The Bemidji daily pioneer., 1912-04-02

find a county which is so poor that j.
could not afford tc employ continuously
eight or ten iaborarS and three or four
teams to ma intain and repair its roads
There are many counties. however,
which could well afford to employ ten
times such force. That such plan
would be more effective than the labor
tax system would appear to be self
evident.
OF all our roads the earth roads are
probably the most neglected. Expert
ence has shown that by proper main
tenance earth roads may be transform
ed into something better than elongat-
ed mudholes The first and last COM
mandment in the maintenance of earth
roads is to keep the surface well drain
ed. Water is the great enemy TO our
clay or soil roads and must be removed
Immediately or much mud and very bad
roads are the result. To insure good
drainage the bitches must be attended
to and distractions removed and
smooth. raised crown of the road main
tanned. For this purpose the split log
drag or some similar device is very
useful and at the same time mex
pensive The drag can be used on
sand-clay or gravel road just as effec-
lively as on an earth road.
The following points should be borne
in mind in dragging an earth, gravel or
sand-clay road: The drag should be
light and should be hauled over the
road at an angle Of about forty five de.
grees in such a way that only small
amount of earth is pushed to the CEN
ter of the road. The driver should ride
on the drag and never drive faster than
walk. The dragging should begin ON
the side Of the road. or wheel track.
returning on the opposite side. Unless
the road 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
clew as to the best time to drag. Drag
at all seasons Of the year, but do not
drag a dry. road. If road is dragged
Immediately before 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 too much shorten the
hitch or change your position on the
drag. The best results from dragging
are obtained only by repeated appica-
tlons. 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 q
much greater degree Indirectly. Frost
Is one of the most active of the destruc-
tive agencies. The expansion and con-
caused by frost sometimes
lead to a general disintegration 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 road thaws out
AFTER hard frost the macadam will
practically be layer of loose stones,
into which the traffic will cut, forming
ruts. Frost has but little if any effect
on dry, well kept road.
Look after the drainage very careful
" III the fall and be sure that the sur
race is as nearly waterproof as pos
slble, so that the road will go into the
winter dry and not full of water. Vio-
ent rains often wash out the binder
and sometimes the smaller stones as
we'll, leaving the surface both rough
and porous. The amount OF material
lost from the road by this means is
'1ten 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 n rut or hole to remain
on the road, but fill 1t 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
convenient place for each mile OF road
Always use chips for
patching and for oil repairs during the