The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-08-19
WHAT GOOD ROADS DID.
Won Back for Garden City Trade
Which 1t Had Lost.

Garden City, Kan, Aug 19-About
one year ago there was road through
the sand hills south of Garden City
that was practically impossible for
heavy loads except with extra help to
drag the wagons through the sand. A
walk of a mile through the sand in
that road was far more tiresome to a
man accustomed to walking than a 20
mile jaunt along good roads.
At the present time a walk along this
very same road is no more tiresome nor
more difficult than walk over the best
country road in the United States. The
hard as boulevard and it stands
heavy traffic. Some years ago the
county commissioners oiled a part or
the sand hills road. This stretch is a
mile long and was done as an expert
ment. For months this was the only
passable stretch Of road through the
sand hills region. The road was oiled
and dragged. but 1t required a constant
expense for oiling and dragging
Was Built as Sample Road.
A government engineer and sand hill
road expert, W. L. Spoon. went to Gar
den City and drove out through a part
of the sand hills. He told the people Of
Garden City that he could build a road
through the big hills that would be bet
ter than any other road in the county
and it would not cost much. Spoon
superintended the construction Of one
eighth of a mile of gypsum clay road
tire seven miles through the sand hills,
except that part that has been Oiled is
made of the gypsum clay materials.
This gypsum clay is deposit found
in great quantities in the hills. 1t is
clay bank but clay In which there is
a great amount OF gypsum. The clay
is taken out when dry and is in the
form of a granny dirt, something quite
similar in appearance to the top dress
ing of asphalt as the pavement is be-
ing laid The first step in sand hills
road building is to scoop out a ditch,
the width the road is to be- The sand
is removed to a depth of eighteen
inches or two feet. Then this trough is
filed with the gypsum clay. If pos
sible it is we'll to have a good rain or
water on this clay before it is used or
much work done on It after the clay
is put down.
When wet the clay is easily mashed
and ground down until it forms per-
fectIy smooth and waterproof surface,
exactly as an oiled macadam road
After being mashed down and thor
dragged some more and har-
rovvcd and dragged still more Showers
help a great deal building the road, as
rain keeps the clay moist and pliabie
while the work goes on
Crude Oil Is Used as a Binder.
After the roadway is narrowed and
dragged thoroughly and is nearly
it is rolled. Then light top
dressing of sand less than half an incr
thick is put on and then comes the
of crude oil, a thin coat. just
enough to amalgamate the sand parti- !
cles and hold them together. |
This road is now as hard and nice for |
as any road to be found in |
The west. There is no north and south |
in the western end of the state |
great deal of hauling il necessary for !
he country south of Garden City. That |
sand hills road has been the bane of all
,reighters. often they made long de-
ours to avoid it. Across the prairies
south of Garden City the freighters
lr:ve anywhere There are few roads