The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1909-09-29

hub is to be 3.79 feet; then 100
3.79 or 3.21 is the height in feet C.
the grade-bOard. With a staff grad
uated decimally measure uD from the
top of the hub 3.21 feet and make
pencil mark on the stake A, mailing
the grade-board SO it's top edge will
just come to the mark. Before Griy-
ing your second nail level the board
across the trench.
After getting down to the depth Of
two spadings, drive the stake e Gig.
- from which the small fishing line
Is drawn taut through the staples
ID down to another stake q. The
stakes E and C should be some twrn-
ty feet from the grade-boards nearest
t" them, so the downward pull ot the
line on these two boards will not be
very great. This cord has the sanle
slope In 1t that the bottom Of the
trench will have when finished. That
is to say. the cord is parallel to the
grade and seven feet above it, and
the bottom of the trench, is t. be
fcunu by equal measurements Of sew
cn feet down from the cord. The last
spading is entrusted to the more. care
full men to each Of whori is given
one CT the rods whose length. is 2 1-2
inches less than seven feet. 81 when
they have finished their work or tile
bottom there are yet about 1-2
irctes to be taken out Eollowins =
these men is careful man called the
grader equipped with the seven-foot
roll and a scoop Of the pull pattern.
This. scoop cuts out a half-round
groove in the bottom Of the trench of
the exact radius Of the pipe. Standing
on the unfinished bottom of the
trench and facing down grade, the
grader draws the scoop towards him,
cutting the earth and singing it out,
until the seven foot rod, when held
on the bottom of the trench, lust
touches the line above. By taking
frequent measurements, the grader, If
an intelligent workman, soon becomes
very expert, and finishes the bottom
very rapidly and with precision.
When the earth is not too dry
he will keep up with fifteen to twen-
ty spades and shovelers in four foot
work In work done as I have de-
scribed it, a man never places his foot
on the bottom of the trench. which
consequently presents a firm and even
surface for receiving the tiles.
Laying the tiles after the trench
has been properly finished is a simple
operation. but one requiring some
skill and great care. In trenches not
over 1-2 feet deep I let the tile lay
er walk on the top Of the tiles as he
lays them. facing up grade. This has
the effect Of mashing any little
crumbs Of soil that might get into the
trench and thus give the tiles a firm
and even bearing. OF course in some
soft mucky soils it might be improper
to proceed in this manner. as the tiles
might be pressed below grade. In
this case and in deeper trenches, the
tiles may be placed in the trench
the man standing on the surface of
the ground and using an implement
resembling a carpenters square. He
inserts the small arm Of the square
into the tile. and using the long arm
as a handle places the tile in the
trench. Each tile after it is laid
should be turned until it makes the
best fit with the tile next below it,
The joints should be made as close as
possible. The small openings thus
| made will always be sufficient to ad-
NIT all the water that the drain can
carry. The work of laying the tiles
should proceed as fast as the trench
Is opened keeping it close up with the
raider. ~ fiat grades 7 place a scrap
''NA. CetNil JolHl duu
diately cover the tiles with foot of
| the dampest soil that can be had, over
| which man walks. packing it with
his feet. This foot or so Of soil should
| He at once placed on the tiles to pre-
vent any accident that might result
| from caving Of the sides Of the trench.
For tiles not more than four inches
in diameter a fifty-yard piece Of
cheap cotton cloth twenty-seven
inches wide. was torn into about 1900
pieces little more than three inches
! wide and nine inches long. which
would cover 1900 joints. The cloth
bands are intended to exclude the silt
until the loose earth has become i'm
pacted by the rains.
The work of backfilling proceeded