The Lancaster news. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1905-current, 1910-04-06

WELL BUILT BURNT CLAY HIGHWAY
After II has been burned. however, the
Elasticity Is entirely destroyed. and a
light clinkcr is formed which, though
not particularly hard. when pulverizSd
forms Il smooth surface and seems to
wear well. Ii should be understood
that not all of the clay out Of which
the road is to be constructed is TO be
clinkered. but only sufficient amount
should be rendered nonplastic to neu-
tralize the too sticky character Of the
native clay.
Good sound wood. as dry and we'll
seasoned as II 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
bad twelve feet wide.
After grading the road to an even
width between bitches 1t Is plowed up
az deeply as practicable. It will be
found necessary to use horses or
mules. as the extremely heavy nature
OF the clay makes the work Of deep
blowing difiicult- 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. II 1t is intended
to burn twelve feet Of roadway the
transverse furrows 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 thsse furrows, which should
be about four feet apart, the first
course Of cord wood Is laid longitudi-
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 90 that the pieces will touch. thus
forming floor. Another layer CT
wood Is thrown irregularly across this
door. 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 a third course
Of wood is laid parallel to the first
This third course Is laid In exactly the
same manner as the first. and each
opening and crack should be filled
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 he taken from
the side bitches and NAV he In humps
Of all sizes. including De very finest
material. It Is spread As evenly as pos
sible over the top In a layer Of not
less than SIX to twelve inches Finally
the whole h tamped and rounded OF
90 that the heat will be held within
tho hues rs long as possible.
When the roadbed has been care
fully prepared according to the fore
going directions the firing should be-
gin. II. however. a large force Of
laborers are available for the work q
greater number Of flues can be fired
ut one time
When the material is sufacientiy
cooled the roadbed should be brought
to q high crown before rolling, to
allow for the compacting OF the ma
terial. This can be best done with q
plow or q 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 TIE foot.
Although II 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 cleys and
soils OF the states farther north could
be treated In the same way. and. In
fact. any soil or clay which bricks or
clink:rs at>a comcalat,yelS low te&-