficult
to handle and rough when finished.
Sandy soils If loosened up late In the
year will be much more dusty than if
treated early In the spring. when they
are damp and readily compacted by
trafic.
One of the first essentials in provid-
ing that the roads will be properly
graded Is to select the right man to
operate the grader. He should be ac-
tive and energetic. with some mechan-
ical experience, one who will take an
interest in his work, who will make a
study of roadmaking and who will be
willing to follow the instructions given
him by the township road commission
er or councillor having supervision Of
the work. When such man is found
he should be engaged from year to
year, so that his growing experience
will render him more efficient.
The same horses should he used In
operating the grader for an entire sea
son at least Green" horses are very
awkward, will not pull together, waste
much time, and even reliable man as
operator cannot under such circum-
stances perform good work. Horses
used continuously become accustomed
to the work, to each other, TO the driver
and will produce much better results.
Some townships instead of horses use
traction engine for certain work.
Where one can be rented from a local
thrasher II can usually ba obtained
very cheaply in the early part Of the
year Where a considerable stretch
has to be graded without turning, as In
cutting off the shoulders OF old gravel
roads, traction engine Is much pref
cradle 10 horses. 1t is more steady.
The township regulations as to the
| width and dimensions OF the road
should he closely followed in grading
These generally provide for n width OF
twenty-four feet between the inside
edges Of the open drains on roads OF
greatest travel. twenty feet on roads OF
moderate travel and eighteen feet on
roads of least travel A rise of from
one-half an inch to one inch to the foot
from the inside edge Of the drain to the
center of the road is ample crown for O
new road after the gravel or stone has
been placed on it, More than this Is
unnecessary and an injury. There Is q
tendency in the use of graders Il
crown roads excessively. and this
should he guarded against
Where gravel or stone is regularly
used for surfacing roads only such ar
extent of new road should be graded al
can be metaled and otherwise conplet
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