The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1908-06-10
llll InPllVEnEAf.
once Of Public Rosds of the United
es.sss Department Of Agriculture
hsoss ssDu1lrsin ON this simple
hoea-D~iIdins Device.

= - ~ss~N W NoossC IOooS VI Suo
United States department OF asricuI-
surs treats OF the split-los drag. an
implsnsnt which numerous sxpsri-
msnts have conclusivsiy shown to b
the greatest possible boon to keen
earth roads smooth and passable.f Be-
capss of its simplicity. its efficiency
ana its shsapnsss both In construction
and operation. Il 10 destined IN come
more and moro into general use
WHIT ne drag properly built and its
use undsrstood. the maintenance
of sarth roads becomes . simple and
tnszpsnsivs matter.
AZ ths present time there are sp-
proxinatsly 100000 miiss Of earth
roads IN the United States. Some OF
ths nost important oe these roads
Win eventually bs improved with
stoas. sENvsl and other materials
Nany sthsrs which are equally i'm
portant cannot be % improved on &C.
connt Of lack OF funds or suitable
mAesrials. while stiIi others viii not
reqRirs such treatment because OF the
hight frame to which they are sub
5ectsd. For these reasons the ma
5orify Of our roads must be maintain.
- - earth roads for many years to
conc This must bs done by mex.
Dsassss msthods and the split-ios
drag svsn ~ . powerful aid n econo-
my y shs criterion hemanded.
IN ths construction Of the imple.
nsnG care should be taken to make
Y - hight that one can llft II with
sass. . light drsg responding more
rsadily to various methods Of htch,ns
than . heavy one. Ss well a. to the
shteth'g Of the position Of the ope-
reeoe. The best material for a split
log drag h dry red cedar log
theu9h rsd elm ana walnut are excel
pnt and boz elder. soft maple. o,
even wiIIo~ are superior to oak. hick-
~ ~ An. The ,los should be be-
t~ssu 7 and 10 fest long and from 10
- - inches In diameter at the butt
sn1- u shouid b split carefully n
n<ss the esntsr ~ possible. and the
hsavisst and best slab chosen for the
freal In the front slab inches
NON the END which u to drag In the
niddis Of the rosd bore Q s-inch
ns,s 'whi6h = to receive . cross stake,
AZ distance Of - inches nom shs
eshsr end Of the front slab. locate the
csaess foe another lross stake. rhs
he,s for the middle Stake viii be ON 9
hns conpscsins and halfway between
~ two. rhsn place the back slab In
posltion and from the end which I.
- dras IN the middle OF the road
msesufs - inches for the center OF
90 eros stake and inches from the
eeA~ END locate the center Of the op-
poses stake The hole for the center
staks sheuld 10 located halfway BE-.
tween the two. All these holes should
L."
- cAssfully bored psrpsndicuiar OF
= rishs angles to the face Of tn,
90 loo.
" these directions are followed 4
wi1A b. found that when the holes ot
ths front and back slabs are brough
epposits each other. one end OF Tn,
bact slAb win be 10 inches neare,
the center OF the roadway than th,
mont one That gives what 10 know,
- "sst back" The stakes. which ar,
- inches long. win hold the slab,
ehas distance apart When the stake
have been ARMY wsdssd into tibet,
sockets. . brace about two inches th,cl
and inches wide may be placed di
seonaily 10 them st the ditch end o.
the drag. A clsated board u placet
beeween the SLABS and across IN,
seahss for the driver to stand on.
BY many II b deemed best TO plac,
. strip OF iron along the lower surfac,
OF the front slab for q cutting b,ad,
and 10 prevent the drag from wear
ing. The drag may bs fastened Z,
the doublstrse by means OF . trac,
chain. The chain should be wrap
Ped around the isft-hand or real
sake and passed over the front slab
Raising the chain at this end of Tn,
slab permits the earth to drift pas
the face OF the drss. The other enc
OF the chain should be passed
through . hole In the opposite enc
OF the front slab and held by q pir
passed through q link.
For ordinary purposes. the hitci
should be 50 made that the unioade,
drag viii follow the team at an an
Gle Of about IS degrees. The tear
should be driven with one horse n,