Connecticut western news., 1908-09-03
MORE HINTS ON
 ROAD BUILDING
USE OF CONCRETE OR CLAY TILE
Good Drainage is the Primary Requisite for all Roads-Side bitches Should be of Ample Size-Cross Drains are Necessary.

i Especial correspondence to The News
 With an average of 27,0o0 tons of water falling in the form of rain on each mile of public road in the United States annually, it is scarcely to be marvelled at that the ten commandments of the road builder can be summed up suc- cinctly in the word drainage"
 The saying has truth for basis, as good drainage is the primary requisite for all roads. Even in sand roads this holds true, for there "good drainage" means such as will safely remove the storm water without erosion or gullying and still retain the surface moisture.
 To secure good drainage one must take into consideration both the surface water and the underground water. The surface water must be removed quickly and com pletely and without subjectlng the road to excessive SCOUT or erosion. For this reason, the center of the road should be raised and the slope towards the side ditches should be from E to 1 Inch to each foot distance, or SO that the water will run freely to the side ditches and not flow down the road or remain 'in paddles on the roadway. The side ditches should be of ample size to care for the severest storms with fall of not less than inches to each 100 feet. Ere quent 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 ditches or on which puddles of water have collected or which has been badly gullied and eroded by the rains has poor drainage and is in need of immediate attention. In fact earth roads nearly always require little at- tention after each rain. The split-log drag IS essentially a tool to maintain good drainage OH our earth roads, and shouli be used after each rain. On a 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 surface drainage possible. But in many places the underground water is too near the surface and must be removed before good road will be possible. This means that some form of sub-drainage must be resorted to, usually tile drains, of clay or concrete. Water from whatever source must be gotten rid of effectively, for water plus clay or gumbo invariably equals mud when mixed in spring and summer. Water becomes ice in winter and as water in freezing expands one-eighth its volume, the road heaves out of shape and when the ice melts the road disappears be- heath the rising tide of mud constantly fed by rains, melting snows and under ground springs.
 In seepy and boggy places the sub drainage in order to be fully effective 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 attributed to careless. ness in laying, or too flat grade. Tile less than inches in diameter should rarely be used, nor should grade of less than 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 a depth of 6 to 12 inches with coarse sand or fine gravel. Care should always be taken to secure free outlet for the drains and to protect the outlet with a concrete bulkhead or catchbasin, which can always be kept clean and the outlet free. ;s
 The kind of tile to be used depends on local conditions. Concrete tile if pro- perly made are equally as good as clay tile. Which kind to use is entirely n 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 concrete tile is that they can be made by 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 con- crete is used, great care should be taken to see that good grade of Portland cement is selected, and that the drains are properly constructed. The impress sion, which prevails to some extent, that tile disintegrates is erroneous.
 A bulletin is now in course of prepar- ton by the United States Office of Public