The Greenville times. [volume] (Greenville, Miss.) 1868-1917, 1908-02-09
DELTADISTR|CTB BURN
BlJGkSHOT ROADS
IS WASTED.
TIMELY WARNING OF EXPERTS
There is Enough Wood Wasted An
Miles of Roads-Process of burn
ing is Simple and Should be Done.

Experiments conducted by the
United States office Of public roads |
and Grcenville, Miss, have demon |
strated that gumbo Tor buckshOt clay
forms, after burning, an excellent
road making material. The constru4-
ton Of adequate public roads consti
tutes Que OF the most important prob
lens now confronting the people OF
the Delta district The rapid disap-
pearance Of timber renders the prob
lem constantly 1uore serious and dii-
4.oa-lt. Tor fuel is the most important
factor in solving the road problem
lar tnis section of the country. Gravel
stone and other hard road building
materials are scarce IN the Delta sec
ton. hence the ingenuity of man has
been called upon to devise method
NJ utilizing the material at hand. The
burnt clay method solves the problem
If she r<ss+ds are to be improved be
lore the land rs stripped OF all Sef its
timber.
The forests of LOUISIANA Arkan-
sas and Mississippi suffered from the
inroads OF iunbermcn in 1906 loss
cutting and saving trees for lumber
or over onc-sixth OF the total cut III
the United States. The waste from
cutting and sowing trees fir lumber
is estimated by the forest service 10
be about 70 per cent. This waste con
sists of tops, stumps, culls, labs,
edges, dust and bark, most of which
can be utilized in burning clay for
road building.
Assuming that only fivc-sevenths Of
the waste can be used for this pur-
pose, or one foot of waste for every
foot Of lumber and there are about
$50 board feet in a cord of wood, it
follows that the waste was equivalent
In volume to over II IL million
cords of wood This was sufficient
iuel 10 burn about 1890 miles Of II
foot road and did not include the i'm
mense~quantities of timber cut and
cotton. The profits OF the great
packing and manufacturing industries
of the country are largely derived
frem the utilization of by-products
whsch were formerly wasted At last
a method has been devised by which
the waste products of the forests OF
the Delta may be utilized.
1t has been ascertaHned that if this
clay is burned it loses its sticky quail
at all seasons of the year The pro
cess OF burning Is simple and may be
easily followed. Amy sound, dry and
we'll seasoned wood, which has been
cut into lengths OF 4, or IL feet
may be used for the purpose. About
one cord of wood is required to
6Usn . ifflcaF IeeI OF road Ia feel
wsde. Dry brushwood, bark. chips
odd fence rails and railroad ties, ard
slack coal may also be used to- adj
vantage with the wood.
If this process of burning a road
had been known years ago section
of timber along the roadside equa
20 the width OF the road could have
been set apart for the purpose. 1t i:
not too late yet, however, for this plaT
can be put into operation in some
cc1a.1lsInitNs, but unfortunately
there are thousands OF acres of clear
roads would be too expensive be
cause wood is NOW an item of consid
cradle cost. 1t requires no prophe
to foreSec that at the present rate
within few years the Delta will b,
practically all cleared up and woot
will be SO expensive that it will b.
out of the question to burn gumb,
for road purposes. The people O
this section must, therefore, decid
this matter at once. for if the prcsen
opportunity for improving the road
IS allowed TO pass there is no escap
from the terrible condition OF thes
gumbo or buckshot roads, which,
not improved will remain perpetus
monument to the extravaganza an
improvidencc of this generation.
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Said Mr. Rnnsnue14. II44a- f.1-...