Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1913-07-31

dobe sections if you know how to con
struct and maintain them | have been
all along the Mississippi valley and in
many sections there the farmers and
road buildings have had the same dobe.
and in many instances a more stubborn
faulty species. to work with.
Mix Sand With the Dobe.
THE secret of building good dirt
roads in the dobe sections lies in the
mixture of dobe and sand This mixing
process should be done in the winter
when the dobe is in its most violent
stage. The sand should be hauled to
the stretch of road to be treated during
the fall when the roads are in fairly
good shape but the sand should not be
applied until the natural weather condi-
tions and winter travel have put the
road in excellent shape for mixing.
Even then the road will show no great
Improvement that winter, but the fol-
lowing year, if the split log drag is
used Systematically the desired result
VIII be obtained.
"This mixing of sand and dobe gives
stability to the dobe and tenacity to
the sand, creating combination of
ideal road building soils. The sand
prevents the dobe from sticking to the
wheels of vehicles and hoofs of horses
when the road is damp and wet and the
dobe prevents the sand from blowing
away or loosening during the dry sea.
sons of the year.
Does Not Favor Macadam.
81 do not believe that Idaho county
needs macadam roads. The traffic here
does not demand that kind of highways.
Properly treated earth roads are suf.
ficient. The correct dirt road should
be graded about 32 feet in width,
gently sloping from the center at
drop approximately one inch in l2. The
center ridge left by the scraper should
be removed or packed with the roll -
favor the latter method.
"The whole secret of success in dirt
roads lies in persistent, regular us. o.
the split log drag. This drag should be
made of an eight-inch log about seven
feet in length. 1t should weigh not
more than $50 pounds. Each farmer and
team should be given two-mile
stretch of road to drag during thu sea
son.
1.-The drag should never be used only
Immediately following a rain when the
mud has attained consistency akin to
pancake batter. This batter should be
smeared over the surface of the roadbed
with the drag, filling the ruts, evening
the road and leaving smooth surface
to be packed hard and dry by the sun
and wind. After few rains such treat.
ments leave the road with as many
coatings of hardened surface. On first
thought it might appear impossible to
treat Idaho county roads or some of
them, with the split log drag in the win.
ter. The answer is this: If these roads
are dragged in the fall and summer it
will be found comparatively easy
matter to continue the dragging with
good results throughout the winter
When the Questions Begun.
| w. w. Brown queried as to whether
or not the dobe and clay roads without
being mixed with sand, could be improv-
ed by dragging. Mr.. Burrell replied
that such would not be practical al
though good results might be had in
some cases. John A. Powell brought up
the question of the best method of
reaching the almost impossible stretch
es Of road in the winter. Mr.. Burrell,
with others, suggested that the repair
materials be. transported to the road
earlier in the fall.
G. H. Schmadeka, who has built about
as much road as any other Idaho county
citizen. was also present and took a
prominent part in the discussion.
Much of this was directed toward the
rock road recently completed by Mr..
; Schmadeka west of town. Mr.. Burrell
was of the opinion that equally good re
results, if not better, could have been
; had on this road had a lesser quantity
of rock been used. However, he agreed
with the concensus Of opinion that Mr..
Schmadeka had accomplished results in
, his aim to improve the road perman-
emily.
Volunteer Road Builders.
w. B. Hussman, of the board of high
way commissioners in the Keutervlle
district, spoke briefly upon the results
, obtained in his district and declared
that practically all of the work done
there had been donated by the tax
payers. He went into the subject of
donated labor in detail and proved an
earnest advocate of this method of Sc
curing better roads when other means