The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1908-12-25
IMPORTANCE OF DRAINAGE.
This Is the Primary Requisite for All
Highways.

-
With an average of $1,000 tons of
water falling in the form of rain on
each mile of public road in the Unlted
States annually, it is scarcely to De
marvelled at that the ten command
ments of the road builder can be
summed up succinctly in the WORD
drainage"
The saying hath truth for basis,
as good drainage is the primary red
usite 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 Outlying and still retain
the surface moisture.
To secure good drainage one must
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 and
the slope towards the side bitches
should be from one-half to l inch in
each foot distance, or SO that the
water will run freely to the side ditch
es and not flow down the road or re-
main in puddles on the roadway. The
side bitches should be of ample size
to care for the severest storms with
fall of not less than 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 az 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 bad
| ly quilted and eroded by the rains has
poor drainage and is in need of i'm
mediate attention. III ract earth roads
nearly always require little atten-
ton 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 it 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 a good road
will be 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 COTTON rid of effective
ly, for water plus clay or gumbo in
variably equals mud when mixed in
spring and summer. Water becomes
ice in winter and as water in freez-
ing expands one-eighth it's volume, the
road heaves out of shape and when
the ice melts the road disappears be-
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 effective
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 at
tributed to carelessness in laying, or
too fiat grade. Tile less than inches
in diameter should rarely be used,
nor should grade of less than 6
inches to the 100 feet be used unless
absolutely necessary. In very dense
soil, it is always advisable to cover
the tile to at least depth of 6 to II
inches with coarse sand or fine gravel.
Care should always be taken to Sc
cure a free outlet for the drains and
to protect the outlet with concrete
bulkhead or catchbasin, which can
always be kept clean and the outlet
free
The kind of tile to be used depends
on local conditions. Concrete tile, if
properly 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 can be made
more cheaply than clay tile can be
had, use concrete; il 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
cement is selected, and that the drains
are properly constructed. The i'm
preston, which prevails to some ex-
tent, that tile disintegrates is erron-
eOuS.
A bulletin is now in course of prep
aration by the United States Office of
Public Roads telling how to make
concrete drains. This bulletin will
treat the subject fully, explaining
carefully every point that may arise
in making drain pipes and culverts.
An ESS1V IN Editors