Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1908-06-04
HOW TO MAKE A
SPLlT-LOG DRAG
PUBLIC ROADS DEPARTMENT OF
AGRICULTURAL ISSUES
BULLETIN.
SIMPLE DEVICE
Road Drag is Considered by Author
tiles as the Best instrument for
Good Road Building Known
at Present Time.

One of the latest publications issued
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 it's simplicity, its efficiency
and its cheapness, both in construc-
ton and operation, 1t is destined to
come more and more into general
use. With the drag properly built
and its use well understood, the main
tenance of earth roads becomes sim
pie 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 impor-
tant, 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
jected. 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
a powerful aid if economy is the cri-
terion demanded
In the construction of this imple-
nopnt chn,11d no a 10 a
it SO light that one man can lift 1t
more readily to various methods OF
hitching than heavy one, as well
as to the shifting of the position OF
the operator. The best material for
split-log drag is a dry red cedar log,
though red elm and walnut are ex-
cellent, and box elder, soft maple or
even willow are superior to oak hick-
DRY or ash. The log should be be-
tween and 10 feet long and from
10 to IL inches 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 4 inches
from the end which Is to drag in the
middle of the road bore Pinch hole
which is to receive a cross stake At
distance Of % inches from the other
end of the front slab, locate the cen
ter for another cross stake. The hole
for the middle stake will be on a line
connecting and half way between the
two Then place the back slab in po-
sition and from the end which is to
drag in the middle of the road meas
ure 20 inches from the center of one
cross stake and 6 inches from the
other and. locate the center of the
opposite stake. The holds for the CEN
ter stake should be located half way
between the two. All these holes
should be carefully bored perpendic-
ular or at right angles to the face Of
the split log.
The Construction.
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 16 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 sock
cts, brace about 2 inches thick and
inches wide may be placed diagonal
ly to them at the ditch end of the
drag. A cleated board Is placed be-
tween the slabs 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. The drag must be fastened
to the doubletree by means Of a
trace chain. The chain should be
wrapped around the left hand 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 a pin passed through
a link.
For ordinary purposes the hitch
should be SO made that the unloaded
drag will follow the team at an angle
of about 45 degrees The team should
be driven with one horse on either
side of the right hand wheel track
or rut the full length 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 towards the center Of
the roadway and raise it gradually
above the surrounding level.
The best results have been obtain
ed by dragging roads once each way