The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1910-10-13

level road. 1t is also the maximum
grade that road can have and yet not
require thank -you-ma ans" on the
surface of the road to turn the water
o. the surface into side bitches to pre-
vent washing of the middle of the
road. In some localities the cost of
constructing road so that It will have
no grade over 41-3 per cent is very
great. but l believe that it will pay to
construct any road with all its grades
below this 1-3 per cent. for the saw
Ing in time by being able to haul the
greater load over the road of the lesser
grade and the saving of stock will
more than pay for the extra cost of
constructing the road in a very few
years.
One of the most important problems
to be considered in connection with
road construction is the question of
drainage Water is the greatest enc
my of the road. and the engineer must
make arrangements to keep the water
off and away from the road. It is not
only necessary to keep the water or
the surface of the road, but it is also
very essential to keep the water out of
the side bitches, so that there will be
no chance whatever of seepage under
the road. The engineer must study the
h0 Oh
which the road is passing and deter
mine the amount of rainfall and thus
the amount of water that he will have
to take care of by means Of his side
bitches, culverts and bridges. might
say here that after the engineer has
made his estimate regarding the
amount of water that he must take
care of at any certain point along his
road 1t would be very safe plan for
him to double this estimate In making
his calculation for the size of the cul-
verts or bridges, for the reason that
occasionally cloudbursts may take
place. and more land may be cleared
or burnt over, which will give him an
excessive amount of water. great
deal more than he would have calcu-
lated from the topography of the coun-
try and the amount of rainfall. His
road must be able to Withstand such a
flow of water. for if not 1t means a
very heavy cost to the country or state
for repairs. Wherever 1t is necessary
to carry water from one side of the
road to the other it should always be
carried under the surface of the road.
either through concrete. metallic or
| other special forms of culverts, which
| will prevent any of the water from
coming in contact with the roadbed
AS often as possible the water should
| be taken out of the side bitches and
discharged into the adjoining fields In
order to prevent the wearing action OF
an increased volume of water on the
bottom of the bitches The grade of
the bitches should also be kept ut a
minimum in order to prevent the cut
ting action of swift running water.
On the other hand, they should he Civ
en- a sufficient grade so that the water
can rapidly be carried out of the ditch
es, for otherwise there will be tend.
ency for water to seep under the road.
| We may consider the wearing sur.
face of the road as it's roof. which
must be kept as impervious to waite,
as possible and be so constructed that
the rainfall and melting SHOWS will
flow freely and quickly into the gut
ters on each side. On the other hand
however. the water must not flow &C
fast as to give it Il cutting action and
thus ill the surface of the road with
slight depressions. Too much slope
from the center Of the road to the side
bitches is bad not only on account Of
the cutting action of the water. but Il
will also cause wagons to all travel In
the same track. and there will also bt
a tendency for all vehicles TO slide OF
skid The road surface should have q
gradual fall of about to 20.
In preparing the roadbed careful at
tention should be paid to the character
of the subsoil. as in many instances &
soil will be encountered upon which Il
will be almost impossible to construct
a satisfactory road without very care
full surface and subsurface draining
After the surface has been brought Il
the right slope 1t should be thorough!
rolled, and any depressions that ma!
be observed should be filled in will
material of the same consistency ant
character as the balance of the road
bed Any soft places that cannot b'
satisfactorily hardened by tampin,
should be cut out and filed In with th'
good material. This applies not onl!
to the surface of dirt road. whethe
it is to remain as such or is to be final
~ surfaced with macadam. sand ella.
or gravel. but 1t also applies to an.
weak places that may develop in tn
surface of any other materials.
No matter how carefully the roadbe'
may have been constructed. veal
places are sometimes overlooked. an,
after the road has been in use for
short time these begin to develop.
they are repaired at once little or n
damage will result to the road as
whole. and the repairing can be don
at slight expense On the other hant
If they are allowed to 60 for some tim
the cost of repairing them is not onl
increased. but they will permit waite
to seep down through them and begi
to undermine the road.
The above four problems In regar