Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1913-03-07
THE sAND.CLAY ROADS.

Quite a number Of our citizens have d~espaired
of the sand-clay roads ever being a success or at
least being worth anything like the money that is
being expended on them, but such roads have been
successfully made in number of Southern states
and are recommended by the government which
has the advantage of all scientific knowledge and
experience in road building.
One of the principal reasons of the commissioners
for giving the contract to Mr.. Spiker was that he
had built more roads of that kind than any man in
the country, or at least he came with recommends
tons to that effect.
The principal criticism of the work that has al
ready been done is that while a great portion of
the grading has been completed no part of the
work has been finished. The consequence was that
the new earth that had been thrown uD was very
easily and very early cut into ruts, which gave
some Of those who were originally opposed to the
bond issue and the method of working the roads,
grounds to say II told you so" and express the
wish that the mud in the blankety blank road
would get twenty feet deep.
The work was started late in the fall and the
writer has been told that the reason for not COM
pleting any part of the work was that they wanted
nature to do the packing and solidifying Of the
road. Whether the judgment of the commissioner
and engineer was right or wrong in the matter will
be decided in a short time. But that the road will
be built satisfactorily we have no doubt and before
this time next year the Macon dstric, at least, will
have as good roads as can be found in the South.
The following from a North Carolina paper
gives one county's experience with sand-clay roads:
NUl:Jo l;,o,co;o,c cIn,,J oOuoorpiun tho opa
tive merits of sand clay and macadam roads, it is
interesting to hear the Asheville On. c. Gazette.
News assert that road problems for most sections of
Buncombe county have been solved, because a sand
clay road built through Beaverdam Valley meets
with every requirement and stands every test. The
trst section of this road was laid in December, 1910,
and a second section was laid in January and Febru
Try following. 1t has been a good road since it's
irst day. The terrific weather of last winter did
practically no damage. 1t has never been either
lusty or muddy to any considerable degree, and yet
it has endured much heavy hauling from the very
tart. While automobiles play havoc with macadam,
hey positively benefit the sand clay. E'The san9
clay road leading from Grace up to Beaverdam creek"
declares County Engineer J. G. M. Valentine in the
Gazette. News, "s the best road in the county to-
day." r
Mr.. Valentine states that even the Biltmore roads,
model of macadam construction, have suffered heav-
lily through the severe weather, whereas the sand
clay almost entirely escaped. The formula to his
excellent road is given as follows: Six inches Of
sand and upon that a layer of clay three inches
deep;on that four inches of sand; the whole finished
with an inch of clay or gravel. 1t is stated that the
gravel finish proved somewhat the better. Mr.. Be-
land Wolfe, the supervisor of the road, says that to
be kept in the best condition the surface should bt
dragged at a cost of about So per mile each year
Regular dragging has not been ~practiced thus far
The belief is that with such care this highway would
almost never wear out. And the Gazette News edi
torially urges that sand clay construction costs only
$500 per mile, against 81, 500 or more for the mac
adam type. /,