The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1908-07-01

MOVING HOW GRAVEL ID SOON DEPOSITED
4 AT FOOT OF HILL wHRN placid on
STEEP GRADES.
The road before the gravel Is placed
upon 1t considerable improvement may
be made on almost any of the roads
where gravel is obtainable, as 1t makes
an even, hard and firm roadbed when
supported by proper foundations. An
example of the better constructed
gravel roads Is that extending from
Marlboro to Washington, which was
blllt originally as toll road.
IAN economical form of construction
Is to use the gravel as support for
mncadnm surface where the travel over
any particular thoroughfare would
warrant such an Improvement The
crown or transverse slope OF road
should only be sufficient to carry the
surface water to the cutters. On dirt
roads where ruts are easily formed
the slope needs to be moro than on
macadamized surface, but never sum.
sient to cause Inconvenience to travel.
One inch to the foot or seven and q
half inches on n fifteen foot road will
be found about right. A good macadam
road does not ordinarily need 30 much
crown. depending on the grades. On
grades up to and including four feet
per hundred one.half inch to the foot
Is sufficient; from four to and Includ-
Ing six feet per hundred three-quarters
Of nm inch should be allowed. A trans
Versa slope OF moro than ono inch per
foot gives too much list to a wagon
when at one side. The advantage of as
fiat road as possible is the lesseninB
of the tendency for the travel to keep
to the center of the road and the con.
sequent avoidance of the formation OF
ruts and horse path.
There are many counties in Mary
land where gravel of excellent quality
Is abundant and where Mt the same
lime there Is very little stone that Is
mt for road construction. The gravel,
however, properly applied will make
most excellent roads, far superior to
my Garth road, and. while not possess
Ing the wearing qualities Of hard, bro
ken stone, will answer sufficiently well
for those country roads that have COM
paratively light traffic. On roads hav-
Ing worry heavy traffic 1t will be found
In tho long run to be cheaper even at
very much greater first cost to use a
macadam construction owing to tho
rapid wearing of the gravel road under
such circumstances and the conse-
luently large expense for maintenance.
A good gravel can always be told
when inspected, as II stands In place
in the pit Whenever 1t is hard and
compact In the bank and requires the
tse of the pick to loosen 1t, It will form
hard and compact road. Gravel
which contains n small amount OF fer
fuginous clay and has angular, rough
fragments of stone Is the best that can
be obtained. Gravel mixed with sand
br composed of smooth, rounded fra8-
ments of stone does not compact and
form hard. smooth road surface and
Is of little use except for general fill
Ing. To get the best results from gravel
which is formed of various sized frag-
ments 1t should be screened, all pieces
Two inches in size being thrown to ono
side. There are found in many places
gravel deposits which contatn few
fragments over two inches. Such gray
Ell does not need to be screened, but
tould be spread upon the road directly
from the pit unless too sandy.
!, The two inch gravel Ia spread upon
The roadbcd to such depth that when
rolled 1t will have n thickness OF three
10 four inches. Over this first course
b spread the second course, composed
bf the smaller gravel, with fragments
shu !dch or less in size. The second
course Is treated similarly to the first.
The rolling is continued until any de-
DressIons cease to be formed. Whom
ever depressIons are noticed during the
rolling materials should Immediately
be spread upon such places and the
rolling continued until the surface is
brought up to true grade. The gravel
should not be dry when rolled. II fur
nished dry, II may be sprinkled or the
rolling put OF until after a rain. Tho
top course should bo about three inches
thick after rolling.
Usually a gravel road does not DO.
como firm and hard until after con-
siderable time. during which 1t needs
constant attention. Each year, how
ever, the roadbed becomes nrmer and
ultimately nearly as solid as macadam.
The best way to manage woman 10
not to try it.-Atlanta Georgian.