The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1910-02-25
Idaho Country Life
Earth Road Portion of Better Roads

Earth Road a Portion Of Better Road.
An important argument in favor o.
the earth road is the fact that wher
1t is laid out and constructed, it IL
the beginning of first-class grave
road, first-class macadam road, OF
a first-class tar macadam road, sc
that by getting the earth road made
the individual interested primarily
in the construction of hard roads has
succeeded in getting the hard road
we'll begun.
Cost of Maintenance
Since proper maintenance is an i'm
portant part of the work on ordinary
roads, its cost will be considered
briefly.
The repairs and maintenance on an
asphalt pavement cost from 9 to 60
cents per square yard annually, or
for two-rOd road the cost is from
$1,750 to $11, 900 per mile per year;
on tar macadam road the cost is
from $4,000 to $4,000 per mile per
year; on gravel road it is about $40
per mile per annum, while for IS per
mile per year an earth road can be
kept In condition Of repair that
will surprise those VINO have not used
the split-log drag on such road.
AS already stated, narrower roads
will answer all necessary demands in
many parts, and maintaining such
will reduce the cost proportionately.
A we'll kept narrow road is infinitely
better than a broad one in bad con-
dition.
Drag Reduces Dust
On the use Of this drag the bulletin
says, in part: "Clay, when mixed with
water and thoroughly worked, be-
comes remarkably tough and imprev-
ious to water. If compacted in this
condition it becomes extremely hard.
Another valuable result of dragging
is the reduction of dust, for the par
ticles of clay adhere SO tenaciously
that there is but little wear when the
surface Is smooth. Dust on an earth
road is due to the breaking up under
traffic Of the frayed and upturned
edges Of ruts and hoof prints. If
the surface is smoother after each
rain and the road dries hard and
even, no edges are exposed to crush
ing, and the only dust which forms
Is that due to actual wear of the road
surface"
Examples and Their Cost
The bulletin quotes Mr.. F. P. San
borne as follows: "The least ex-
pense per mile (for dragging) was
about $3.50; the greatest, little
over IS; the average expense per mile
for five and one-half miles, little
less than 49," Continuing, Mr.. San
borne says: "The writer has lived
by this piece of road all his life, and
although we have had the extremes
Of weather this season, both wet and
dry. not for forty years has the road
in question been so free from mud
and dust. Parties who have known
the road all their lives are agreed
hat it never was in so good a con-
lition season through.
The total expense for twelve
months on twenty-eight miles of
Dad in Iowa." continues Mr.. Hoyt,
averaged $2.40 per mile, and the
'oads were reported to have been
like ,raaa~ track the larger portion
If the year.
"A number of farmers in Ray coun-
y, Missouri, employed one of their
lumber to drag a five-mile stretch.
lie received compensation at the rate
If SO per day. When the end of the
,ear came and settlement was made
he cost for the year was found to
,e $1.66 per mile. The road is
ough clay and my informant declares
was always much better than the
ther roads in the neighborhood.