The Norfolk weekly news-journal., 1910-04-22

From Gooo Roads Magazine, New York.
WELL BUILT BURNT CLAY HIGHWAY.
After it has been burned, however, the
Elasticity is entirely destroyed, and
light clinker is formed which, though
not particularly hard, when pulverized
forms n smooth surface and seems to
wear well. 1t should be understood
that not all of the clay out of which
the road is to be constructed is to be
clinkercd. but only n sufficient amount
should be rendered nonplastic to neu-
tralize the too sticky character of the
native clay.
Good sound wood, as dry and well
seasoned as 1t is possible to procure,
should be provided before beginning
the work and stacked at convenient
intervals along the side Of the road.
About one cord of wood has been found
necessary for eight linear feet of road
bed twelve feet wide.
After grading the road to an even
width between bitches it is plowed up
as deeply as practicable. 1t will be
found necessary to use horses or
mules. as the extremely heavy nature
Of the clay makes the work of deep
blowing difficult. After the blowing
has been completed burrows are dug
across the road from ditch to ditch,
extending through and beyond the
width to be burned. If it is intended
to burn twelve feet of roadway the
transverse burrows should be sixteen
feet long, so as to extend two feet on
each side beyond the width of the final
roadway. Across the ridges formed
between these burrows. which should
be about four feet apart, the first
course of cord wood is laid Longitude
nally so as to form a series Of flues in
which the firing is started.
The best and soundest cord wood Is
selected for this course and should be
laid so that the pieces will touch, thus
forming Il floor Another layer of
wood is thrown irreguIarly across this
floor in crib formation, with spaces
left between in which the Jumps Of
clay are piled.
After the Jumps of clay have been
heaped upon this floor n third course
Of wood is laid parallel to the first.
This third course is laid in exactly the
same manner us the first. and each
opening and crack should be filed
with brush, chips. bark, small sticks
or any other cOmbustible material.
The top layer of clay is placed over all,
and the finer portions of the material
are heaped over the whole structure.
The deep covering OF clay which is
thrown over all should be taken from
the side bitches and may be in Jumps
Of all sizes. including the very finest
material. 1t Is spread as evenly as pos
sible over the top in layer Of not
less than six to twelve inches. Finally
the whole is tamped and rounded OF
so that the heat will be held within
the flueS as long as possible.
When the roadbed has been care
fully prepared according to the fore
going directions the firing should be-
gin. If. however, large force OF
laborers are available for the work
greater number of fiues can be fred
at one time.
When the material is sufficiently
cooled the roadbed should be brought
to high crown before rolling, to
allow for the compacting Of the ma
terial. This can be best done with
plow or a grader. After this the roll
Ing should be begun and continued
until the roadbed is smooth and hard.
The finished crown should have slope
Of at least one-half inch to the foot.
Although it cannot be denied that
the gumbo and buckshot clays Of the
south are particularly adapted for
burning on account Of the high per
centage Of organic matter which they
contain, it is none the less probable
that many of the surface clays and
soils OF the states farther north could
be treated in the same way, and, In
fact, any soil or clay which bricks or
clinkers at a comparatively low tenn
perature should be suitable for the