The San Francisco call., 1908-09-20
DRAINAGE NEEDED
FOR GOOD ROADS
Surface and Underground Water
Must Be Carried Away
Without Erosion
Split Log Drag ShOald be Used
After Rain to Prevent
Ruts in Ground


WASHINGTON, Sept. 1s.-With an
average OF 27.0ee tons % water fall
ing in the form of rain on each mile
OF public road in the United States
annually. ii is scarcely TO be narveled
al that the ten commandments OF the
road builder can be summed up sue
cinctly in the word drainage
The saying has truth for a basis, as
good drainage is the primary requisite
for all roads Even in sand roads this
holds true. for there good drainage"
means such as will safely remove the
storm water without erosion or gullying
and still retain the surface moisture
To secure good drainage one mast
take into consideration both the sur
face water and the Underground water
The surface water must be removed
quickly and completely and without
subJecting the road to excessive scour
or erosion. For this reason the CEN
ter OF the road should be raised ard
the slope toward the side bitches shon&
be from a half to one inch TO each
foot distance. or SO that the water will
run freely TO the side bitches and not
Sow down the road or remain in pud
dies on the roadway The side bitches
should be of ample size 10 care for
the severest storms with fall of not
less than six inches TO each 100 feet.
CROSS DRAINS NEEDED
Frequent and ample cross drains
should be constructed and every op-
portunity taken TO get the water away
from the road as oEickly 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 drain
age and is in need of inam ediate atten-
J L.
always require a little attention after
each rain
The split log drag is essentially
tool TO maintain good drainage on our
earth roads, and should be used after
each rain On heavy clay or gumbo
soil the drag, when properly used, tends
TO puddle the road surface, keep ii free
from ruts. dense. smooth and hard,
thus securing the best surface drain
age possible.
But in many places the underground
water is too near the surface and must
be removed before good road viii
be possible. This means that some
form of subdrainage must be resorted
. to. usually tile drains OF clay or con-
crete. Water from whatever, source
must be gotten rid OF effectively. for
water plus clay or gumbo invariably
equals mud when mixed in spring and
!
ter and as water in freezing ex-
pands one-eighth its volume, the road
heaves out OF shape, and when the ice
melts the road disappears beneath the
rising tide OF mud constantly fed by
. rains melting SHOWS and underground
springs.
GOOD GRADE NECESSARY
In seepy and boggy places the sub
drainage, in order TO be fully. effective.
should lower the water level to not
less than three feet below the road
surface. Il tiles are used they should
\ be carefully laid, true TO grade Most
/ failures in tile drainage can be at
tributed to carelessness in laying. or
TOO fat grade. Tile less than four
inches in diameter should rarely be
! used. nor. should a grade OF less than
six inches to the 100 feet be used un-
less absolutely necessary. Tn very
! dense soil. il is always advisable to
cover the tile up 10 at least depth OF
six TO twelve inches with coarse sand
er fine gravel. Care should always be
drains and to protect the outlet with a
concrete bulkhead or catch basin
which can always be kept clean and
! the outlet free.
The kind of tile to be used depends
on local conditions. Concrete tile, II
properly HtSuS, Is pdualty dS ROOu ds
clay tile. Which kind to use is entirely
q local question of dollars and cents
If concrete, tile can be made more
cheaply than clay tile can be had, use
4 concrete; IL not. use clay tile.
One great advantage of concrete
tile is that IT can be easily made
by the local users at or near the place
where it is to be placed, SO that
the freight charges are dispensed with
as well as the large. breakage LOSSES
due to handling. Placed in the ground
both are durable. II concrete is used
great care should be taken TO see thai
a good grade of Portland cement is Sc
. lected. and that the drains are proper
ly constructed. The impression which
prevails to some extent that tile dsin-
! tegrates is erroneous.
. bulletin is now in course OF prep.
aration by the United States office OF
ipublic roads telling how to make con
crete drains. This bulletin will treat
the subject fully, explaining CAREFUL,
every point that may arise in making
/ drain pipes and culverts.
TRAFFIC AGENTS EIECT