Milford chronicle. [volume] (Milford, Del.) 1878-1974, 1908-09-11
Importance Of Drainage.

roads this holds true, for there
good drainage" means such as
will safely remove the storm water
without erosion or outlying and
still retain the surface moisture.
To recure good drainage one
must take into consideration both
the suface water and the under
ground water. The surface water
must be removed quickly and COM
pletelv and without subjecting the
road to excessive scour or erosion.
For this reason, the center OF the
road should be from = to I inch
to each foot distance, or so that the
water will run freely to the side
bitches and not flow down the road
or remain in puddles on the road
way. The side bitches should be
of ample size of care for the sever
est storms with a fall of not less
than 6 inches to each 100 feet.
Frequent and ample cross drains
should be constructed and every OPP
portunity taken to get the water
away from the road as quickly as
possible. ANY road along which
YOU see water standing in the side
bitches or on which puddles OF
water have collected or which has
been badly quilted and eroded by
the rains has poor drainage and IS
in need OF immediate attention. In
fact earth roads nearly always re-
duire a little attention after each
rain. The split-log drag IS essen
tally a tool to maintain good drain
ing on our earth roads, and should
be used after each rain. On a
heavy clay or gumbo soil the drag
when properly used tends to puddle
the road suface, keep it free from
ruts, denCe, smooth and hard, thus
securing the best surface drainage
possible.
But in many places the under
g1ound water is too near the sur-
face and must be removed before a
GOOD road will be possible. This
means that some form of sub-drain-
age must be resorted to, usually
tile drains or clay or concrete.
Water from whatever source must
be gotten rid of effectively, for
water plus clay or gumbo invaria-
hlv equals mnd when mixed IN
spring and summer Water be-
comes ice Ill winter and as water
in freezing expands one-eighth Its
volume, the road heaves out OF
shape and when the ice melts the
road disappears beneath the rising
tide of rnud constantly fed by rams,
melting SHOWS and underground
springs.
III seepy and Doggy places the
sub-drainage in order to be fully eff
fective should lower the water level
to not less than three feet below
the road surface. If tiles are used
they should be carefully laid, true
to grade Most failures in tile
drainage can be att'ibuted to care
lessness IL laying 1r too fat grade.
Tile less than 4 incl IS in diameter
should rarely Ice used, nor should
a grade of less than q inches to the
100 feet be used unless absolutely
necessary. In 6 very dence soil, it
is always advisable to over the tile
to at least a depth OF s OI2 inches
with coarse sand OF Ene gravel.
Care should always b taken to Sc
cure a free outlet TO- the rains and
to protect the Out with a con
crete bulkhead or atehb2s.l, which
can always be kept clean md the
outlet free.
The kind of tile depends ON local
conditions. Concrete tile ii prop
erlv made are equally as good as
clay tile. Which kind to use is en-
tirely a local question Of dollars
and cents. If concrete tile car be
made more cheaply than clay lie
can be had, use concrete If not,
use clay tile.
One great advantage Of the con-
crete tile is that they can be easi.y
made by the local users at or near
the place where they are to p.
placed, so that the freight charge
are dispensed with as we'll as the
large breakage losses due to hand
ling. Placed in the ground bon
are durable. If concrete is used.
great care should be taken to see
that good grade of Portland cemen
| is selected, and that the drains al,
properly constructed. The impress
sion, which prevails to some exten
hat tile disintegrates is erroneous.
a bulletin is now in course o
prepa1 ton by the United State:
Office IF Public Roads telling how
10 make concrete drains. This bul
letin will treat the subject fully
/ expla ming carefully every poin