The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1910-06-30

FROM GOOd ROADS Magazine, New York.
WELL BUILT BURNT CLAY HIGHWAY.
After it has been burned, however, the
Elasticity is entirely destroyed, and a
light clinker is formed which, though
not particularly hard, when pulverized
forms a 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
clinkered, but only Il 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 it 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
plowing difficult After the ploWing
has been completed furrows 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 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 these burrows, which should
be about four feet apart, the first
course Of cord wood is laid Longitude
nally so as to form series of fIues 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 irregularly across this
floor, in crib formation, with spaces
left between in which the humps Of
clay are piled.
After the humps of clay have been
heaped upon this floor a third course
CT 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 combustibie 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 il Jumps
Of all sizes. including the very finest
material Tt is spread as evenly as pos
sfble over the top i'll a layer eff not
less than six to twelve inches. Finally
the whole is tamped and rounded etf
SO that the heat will be held within
the fiues 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, a large force OF
lahorers are available for the work a
greater number of f1ues can be fired
at one time.
When the material is sufficiently
cooled the roadbed should be brought
to a high crown before rolling. to
allow for the compacting Of the ma.
terial. This can be best done with a
plow or grader. After this the roll
ing should be begun and continued
until the roadhed is smooth and hard
The finished crown should have slope
| of at least one-half inch to the foot
Although 1t cannot be denied ina
| the ell,r,ho and huckshat clays OF tn;
south are particularly adapted TO
| burning on account of the high per
| centage Of organic matter which the'
| contain, it IS none the less probable
that many of the surface clays ant
| soils of the states farther north ecu
! be treated in the same way. and. II
| fact, any soil or clay which bricks @
| elinkers at comparatively low TEN
| perature should be suitable for th'
work.