Bluefield evening leader. [volume] (Bluefield, W. Va.) 1906-1911, 1909-01-18
FINE ROADS.
How a Sand Highway Was I'M
proved With Clay.
ECONOMY OF DIRT ROADS.

Why a Council Bluffs Man Advocates
Them In Place of the Macadan,.
The Building and Improvement of
Hill Roads.
Iowa has 102,44S miles of highway.
OF these 1,453 miles are gravel roads
and 241 miles are stone roads. AS evil
dence Of the fact that the citizens of
this great state are becoming aroused
to the Importance Of highway i'm
provement the state legislature Of 1904
passed a law making the state college
highway commission. They realized
that such an act would increase the
value Of the farm lands Npf the state,
would improve the condition of the
merchants as well as the farmers and
would thus work for the benefit of all
classes Of society. There is probably
no influence which is more potent I'm
the development of the state than that
OF the good roads. 1t brings the farm
er nearer to town, 1t increases the
prosperity Of the merchant and Inn
proves the social condition among ru-
raj classes.
Since the enactment Of this law four
good roads conventions and schools
have been held. The first two met at
Ames, the third at Council Bluffs and
the fourth at Waterloo Aug. 10 to 10
inclusive. AT each session 1t was the
purpose to supplement the program
with practical demonstration work in
road building, says III. e. Colby I'm
Farm and Fireside. At Waterloo
about half a mile of sand road was
improved. This work was done by
cutting down hill in the vicinity of
the stretch that was being improved
and carrying soil which contained a
portion Of clay to the sand road. Here
1t was thoroughly mixed with the
sand, thus combining the good effects
OF both and eliminating, so far as pos
sible, the bad qualities of both.
w. L. Spoon of the good roads de
partment OF Washington was in charge
Of the work. He was also upon the
program, and In his address he spoke
OF the sand road as being the only one
which runs uphill both ways. Sand
heads the list OF bad roads. Wher.
ever thoroughly good dirt road is ex-
pmined It Will be found TO contain at
least portion of sand and a portion of
clay. No matter how closely the sand
may be packed. there are spaces be
tween the grains that cannot be filed
The proper substance with which to
Ill these voids is clay. If the two
elements are not naturally mixed the
only thing to do is to bring them to-
gether and mix them mechanically by
blowing and narrowing. This should
be done while the sand and clay are
wet In fact, they can hardly be too
wet to be thoroughly worked together.
IL the road Is sandy the clay should
be drawn on. II 1t is clay the sand
should be mixed with the mud Fol
lowing up the building OF such a good
road with persistent dragging will
make almost an ideal highway.
Between Council Bluffs and Omaha
there Is a stretch Of road three miles
long. Over this 40 wagons on the av-
erage pass every day. Each carries
load OF FIVE tons or more. This IS a
dirt road and is kept I'm fine condition
at thoroughly economical figure. It's
builder, Colonel w. r. Baker of Coun-
eli Bluffs, spoke upon the building and
maintenance Of dirt road. He would
advocate this In place OF macadam, be-
cause the dirt road can be built for a
great deal less than macadam. and Il
can be maintained at from ] to IL per
cent Of the expense necessary for
maintaining a macadam road. BY the
use OF the road drag MIR. Baker showed
That 1t would be possible to reduce the
road tax at least 80 per cent within six
years.
The building and improvement OF
hill roads were discussed by Mr.. DYE.
He showed how by the use Of the plow
and split log drag the processes OF ma
ture might be used TO improve the bin
road. His idea was to pillow furrow
at each side OF the bill and carry the
soil toward the middle Of the road
lie would not have crown on n hin
road, but he would simply have It so
drained that the water would not wash
IN the middle. Each rain would have
a tendency to cut down the surface OF |
the road, carrying the soil from the !
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