The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1908-09-04

dies on the roadway. The side bitches
should be of ample size to care for
the severest storms with a fall of not
less than 6 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 as 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 badly quilted and err
oded by the 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 a 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 surfact 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 re-
sorted TO, usually tile drains, of clay or
concrete. Water from whatever source
must be gotten rid of effectively, for
water plus clay of gumbo invariably
equals mud when mixed in spring
and summer Water becomes ice in
winter and as water in freezing ex-
pands one-eighth its volume, the road
heaves out of shape and when the
ice melts the road disappears beneath
the rising tide of mud constantly fed
by rains, melting SHOWS and under
ground springs.
In seepy and DOGGY places the sub
drainage in order to be fully effec
tive 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 fat grade. Tile less than four
inches in diameter should rarely be
used. nor should a grade of less than
six 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 six
fine gravel Care should always be
taken to secure a free outlet for
the drains and to protect the outlet
with concrete bulkhead or catch
BASIN, which can always be kept clean
and the outlet free.
The kind of tile to be used depends
on local conditions. Concrete tile if
made are equally as good as
clay tile.S 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, if 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 usek great care should be taken to
see that good grade of cement is
selected, and that the drains are prop
perly constructed. The impression,
which prevails to some extent, that
tile disintegrates is erroneous.
A bulletin is now in course of pre-
paration by the United States office
of public roads telling how to make
drains. This bulletin will treat
the subject fully, explaining carefully
every point that may arise in making
drain pipes and culverts.