The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1908-06-16
Department of Agriculture Is
sues a Bulletin on Simple
Road Building Device.

oupliiiuiiiy DeviGt.
One OF the latest publications issued
by the Office of Public Roads OF the
United States Department of Agri-
cuitre treats of the split log drag, an
implement which numerous expert
ments have conclusively, shown to be
the greatest possible boon to keen
earth roads smooth and passable.
Because OF its simplicity, its efficiency
and its cheapness, both in oonstruc-
ton and operation, 1t is destined 20
come more and more into general
use. With the drag properly built
and. Its use well understood. the
maintainance OF earth-roads become a
simple and inexpensive matter.
AT the present time there are APP
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 i'm
portant 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 MAJOR
ity of our roads must be maintained
as earth roads for many years to
come. This must be done by mex
pensive methods and the split log
drag will be powerful aid IL econ
omy Is the criterion demanded.
In the construction of this imple-
ment, care should be taken to make
1t so light that one man can lift 1t
with ease, a light drag responding
more readily to various methods of
hltching than a heavy one, as we'll
as to the shifting of the position Of
the operator. The best material for
a split-log drag Is dry red cedar log
though red elm and walnut are eX-
cellent. and box elder, soft maple, or
even willow are superior to oak,
hickory or ash. The log should be
between seven and ten feet long and
from 10 to IL inches in diameter at
the butt end. 1t should be split care
fully as near the center as possible.
and the heaviest and best slab chos-
en- for the front. In the front slab
1 4 inches from the end which is to
drag in the middle of the road bore u
2 inch hole which is to receive a
cross stake. At u distance of %
inches from the other end of the
front slab. locate the center for an
other cross stake. The hole for the
middle stake will be on a line con-
Meeting and halfway between the two.
Then place the back slab in position
and from the end which is to drag
I in kI1a ~ - q m
inches for the center of one cross
stake and G inches from the other
end locate the center of the opposite
stake. The hole for the center stake
should be located halfway between
the two. All thses holes should be
carefully bored perpendicular or at
right angles to the face of the split
log.
If these directions are followed e
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 10 inches
nearer the center of the roadway
than the front one. That gives what
Is known as Setback" The stakes
which are so inches long, will hold
the slabs this distance apart. When
the stakes have been firmly wcdgcl
into their sockets, n brace about .
inches thick and inches wide may
be placed diagonally to them at the
ditch end of the drag. A cheated
board IL placed between the slabs and
across the stakes for the driver to
stand on.
BY many 1t is deemed best to place
a strip of iron along the lower face
of the front slab for a cutting blade
and to prevent the drag from wearing
The drag may be fastened to the
double tree by means of trace chald
The chain should be wrapped arounl
the left hand or rear stake and pass
ed over the front slab. Raising the
chain at this end of the slab per-
mits the earth to drift past the face
of the drag. The other end of the
chain should be passed through Il
hole in the opposite end of the front
slab and held by a pin passed through
n link.
For ordinary purposes. the hitch
should be so made that the unloaded
drag will follow the team at an an
gle of about As degrees. The team
should be driven with one horse on
eltHcT sue OF I'll right manu- Wneel
track or rut the full length of the
portion dragged. and made to return
in the same manner over the other
half OF the roadway Such treatment
will move the earth toward the cen
ter of the roadway and raise 1t grad
ually above the surrounding level.
The best results have been obtained
by dragging roads once each way at
ter each heavy rain. In some cases,
however, one dragging every three or
four weeks has been found sufficient
to keep road in good condition.
When the soil is moist but not
sticky the drag does its best work.
As the soil in field will bake II
ploughed wet, so the road will bake
II the drag is used on 1t when It IS
wet. 1t the roadway is full of holes
or badly rutted, the drag should be
used once when the ground is soft
and slushy. This Is particularly apple
able before cold spell in winter.
when II Is possible to prepare the sur
face that it will freeze smooth.
Not ihfrequently conditions are met
which may be overcome by slight