Albuquerque evening herald. [volume] (Albuquerque, New Mexico) 1911-1914, 1913-11-04
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slab will lie 16 inches nearer the CEN
ter Of the roadway than the front
one The holes should be 2 inches
IN diameter. Care must be taken TO
hold the anger plumb In boring these
holes In order that the stakes shall
III properly.
The two slabs should be held 30
linches apart by the stakes The
stakes should taper gradually toward
the ends. There should be no shoulder
az the point where the stakes enter
the slab. The stakes should be fast
oned IN place by wedges only. when
the stakes have been placed In posi-
ton and tightly wedged, brace ?
inches thick and inches wide should
be placed diagonally TO them AT the
ditch end. The brace should be drop
ped on the front slab. 80 that It's low
or edge shall tie within an inch of
the ground, while the other end
should rest In the angle between the
slab and the end stake.
a strip of iron about ia feet
long. or inches wide ana Ia Of
an inch thick may be used for the
blade. This should be attached 10
the front slab. so that Il will be one
half inch below the lower edge %
tho slab nj the ditch end, while the
end of the iron toward the middle
OF The road should be flush with the
edge Of the slab Tho bolts holding
tho blade IN place should have flat
hondp and the holes 20 receive them
should be countorsunk.
An ordinary trace chain Il strong
enough 60 draw the implement pro-
vided the ,levis IS not fastened
through link The chain should
DO wrapped around the rear stake,
thcn passed over tho front slab. Rails
ing the chain at this end OF the slab
allows the earth 20 drift past the face
of the drag The other end Of the
chain should be passed through tho
ho6 in the end Of tho slab. one and
one half trace chains are sufficient
The Plank Drag.
prags are often constructed Of
planka instead Of logs The plank
should be strengthened along the mid
dlc line by by inch strip. a
triangular strip may he used under
the lower edge OF the blade 60 give Il
the proper cutting slope.
Operation at the Drag.
The successful operation OF the
drag involves two principles, which
when thoroughly Understood and IN
teligently applied make road work
ing with this implement very simple.
Tho first concerns the length and po-
sition of the hitch. while the second
deals with the position Of the driver
on the drag For ordinary purposes
the snatch link or clevis should be
fastened far enough toward the blade
! end OF the chain 60 force the unload
ed drag to follow the team at an an
gle Of 45 degrees. This will cause
the earth To move along the face of
the drag smoothly and viii give COM
| parntlvcly light draft 60 the team
provided the driver rides IN the lae
OF draft
~ small weeds are 20 be cut or a
furrow of earth Is to DE moved, the
doublctree should be attached rather
close 20 the ditch end OF the drag.
The drag will now move nearly ditch
end foremost and the driver should
stand with one foot on the extreme
forward end of the front slab. TINS
win swing the drag back To the prop
ar angle ana viii cause the blade "a
lplow. This hitch requires slow ana
careful driving In order To prevent
the drag from tipping forward. II
the blade should pillow too deeply the
driver should shift his weight toward
tho back slab IL straw and weeds
clog the blade. they can usually be
removed II the driver shifts his
weight 60 a point ns far as possible
from the ditch or blade end.
Usually two horses are enough q
|, pun drag over an ordinary earth
road when four horses are used
they should be hitched Ia the dral
by means of four-horse evenor The
team should be- driven with one horse
on either side of the right-hano
wheel track or rut the fun length 81
the portion To be dragged ana th'
return made over the other half al
the roadway. The object OF tint
treatment Is 10 move earth toward
the center OF tho roadway and q
raise II gradually above the surround
Ing level While this ~ being accom-
plished an mudholes and ruts vii
be filled INFO which traffic viii pacl
the fresh earth.
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