The Hartford republican. (Hartford, Ky.) 18??-1926, 1908-09-04
ROADS SHOULD
II Be DRAINED.
SpIit-lug-drag Will Provide
These Eessentials.
Snt-jrinage BY Means of Tile
Shonid b. Provided in
S.epy Places.

water falling in the form OF rain on
each mile of public road in the United
States annually, it is scarcely to be
marvelled at that the ten command
ments of the road builder can be sum-
med up succinctly In the word drain
age
The saying has truth for a basis, IS
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 gully
ing and still retain the surface mois-
ture
To secure good drainage one must
take into consideration both the surface
water and the Underground water The
surface water must be removed quick
ly and completely and without subjec-
ting the road to excessive scour or
erosion. For this reason, the CEN
ter of the road should be raised and
the slope towards the side bitches
should be from 1-2 to inch to each
foot distance or so that the atwer will
run freely to the side bitches and not
flow down the road or remain in pud-
dies on the roadway. The side
bitches should be of ample size to care
for the severest storms with a fall of
not less than 6 inches to each 100 feet
Frequently and ample cross drains
should be constructed and every oppor
tunity taken to get the water away
from the road as quickly as possible.
Any road along which yon see water
standing in the side bitches or on
which puddles of water have collected
or which has been badly quilted and
oroded by the rains has poor drainage
and is in need of immediate attention
In fact earth roads nearly always re-
quire 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
1t free from ruts, dense. smooth and
hard, thus securing the best surface
possible.
But in many places the underground
water is too nea tribe surface adm must
be removed before a good road will lie
possible. This means that some form
of sub-drainage must be resorted to,
usually tile drains, of clay or concrete
Water from whatever source must be
gotten rid of effectively, for water
plus clay or gumbo invariably equals
mud when mexed in spring and sum-
mer. Water become ice in winter
and as water in freezing expands one
eighth it's volume, the road heaves
out of shape and when the ice melts
the road disappears beneath the ris-
ing tide of mud constantly fed by
rains, melting SHOWS and underground
springs.
In seepy and DOGGY places the sub
drainage in order to be fully effec-
tive 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
attributed to carelessness in laying, or
too flat grade. Tile less that 4 inches
in diameter should rarely be usa,
unless absolutely necessary. In a
very dense soil, 1t is always advisa-
BILE to cover the tile to at a depth
Of 6 to II inches with coarse and
or fine gravel. Care should always
b taken to secure a free outlet for
the drains and to protect the outlet
with a concrete bulkhead or catchbas-
in, which can always be kept clean
and the outlet free.
The kind of tile to be use depends
on local conditions. Concrete tile If
made are equally as good as
clay tile. Which kind to use is en-
tirely local question of dollars and
cents. If concrete tile can be made
more cheaply than clay tile can be
had, use concrete; If not, use clay tile
One great advantage of the concrete
tile is that they can be easily made |
by the local users at or near the
place where they are 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. If concrete
is used, great care should be taken to
see that good grade of Portland ce-
ment is selected, and that the drains.
are properly constructed. The impress
sion, which prevails to some extent,
that tile disintegrates is erroneous.
A bulletin is now in course of pre-
PARTON by the United States Office of
p,,hi;c Poade telling how To make con