Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1908-06-10
HOW TO BUILD SPLIT LOG DRAG.
Office Of Public Roads Of the United State:
Department Of Agriculture Issues
Billetin on this Simple Road.
Building Device.

by the Office of Public Roads of the
United States Department of Agricul-
ture treats of the split-log drag, an
implement which numerous expert
ments have conclusively shown to be
the greatest possible boon to keep
earth roads smooth and passable. Be.
cause of its simplicity, its efficiency
and it's cheapness. both in construc-
tion and operation, it is destined to
come more and more into general use.
With the drag properly built and its
use we'll understood. tie maintenance
of earth roads becomes simple and
inexpensive matter.
At the present time there are approx
imately 1000. 900 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 important
cannot be so improved on account Of
lack of funds or suitable materials,
while still others will not require
such treatment because of the light
traffic to which they are subjected.
For these reasons the majority of our
roads must be maintained as earth
roads for many years to come. This
must be done by inexpensive methods
and the split-log drag will be power
full aid if economy is the criterion de-
manded.
In the construction of this imple-
ment, care should be taken to make it
so light that one man can lift it with
ease, a light drag responding more
readily to various methods of hitching
than heavy one, as we'll as to the
shifting OF the position of the opera
tor. The best material for split-log
drag is a dry 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 and 10
feet long and from 10 to 10 inches in
diameter at the butt end. 1t should
be split carefully as near the center as
possible, and the heaviest and best
slab chosen for the front. In the
front slab inches from the end
which is to drag in the middle of the
road bore a 2 inch hole which is to
receive a cross stake. AT distance
of 20 inches from the other end of
the front slab, locate the center for
another cross stake The hole for the
middle stake will be on line con.
Meeting and half way between the
two. Then place the back slab in
p .sition and from the end which is to
drag in the middle of the road mea-
sure 20 inches for the center OF one
cross stake and 6 inches from the
other end locate the center of the OPP
posite stake. The hole for the center
stake should be located half way be-
tween the two. All these holes
should be carefully bored perpendicu-
lar 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 IS inches nearer the
center of the roadway than the front
one. That gives what is known as
"set back" The stakes. which are
80 inches long. will hold the slabs
this distance apart. When the stakes
have been firmly wedged into their
sockets. brace about 2 inches thick
and inches wide may be placed d.
agonally to them at the ditch end of
the drag. A cheated board is placed
between 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 cutting blade and
to prevent the drag from wearing.
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doubletree by means OF trace chain.
The chain should be wrapped around
the left-h or rear stake and passed
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 slab and held
by pin passed through link.
For ordinary purposes, the hitch
should be SO made that the unloaded
drag will follow the team at an angle
of about As degrees. The team should
be driven with one horse on either
side of the rigth hand wheel track or
rut the full lenght of the portion to
be dragged. and made to return in the
same manner over the other half of
the roadway. Such treatment will
move the earth toward the center Of
the roadway and raise it gradually
above the surrounding level.
The best results have been obtained
hv draooino roads once each wav after