The record., 1912-04-11

large extent takes the place of a roll
er. II n roller can be had this also
should be used. and used Immediately
after a rain. But good road can
be had without a roller, IL IL is taken
care Of and looked after during the
first year. and the best implement to
do this is with split log drag. using
II the same as on an earth road. Ruts
Will form along the wagon track and
where the horses go. but a dragging
of the surface will fill these and In
a short time compact, smooth road
way will result. A better road can be
built in one year II this plan Is fol.
lowed than can be built in three years
by the old plan, and the road will he
smoother and will serve a better pur-
pose.
DO not forget that the NEST irlpor-
tant part of road building is drainage.
and that five or six inches of gravel
on well drained road will give bet
ter results than twice this material
uron road that is imperfectly drain
ed.
When the writer was attending the
great International Meeting of Road
Engineers in Paris. 1908, one of the
delegates asked an eminent French
engineer how soon after the road was
built he commenced to make repairs
His answer was: The next day"
If any place IA stitch in time saves
nire." IL certainly viii do so on the
highway. Tie splendid roads oi
Europe are looked after by an attend.
ant who goes OYER them every week
and as soon as break aprcars, the
II, CCssary repair is made. In this
country the practice has been to build
an expensive road or pave a street at
4 high cost, and do nothing with it un-
til il becomes impossible.
When any township has well grad
ed and thoroughly drained its high
ways the question of good roads is
hall solved. but only half. A smooth
hard wearing surface must be put up
on the same. especially upon the main
highways. Where the state aid plar
IS followed the expense is rot a bur
many and shared in by all.
We sometimes hear the statement
made by t.ose who are trying to find
objections to the building of hard
'oads, that an earth road is much
Ileasanter to drive upon ard easiei
vantagcs of a good road are in some
degree offset by the fact that an
earth road at certain seasons is the
better of the two.
The writer has always advocated,
that where it is practical. 1t would be
cngs;de of the stcre or gravel road
0 ,hat the drivers might chooss- b.
tween tie two. Mi.an the weather :
fine ard the earth road is smooth, thu
drivers will usually take that in pret
erence to the hard road This save
wearing the hard road, ard thus
serves a double purrose. Let heav.
rain descend and everybody takes tn;
hard road The difference is The i'm.
proved highway Is good $50 dsyS in
rae year, and the O,ECr road = goou
and bad by turns. Having them side
by SIDE, which can easily be done
without additional expense, the peopl,
have the choice.
There is another feature of the FER.
marCrt road that should not te lost
.iSht Of. In the busy season while
the c.Crs are being planted, some
ii::es a heavy rain will fall so thai
he fields are too wet to work With
;ood IolGs the farmer can make
"trip to town, do the necessary er-
ranGs, naul of load of grain or hogs
nd Keep his farm hands employed
If TIE rocGs are urimproyed, he CAT
reithCr work the farm nor travel the
highways.
Every road ov"rsecr. and in fact ev-
cry farmer. should send to tie stat,
ng.neer of his state, and to the Office
of Public Roads at Washington, anL
lave his name put uron the mating
list, so that the bulietins and circu
lars, of which scores are published ey
cry year. uron road building and main
-enance. road drainPse and srgges-
ions that grow oCt of the experience
f To- i building can be followed VI
nd adopt:G by item. If thir were
CTe it world stop an enormous
Tovnt of money ttat every year i:
lasted uron the Eighways by II
20,