The Republican journal., 1908-06-11
!, sIvpIt ROAD.BUIlDING DEVICE.
n,,,rD AND USE THE SPLIT.
~ LOG DRAG.

safes IN log drag, an implement which
Of NE 'p r.. sxperiments have conclusive
H11 -tn..',, to be the greatest possible
y s't" .eep earth roads smooth and
bo'a q. BECAUSE of its simplicity, its
0j'7 NV and its cheapness, both IN
t5e5 I .,on and operation, it is destln-
g come more and more lnto genera d
90 .' oth the drag properly built ana
0st we'll understood, the mainten-
is earth roads becomes a simple
SUI ..-ypensive matter.
Bill present time there are ap-
III .taiv 100000 miles of earth
lrS the United States. Some OF
-oi'.. n.t important of these roads Will
trr p1.'iy be improved with stone,
f'' and other materials. Many
ta winch are equally important
o'N='. h4 so improved Oh account OF
ftD-'' flnds or suitable materials,
@' .,r others will not require such
Il .,[snr because of the light traffic to
i'''. .l4y are subjected. For these
6.1 n. he majority of our roads must
f.'''%y tanned as earth roads for many
s '''' ~ come. This must be done by
'5' .nsiye methods and the spllt-iog
vii be powerful aid ii economy
o .-'ss ,nterion demanded.
L, construction of this implement
+ 'G1,,ll be taken to make it so light
y' ,re man can lift it with ease, a
. ,St drlg responding more readily TO
ys .m. methods of hitchlng than a
', ',rv opy. as we'll as to the shifting OF
-F'' ,,,.,non of the operator. The best
,..1 1 for split-log drag is a dry
ul 3' log, though red elm and wal
!" ~. -xcelIent, and box elder, soft
a% mn even willow are superior to
ygf -,ek5ry, or ash. The log should
.e' 4..y-rn ! and 10 feet long and from
inches in diameter at the butt
Should be split carefully as
5.- tt ENTER as possible, and the
s.-,s, md best slab chosen for the
.1 q the front slab 4 inches from
a...a, st,ch is to drag in the middle
,. road bore pinch hole when is
.',.s.yra cross stake. At distance
,ea-s from the other end OF the
.....ta iocate the center for another
..31p The hole for the middle
-'... SSH ne on line connecting and
is'..a. urLween the two. Then place
.'...> slab in position and from the
.-Ia..ra rs to drag in the middle OF
'-. lib H.aaSure 20 inches for the cen
,. .. .Q4 ross stake and 6 inches from
,......r md locate the center OF the
......r4 ,t4ke. The hole for the center
.t.- ,,4,d be located halfway be-
-..-r-.r TWO. All these holes should
fuy bored perpendicular or at
r-S to the face of the split log:
#. f.. directions are followed 1T VIII
t.uU mat when the holes OF the
s-.t- ..I. hack slabs are brought oppo-
81 .,.D other, one end of the back
d. gr he l6 inches nearer the center
al ,- uadway than the front one:
That gives what is known as set back.
m, takes. which are 30 inches long,
rt..... he slabs this distance apart.
w.r Sire stakes have been firmly
walked Ito their sockets, a brace
sm.t uthes thick and 4 inches wide
mai 3- placed diagonally to them at
4 .,s end of the drag. A cleated
oar. - placed between the slabs and
arms, me stakes for the driver to
san ou
3gm4uy it is deemed best to place
srnnf ron along the lower face OF the
t1yb- s,4O for a cutting blade and TO
prevent the drag from wearing: me
.Iae may he fastened to the double tree
HmeAps Of a trace chain. The chain
aold ne wrapped around the left hand
nrya stake and passed over the front
;aD Easing the chain at this end OF
N4sat permits the earth to drift past
The fare If the drag. The other end OF
hr gaIl should be passed through a
.ne ,ae opposite end OF the front
sst4ll neld by a pin passed through a
.ls
Tor dinary purposes the hitch
gul We so made that the unloaded
.ag Vi follow the team at an angle
Gslo1 s. degrees. The team should
Fifgel with one horse on either side
Qtlt sAt-h and wheel track or rut the
Ia. 9Th of the portion to be dragged,
al- made 10 return in the same manner
Fe tas other half of the roadway.
,r ,dtment will move the earth
toward. Tie center of the roadway and
hS gradually above the surround
0gsge
Itb-st results have been obtained
s{1asIlug roads once each way after
aa -ayy rain. In some cases, how
/ 7a. 9ua Dragging every three or four
weeks has been found sufficient to keep
.yai good condition.
When the soil is moist but not sticky
nr dag does its best work. AS the
SOMA feld will bake if ploughed wet,
4 CHE road will bake if the drag is used
/ .Etsn it is wet. If the roadway is
10 Of holes or badly rutted, the drag
l.D.t be used once when the ground
s@it and 5lushy. This is particularly
%Pta0le before cold spell in winter,
4tel II IS possible to so prepare the
%'iact that it will freeze smooth.
Not frequently conditions are met
'le. may be overcome by a slight
4alge iu the manner of hitching.
SoI.eang the chain tends to lift the
l0l S.ab aud make the cutting slight,
s.'7 a ,0nger hitch causes the front
4g % sHk more deeply into the earth
NO. af' ON the principle of plow.
IL lurr0w of earth is to be moved
S' dou0i-tree should be attached close
+r ditch end of the drag, and the
'r' Should stand with one foot on
E extreme forward end of the front
lo1a.uous are so varied IN different
n.y., Na Ties however, that it is quite i'm
gS''5Ie to lay down specific rules. Ger
a4 sections of a roadway will require
r'H attention than others, because OF
%F grades, wet weather springs, soil
,g.4-.0one, exposure to sun and wind,
'@aV' etc There is one condition,
%geyef IN which special attention
c %ep4 be given. Clay roads under per-
ss'7tt draggings frequently become
Nv wv a'gt N the center. This may be
S %sgtei by dragging the earth towards
gtoJer Of the road twice and away
'gq It, once.
I1Rrs. H., ,, H. 49, ooox,o,ou