Bluefield evening leader. [volume] (Bluefield, W. Va.) 1906-1911, 1909-08-02
DIRT ROAD IMPROVER
Wonderful Change Made by Using
the Split Log Drag.
DIRECT, EFFECTIVE RESULTS.

Dragging a Road When Muddy Fills
In Rats and Closes Up Uneven
Spaees-Persistent Use Of Drag Will
Soon Make Smooth, Hard Surface.
1t has been said that only 10 per
| cent OF the roads I'm the entire United
States are the main Travelled highways.
The other 81 per cent are the common.
everyday country dirt roads. In the
ordinary discussion regarding road I'm
| provement our thoughts and energies
SO frequently Lead us TO the discussion
OF macadamized roads, brick stone and
other specially constructed roadbcds
that the vast majority of our dirtroads
are lost sight OF. We talk about neces-
sity for road rollers and road scrapers.
rock crushers and various other es-
scntial roadmaking devices, and then
when we figure out the cost Of such
roads at from $1,000 TO $1,000 per
mile we of1entimes wonder how many
| generations IT viii take for our dirt
roads ~ be adequately maintained. ac-
cording TO the best systems. Because
| OF the utter hopelessness of getting
macadami2ed or other expensive i'm.
proved roads I'm his locality I'm Mis-.
souri, man named D. Ward King
built drag out OF log split I'm half
some thirteen years ago, and after
every rain. while the mud was soft.
he drove up and down the road in front
DO
tho drag at ap angle OF forty-iive De
grvOS Such marvellous improvement
resulted from the use OF this primitive
device that scientific investigation bv
road engineers has been instigated, and
the matter has now passcdhbeyend the
experimental or gucsswoGk kstage.
Fhe 90 per cent OF our dirt roads I'm
the United States, properly dragged
after rain, can be made almost rs
satisfactory during the greater part
Of the year rs extensively hard sur
faced highways and at a ridiculously
small cost per mile, carrying frem 50
TO 500. In the light of the impossi-
bhity~of macadnmizing all our 1000
600 miles of roads I'm the United States
In one generation or even I'm any lin
He'd period of time, aud I'm the light OF
the effective and immediate results
obtained from dragging the highways,
the study OF this method can be fol-
lowed with much profit.
First OF all, dragging n road when
muddy fills I'm the ruts. closes up un-
even spaces and makes II smooth sur
face. OF course traffic over such
| road Will Immediately proceed 10 cut
up again. However. "a the dragging
is persisted I'm and the mud is worked
| into n claycy-liko mass ana becomes
dry 1t likewise becomes hand Evcntu-
ally the top OF the road presents re-
slIant, shcll-likc. cake OF tough mud
as hard as uuburnt brick.
After n time II will be noticed thnt
road that has been dragged will be.
come dry much sooner than neglected
stretches Of road I'm the same neigh
borhood The more attention given TO
dragging n road the quicker Will 1t dry
ont ahead Of its neighbors. Eventually
after several yeaps of persistent drag.
ging the mud shell on the surface OF
such road will become so hard that
even after cloudburst Of rain pick
trate the surface for over two inches.
by the skilled use Of the drag the
road can be made high I'm the middle.
The average neglected country rond is
| usually hollow I'm the middle and after
| a rain has small lakes and pools stand
Ing over its surface, sometimes for
many days and weeks But the
dragged road. having such a crown.
sheds water into the side cutters.
These facts TO the uniniuatcd or
skcptical may on first impression
seem farfctchcd or exaggerated. but
they ar" facts based on tho experience
OF reputable men from Missouri to-
New York state who have been drag
cling the country dirt roads after ev-
cry rain
The roads today I'm many sections OF
the United States arc no better than
they were fifty years ago. even with
the labor and money that have been
expended upon them In some lCcali-
ties almost the entire amount Of the
tax Is expended I'm temporary work.
while nothing rs spent for permanent
Improvement with the result that con
diuons remain unchanged Tho sooner
We can gat a system OF road dragging
inauguratcd in every community the
sooncr will we have the 10 per cont
~ our neglected dirt roads ndcduatclv
ana permanently improved throughout
the greater part q the year I'm the
United StNes. Donald McCaskry.
| ~ y.