Bisbee daily review., 1908-09-03
ROAD BUILDING
DEPENDS ALONE
ON DRAINAGE
Matters That Have to Be Taken
Into Consideration in Taking
Care of the Surface Water
Now Hindering Construction.

With an average of $1,000 tons OF
water falling in the form of rain on
each mile of public road in the Unit
ed States annually, it is scarcely to
be marvelled at that the ten command
ments of the road builder can be
summed up succinctly in the word,
drainage"
The saying has truth for basis, as
good drainage is the primary requisite
for all roads. Even in sand roads
this holds true. for there good drain
age means such as will safely remove
the storm water without erosion or
outlying and stiff retain the surface
moisture.
To secure good drainage one mus
take into consideration both the sur
face water and the underground wa
ter. The surface water must be re-
moved quickly and completely and
without subjecting the road 10 ex-
cessive scour or erosion. For this
reason, the center of the road should
be raised and the slope towards the
side bitches should be from IL to L
inch to each foot distance. or so that
the water will run 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 seyerest storms
with a fall of not less than 6 inches
to each 100 feet Frequent and am
pie cross drains should be construct
ed 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 puu-
dies of water have collected or which
has been badly quilted and eroded by
rains has poor drainage and is in need
/ of immediate attention In fact, earth
roads nearly always require a little
attention after each rain. The split
log drag is essentially tool to main
tain good drainage on our 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 Sc
curing the best surface drainage pos
sibIc
But in many places the underground
water is too near the surface ana
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 whatev-
er source must be gotten rid of effect
lively, for water plus clay or gumbo
| invariably equals mud when mixed in
| spring and summer Water becomes
| ice in winter and as water in fTeez-
| ing expands one-eighth its volume,
the road heayes out of shape and
when the ice melts the road disap-
pears beneath the rising tide of mud
constantly fed by rails, 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
I failures in tile drainage can be at
| tributed to caTelessness in laying, or
4 too fat 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 a very dense soil, it
| is always advisable to cover the tie
to at least a depth Of TO u inches
with coarse sand or fine gravel. Care
should always be taken to secure a
! free outlet for the drains and to pro
( tect the outlet with a concrete bulk
head or catchbasin. which can all
| ways be kept clean and the outlet free
| The kind of tile to be used depends
ION local conditions. Concrete tile,
/ if properly made, are equally as
/ good as clay tile. Which kind 10 use
! is entirely a local question Of dollars
and cents. If concrete tile can be
made more cheaply than clay tile car
be had use concrete; if not, use clay
tile
One great advantage of the con
crete tile is that they can be cas-.
made by the local users at or near the
place where they are to be placed
so that the freight charges are dis
lpensed with as well as the large
b-eakage losses due to handling
Placed in the ground. both are dura
bic. If concrete is used, great care
should be taken to see that a good
grade of Portland cement is selected
and that the drains are properly con
lstructed. The impression, which
prevails to some extent, that tile disin
tegrates is erroneous.
A bulletin is now in course of prep
aration by the United States Office OF
public roads telling how to make con
crete drains. This bulletin will trea
the subject fully, explaining carefully
every point that may arise in making
drain pipes and culverts.
BURNs-MoIR WORLDS CHAMPION