The Waxahachie daily light. [volume] (Waxahachie, Tex.) 1894-current, 1908-09-01
IMPORTANCE OF DRAINAGE
Kidding Roads Of Storm and Under
ground Water Subject Of
Thoughtful Paper.

states annually, IL is scarcely TO De
marveled at that the ten command
ments of the road builder can be
summed up succinctly in the word
drainage"
The saying has truth for a basis,
as good drainage is the primary re-
quisite for all roads, Even in sand
roads this holds true, for there
good drainage" means such as will
safely remove the storm water with
out erosion or outlying and still re-
tain the surface moisture.
To secure good drainage one
must take into consideration both
the surface water and the under
ground water. The surface water
must be removed quickly and COM
pletely and without subjecting the
road to excessive scour or erosion.
For this reason, the center of the
road should be raised and the slope
toward the side bitches should be
from IL to / inch to each foot dis
freely to the side bitches and not
flow down the road or remain in
puddles 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. Frequent and ample
cross drains should be constructed
and every opportunity 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-
quire a little attention after each
/ rain, The split-log drag is essential
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 surface, keep it from ruts.
! dense, smooth and hard, thus secur-
ing the best surface drainage posi-
| BILE.
! But in many places the under
| ground 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 got
ten rid of effectively, for water plus
| clay or gumbo Invariably equals
mud when mixed in spring and
summer. Water becomes ice in win
ter and as water in freezing expands
/ one-eighth its volume, the road
heaves out of shape and when the
ice melts the road disappears be-
I meath the rising tide of mud con-
stantly fed by rains, melting SHOWS
and underground springs.
In 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 drain
| age can be attributed to carelessness
in laying or too flat grade. Tile less
| than 4 inches in diameter should
| rarely be used, nor should a grade
of less than inches to the 100 feet;
! be used unless absolutely necessary
In very dense soil, 1t is always ad-
! visable to cover the tile to at least
depth of 6 to ~ inches with coarse
sand or fine gravel. Care should al
| ways be taken to secure a free out
let for the drains and to protect the
outlet with concrete bulkhead or
catch basin, which can always be
kept clean and the outlet free
The kind of tile to be used de-
ponds on local conditions Concrete
tile if properly made are equally as
good as clay tile. Which kind to use
I is entirely a local question Of dol
lars and cents. II 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 con-
crete tile is that they can be easily
made by the local users at or near
! the place where they are to be plac-
ed, so that the freight charges are
dispensed with as well as the large
breakage losses due to handling
Placed in the ground both are dur
able. If concrete is used, great care
should be taken to see that good
grade of Portland cement is select
ed, and that the drains are properly
constructed. The impression, which
prevails to some extent, that tile dis
integrates is erroneous.