The Democratic advocate., 1909-08-13

owing to our hills, is to grade. Let
me explain what / mean.
The topography of our county is
such that it is practically up and
down hill. We try to raise. the low
places by scraping dirt out of the
side drains into the middle of the
road. Now, this dirt has washed
from the hills and we can raise the
center of the road by doing the same
thing ourselves. If, instead of scrap
ing earth from the side to the center
we simply cut off, say, the top of one
hill and put it in the hollow, what will
be the result. We will raise the low
place, giving it better drainage,
thereby making it drier and better
road and at the same time do away
with the grade. You will be surpris-
ed at the difference in the road. 1t
will not wash so much, it will be east
er to keep in repair, you can maui
heavier loads over it, and, best of all,
you did something with your money
You have changed the grade, and the
rains will never wash the hill back
again.
Low Places.
Again, you have a road in which
there is a low, wet place, bad most
of the year You usually leave it alone
and go scFaping earth ouc of the
drains upon it. If you have a hill
which you could cut down and put
it in you should do SO, but if you
haven't one handy, fill it up with
stones. If you do this and make a
hard out of what was previously a
soft place you will have done some
thing that will be lasting, and not
have wasted the peoples money.
Road PlOWs.
The road plow has done great
deal of good and also great deal OF
harm. 1t does good in packing down
and hardening the roadbed.A split log
drag, if it is heavy enough, will, how
ever, do the same thing. 1t does harm
when you are induced by it to waste
your time in going over the whole
road scraping not only parts that
need it, but those as well that
don't. One of the worst things it does
is to cut the grass and sod out~of the
drains. You want all the grass to
grow in the side drains you can get
without stopping them up, because
it prevents the drains from becoming
gullies. These may strike you as
revolutionary views, but l believe
a little reflection will convince you
they are correct ones.
Engineers.
Another thing that we err in, is
to treat road building as a simple
thing, something tina: any one can do.
This is wrong; it is as much science
as law or bridge building. The
French appreciate this fact and they
have a college devoted entirely to
the science of road building. We
should never attempt any extensive
improvements to our roads without
having road engineer and a good
one in charge. And in this connec-
ton let me say that 1 do not believe
we are getting from the Maryland
Geological Commission all we should.
| believe that if the county would
have the road commissioners OF va
rious districts meet in Westminster
and have the Geological Commission
send an engineer to address them
upon the proper way to repair dirt
roads. we could learn a lot and the
county be better off. This could be
easily done; it is surely worth trying.
The American people have suffered
for long time from the conditions
of their roads, but I believe they are
now awakening to their needs. In
this age of electricity, of wireless
telegraphy, of the flying machine,
many movements are afoot for the
Improvement of mankind and the ad-
yancement of our country's pros
perity. Earnest men and women like
you are coming together TO consider
what they can best do to better theirs
and iothers conditions. 1t is from
meetings like these that all great re-
forms and movements take their
start and are carried on to success,
and of all the various ones that the
American people are now consider
ing, there is none l believe that will
result in raising our standard of civ
ilization and be of more benefit to
the nation at large then this move
ment for good roads.
-nD DENT-6-roOn Dwelling %EIA