The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1910-07-07

dress Before the Appalach-
ian Engineering Association,
Which Met in May at Win
/ ston-Salem.
/ DR.. Joseph Hyde Pratt, State geol
Ogist, and one of the foremost road
experts of the South, in speech be-
fore the Appalachian Engine ering AS
sOcintiOn, which met at Winston-Sa-
lem May &, 1910, told of the need of
competent road engineers in this
State and the ills that have come of
building roads without the aid of
trained men- In order that the
public may know what is required
OF road engineer we submit a few
extracts from DIR. Pratt's excellent
address. He says that the most i'm
| portant problems confronting the
road builder are location, grading
and drainage.
! In many communities a man with
a knowledge of surveying was sup
posed. to be we'll qualified to take
charge OF the construction of public
roads; but here, again, the result was
disastrous SO far as the county or
State obtaining good roads was con-
cerned.
OF the location of roads he says:
"The location of "a road is really
the only permanent part OF II road,
and, therefore, in determining upon
the location, it must be very careful
ly worked out, 50 that when once the
road is constructed there will never
be any question regarding any
change in the location. In construct
ing a road between two points, the,
shortest distance is, of course, desir-
able; but it will often be found that
''the longest way around is the short
est way home," and that the short
est distance between two places is not
the practical route for a public road
on account of the excessive cost OF
constructing and maintaining same.
''In connection with the location OF
a road, the character of the soil Of
which the roadbed will be made
should be carefully investigated, for
it will be found that certain soils are
very difficult to hold or to drain, and
make the maintenance of the road,
after it is completed and surfaced
with some suitable material, very
hard and expensive. 1t will very Of
ten be found that certain soils are
composed OF material that is natur-
ally adapted to the construction OF a
road bed, and building the road
across them very materially lessons
the cost of its construction.
"a first-class improved road must
be SO graded as to permit of the haul
ing of a maximum load at all times,
and also prevent washing by rain
water. The locating and grading oi
a road are SO closely allied that it is
hard to separate them from eacl
other for the location must be such
that the grade can be maintained"
In drainage DR.. Pratt finds one ot
the greatest problems in road con-
structiOn. He says:
Zone of the most important prob
lens to be considered in connection
with road construction is the ques
ton of drainage. Water is the great
est enemy of the road, and the engi
neer must make arrangements tc
keep the water off and away from tht
road. 1t is not only necessary tt
keep the water off the surface of th'
road, but it is also very essential tt
keep the water out of the side bitches
so that there will be no chance what
ever of seepage under the road. Th
engineer must study the topograph.
: of the country through which tn
road is passing and determine tn
T amount of rainfall, and thus tn
y amount of water that he will have t.
e take care of by means OF his sid
e bitches, culverts and bridges.
s might say here that after the engi
= neer has made his estimate regard
ing the amount OF water that he ha
got to take care of at any certain
= point along the road, it would b
a very safe plan for him to dOubl
his estimate in making his calcula
tiOns for the size OF the >ulverts o
bridge, for the season that occasion
ally clOud-bursts may take place, o
there may be excessive clearing c
land which will give an excessiv
amount OF water, a great deal NOR
] than the engineer would have calcu
lated from the topography OF tn
8 country and the amount OF rainfall
: His road must be able to withstan
] such a fOw of water, for if not,
) means a very heavy cost to th
county or State for repairs. Wher
ever it is necessary to carry waite
from one side of the road to the OtE
er. it should always be carried unde
] the surface of the road. eithe
through concrete, metallic or othe
special forms of culverts, which wi
prevent any OF the water from com
s ing i'll contact with the roadbed. A
4 often as possible the water should
taken out of the side bitches and dis
3 charged into the adjoining fields
4 order to prevent the wearing actlS
of an increased volume of water o
the bottom OF the bitches. The grad
of the bitches should also be kept a
g minimum in order to prevent tn
cutting action of swift running wa
ter. On the other hand, they shoul
! be given a sufficient grade, so tina
the water can rapidly be carried ou
8 OF the bitches, for otherwise ther
will be a tendency for the water t
seep under the road.
"The road engineer must be fami
lar with concrete construction, no
q only in connection with the buildin
OF eulverts but also in bridge worE
States and counties are demandin
more and more that bridges and Gu
verts shall be permanent and as col
crete oulverts and reinforced concret