Evening journal., 1913-05-28
COUNTY ENGINEER GIVES
TIPS ON ROAD UPKEEP

county Engineer James Wilson at
the meeting of the Levy court yester-
day afternoon made a number Of valu-
able and important suggestions. The
members of the Levy Court comment
ed very favorably on the suggestions
and the attention OF the Road Super
visors will be called to recommends
tions The suggestions follows:
AS the season is now close at hand
when most Of our work on the dirt
roads should be done, / have thought
that a few suggestions in regard TO
their repair and maintenance would
be in place.
"In the spring, as soon as the frost
is out of the ground and the road
somewhat settled, is the best time TO
do most of our work, and especially
is 1t the time to do any work that in
cludes the putting of dirt on the road
surface, or of forming up and round
ing the roadbed.
Material placed on the road at this
time ton account of the moisturel
knits in better, packs quicker and Is
generally nodded into place before
the dry weather arrives. Whatever
work of this kind is not done by the
middle of June or thereabouts is best
let 90 over until the following
spring as the dry season is not a
good time for work Of this nature.
"All cutters, bitches and culverts
should be cleaned out early in the
spring to prepare for the heavy rains
and should again be gone over later
in the fall to prepare for the winter
so that no water may lie in them OF
old rffr a
a stitch in time saves nine and an
ounce of prevention is worth pound
OF cure are very applicable to road
work A few dollars spent with care
at the proper time may often save
many times their value later on.
"All bridges should now be care
fully examined and their condition re.
ported: if any should be found in q
dangerous condition they should be
blocked off until repairs can be made
which should be within the shortest
time possible.
THE first essential of a good road
is proper drainage, and this applies
not only to the surface, but to the
sides Of the road and under the road
bed. To drain the surface of the
roadbed, of course, the centre must b'
higher than the sides, and must b'
crowned so that the water has {
free flow 10 the side cutters. Yer,
many of our roads are just now th'
reverse of this; the centre being tbs
gutter in many cases. For this worl
the road machine or scraper has beeI
designed: and under good manage
ment, combined with good judgment
ch road
made at comparatively slight cost
Great care must be taken however
not to push loose stones, sods, o
other injurious material into the mid
die OF the road, where IL merely form
more mud, makes soft spots, whicl
afterward become mud holes, ant
washes back again into its old place
impeding the flow of the cutters, ant
the next year has again to be takei
out. In dry weather It forms dust
Indeed, this is of so great importanc
that il is best to have a horse AM
cart, with what help may be neces
sary, follow over the road just scrap
ed and remove all such injuriou
material as may be thrown on tn
roadbed, taking care that none of
goes to fill holes, etc. a too commo
practice. In filling holes and lo'
places on the road, be careful to d
so with the same material of whic
the road is made; then rake II smoot
and even with the rest of the road S
that no Jumps or high places are left
particularly is il bad practice TO fl
holes or washouts in a soft or ella
road with stones; horses general
avoid those hard places, the wear an
tear is unequal, and a washout, or
couple of mud holes. where formerl
there was only one, forms in an
around them, while in some case
what appears to be an old stone wa
shows in the roadbed after a year o
so of use.
when the cutters formed by th
road machine are not sufficient, it bC
comes necessary to make good sid
bitches for conveying off the water
these should be made with a regula
even grade, so that the water will nj
remain here and there in the ditche
making soft places in the road oI
posite them, which in a very shol
time develope into large mud hole
The water in the side cutters shoul
be gotten away from the roads {
soon as possible, and should IL b
come necessary to cross a road to q
so, il should be by a culvert und
the road. When springs or wet spo
show in the road. or where the si'
drainage is not sufficient It is we'll
use porous drain tile. laying it car
fully, as in field drainage, so that
may have an even, free flow.
piece of road we'll drain-tiled w