Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1909-11-13

GETTING THE GRADE READY FOR STONE.
IFrom Good Roads Magazine, New York.
same principle can be adopted in the
simple turnpikiug OF road as that
which will have TO be employed in the
most expensive construction that we
are called upon to build today.
The first principle to follow In every
case is TO properly drain the section OF
road to be improved. after which you
then take up the question of sub-grade,
or foundation upon which TO build
your road. have found the best ma
ferial with which to construct sub
grade is sand or gravel Disintegrated
rock, with an admixture of light loan.
makes capital sub-grade.
Sprinkling the sand before rolling,
using a light roller before using the
steam roller or tightening the roller
by relieving the boiler of oDe-half its
water capacity is great assistance in
firming the road. as the sand will not
then creep before the roller thus max
ing the sub-grade firm. A little sub
soil placed on top of the sand is
very good practice. This will prevent
the material from being pushed ahead
of the roller, and ii will make good
sustainment for the stone or gravel.
IL something is not done to make a
sandy foundation firm it will shift
Sighting the sub-grade is sometimes
practiced by contractors, with the result
that they do not gain anything. for the
contractor has TO pay In the end an in
creased expense owing 10 the fact that
there will be greater shrinkage In the
stone.
The wisest contractor is the man who
will spend more time with his 10 cents
an hour help in forming the sub-grade
and thereby require less stone or grav-
el and other incidental expenses. This
is often the reason why the tonnage
of stone per mile has been largely ex-
ceeded over the original estimate of
the contractor This is very easily
demonstrated by taking the cost OF the
stone per ton. with freight. the haul
from the cars. the time consumed in
applying the stone on the road, TO say
nothing about the expense of watering
and rolling required to get the road
into a perfect bond firm and unyield-
ing.
But you will ask naturally, is not
the road better by reason of the fact
that more stone has beeu used?" Not
at all This would be true If a uni
form depth OF stone were on the road.
But il is an intermittent depth. In
some places there may be four inches
OF stone. while in other places there
may be eight inches. The influence of
the roller is not uniform where the
sub-grade is not sufficiently hard and
urn. Wherever there is an intermit-
tent depth of stone the road will de-
veiop a weakness because the pressure
OF the roller on the road has not been
uniform.
You must have a good, well built.
substantial foundation as well as a
good surface-a roof TO your road. l
do not and never have believed that
the surface of the road can ever be
come an accomplished fact until this
all important and necessary adjunct TO
a good road-the foundation-is taken
care Of
Antedating the surface must come
directness to your road, then the re
duction of these grades to a minimum
then the question OF drainage. or
these the most important is under and
surface drainage. after which comes
the question of surfacing. the least i'm
portant of all things connected with
road building. You want directness TO
your road to shorten the distance ana