The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1912-07-17

:aturning on the opposite side. Unless
the read is already In good condition it
should be dragged after every heavy
rain. when the mud Is in such condi-
ton as to puddle we'll and still not ad-
here too much to the drag. A few trips
over the road will give the operator a
clew as to the best time to drag. Drag
at all seasons of the year, but do not
drag a dry road. If a road is dragged
Immediately before a cold spell the
road will freeze smooth.
Always drag a little toward the cen
ter with the aim Of keeping the slope
Of the crown about an inch to the foot.
II the drag cuts toe much shorten the
hitch or change your position on the
drag. The best results from dragging
are obtained only by repeated applica-
tons. A good system Of dragging is
that which is practiced in Kansas and
Iowa, where road authorities are au-
thorized to let contracts to farmers for
dragging the roads abutting on their
lands.
In the maintenance of hard roads.
such as gravel and macadam. different
methods must be pursued. The causes
OF wear on hard roads are the weather.
the wheels of vehicles and horses
shoes. The weather acts to some ex-
tent directly on the materials. but to a
much greater degree indirectly. Frost
Is one of the most active of the destruc-
tive agencies. The expansion and con-
traction caused by frost sometimes
lead to a general d~isintegration OF the
surface. This is especially, true where
clay Is used as a binder and where the
road surface is porous or the drainage
poor. When such a road thaws out
after q hard frost the macadam will
practically be a layer of loose stones.
into which the traffic will cut. forming
ruts. Frost has but little if any effect
on a dry. well kept road.
Look after the drainage very careful
~ in the fall and be sure that the sur
face Is as nearly waterproof as pos.
s1ble. so that the road will go into the
winter dry and not full of water. VIC
lent rains often wash out the binder
and sometimes the smaller stones as
well. leaving the surface both rough
and porous. The amount of material
lost from the road by this means is
often larger than the toll exacted by
traffic.
The following hints may be found
useful in the maintenance and repair
of gravel and macadam roads:
Never allow a rut or hole to remain
on the road. but fill it at once with
chips from the stone heap. When the
road is built the contractor should be
required to place at least 100 tons of
surface material and screenings at a
convenient place for each mile of road
constructed. Always use chips for
patching and for all repairs during the
summer months.
Never put fresh stone on the road il
by cross picking and raking the sur
race can be kept in the proper condi-
tion and cross section. The rake is
the most useful tool used in road
maintenance. Large patches of stone
should mo- be spread over the whole
width of the road at one time. The
bulk Of all repairs should be made be-
fore Christmas, so that the road will
go through the winter in good condi-
ton.
In moderately dry weather always
pick up the old surface into ridges six
inches apart and remove all large and
projecting stones before applying new
material. Never apply stones more
than one stone deep, but add a second
layer when the first is worn in if one
layer is not sufficient. Never crack
stones on the road, for if you do a
smooth surface will be out of the ques-
ton. Never leave the stones in ridges.
All large stones, blocks of wood and
other distractions used for diverting
traffic should be removed at nightfall.
or the consequences may be serious.
Never put a stone on the road for re-
pairing purposes that will not pass
freely in every direction through a two
inch ring. Smaller stones should be
used for patching. Macadam's advice
was that no stone should be placed in
a macadam road which the workman
could not get in his mouth. Traprock.
granite and other hard stone should
be broken finer for repair work than
the limestones and other softer rocks.
Use screenings if possible for binding
together newly laid material. Road
sweepings, horse droppings, sods and
other rubbish when used for this pur-
pose will ruin the best road ever con-
structed. Water worn or rounded stones