The Columbus weekly dispatch., 1908-06-18
How to Build and Use the Splft-Log
Drag.

Drag.
Office of Public Roads of the United
States, Department of Agriculture
One of the latest publications is
sued by the Office of public roads of
the United States department of ag-
riculture treats of the split-log drag,
an implement which numerous expe-
riments have conclusively shown to
be the greatest possible boon to keep
earth roads smooth and passable. Be-
cause of its simplicity. its efficiency
and cheapness, both in construction
and operation, it is destined to come
more and more into general use
With the drag property built and its
use well understood, the maintenance
of earth roads becomes a simple and
inexpensive matter.
At the present time there are ap-
. proximately 100000 miles of earth
roads in the United States. Some of
the most important of these roads
will eventually be improved with
stone, gravel and other materials.
Many others which are equally i'm
portant cannot be so improved on ac-
count of lack of funds or suitable ma
terials, while still others Will not re-
quire such treatment because of the
light traffic to which they are sub
5ected. For these reasons the ma
jority of our roads must be main
tanned as earth roads for many years
], Ixx-
pensive methods and the split-log
drag will be a powerful aid if econ
omy is the criterion demanded. In
the construction of this implement,
should be taken to make it so light
that one man can lift it with ease,
light drag responding more readily
to various methods of hitching than
a heavy one, as well as the shifting
Of tue position of the operator. The
best material for a split-log drag is ,
a drv, red, cedar log, though red elm
and walnut are excellent, and box
elder. soft maple, or even willow are
superior to oak, hickory, or ash. The
log should be between seven and ten
feet long and from ten to twelve in
ches in diameter at the butt end. It
should be split carefully as near the |
center as possible, and the heaviest |
and best slab chosen for the front. In |
the front slab four inches from the
end, which is to drag in the middle |
of the road, bore a two-inch hole |
which is to receive cross stake. At |
n 5;stoDoo IF fuopfu-tuo iuchoS from |
the other end of the front slab locate /
the center for another cross stake.
The hole for the middle stake will be
Cd a line connecting and halfway be-
tween the two. Then place the back
slab in position and from the end
which is to drag in the middle of the
road measure twenty inches for the
center of one cross stake and six in
ches from the other end locate the
center of the opposite stake. The
hol for the center stake should be To-
Gated halfway between the two. All
these holes should be carefully bored
perpendicular or at right angles to
the face of the split-log.
If these directions are followed it
will be found that when the holes
of the front and back slabs are
brought opposite each other, one end
Of the back slab will be sixteen in
ches nearer the center of the road Il
way than the front one. That gives
what is known as the setback. The
stakes, which are thirty inches long,
will hold the slabs this distance
apart. When the stakes have been
firmly wedged into their sockets, a ;
brace about two inches thick and ,
four inches wide may be placed dag /
onally to them at the ditch end of the ]
drag. A cleated board is placed be- i
tween the slabs and across the
stakes for the driver to stand on. {
BY many it is deemed best to place |
a strip of iron along the lower face :
Of the front slab for a cutting blade :
and prevent the drag from wearing. :
The drag may be fastened to the /
1oubletree by means of a trace chain.
rhe chain should be wrapped around
the left hand or rear stake and pass
ed over the front slab. Raising the !
chain at this end of the slab permits
The earth to drift past the face Of the
drag. The other end OF the chain
should be passed through hole In
The opposite end of the front slap and 9
held by a pin passed through link.
For ordinary purposes, the hitch !
should be so made that the unloaGed
drag will follow the team at an angle
,f about As degrees. The team (