The Kendrick gazette. [volume] (Kendrick, Idaho) 1892-1968, 1913-03-14
ROADS BADLY WASHED
Damage More Extensive on
Grades Than Level Stretches.
In Sandy Sections Wash May Be e.
fectively Stopped by Use Of TWO
Inch Piarks-Clay Road Re-
quires Different Treatment

After hard or prolonged rains. roads
which have been constructed with a
fiat surface are often quilted in the
center. or. il the road was well
crowned, the cutters or bitches are
usually badly washed.
AS a rule. the damage is more ex-
tensive On grades h on level
stretches. This is because the dam
age in general depends on the velocity
of water, and this. of course, is con-
trolled by the %steepness Of the slope,
says the Fruit Grower and Farmer II
the water cuts bitches very deep. 1t.
might be advisable to reduce the.
grade of the road, If possible, either
by cutting down the summit or filing
at the foot of the hill, or both. 1t must
be remembered this is likely to be-
economical in the end even II the,
first cost seems high, since it will not
only save on future maintenance. but
will decrease the tractive force re-
quired to pull a load at this point.
There are, however, many grades
that cannot be changed. because Of
local conditions.
LII odhdy oSStiOAiop NV "ooA may ~
effectively stopped by two-inch planks
from six to twelve inches wide. and
cut into three-foot sections. These
short planks are sharpened on one
end, and then enough of them to COW
er three feet in width of the gutter or
ditch are driven in edge to edge for a
depth of more than three feet. at right
angles to the grade Of the road. II
they are driven. In a little more than
flush with the gutter, there is no dan
ger of the road machine or drag strik-
ing them.
In a clay section. It Is practically
impossible to. drive a plank three feet
without splintering 1t. The method of
construction is entirely different from
that described for sandy sections. Old
logs or railroad ties, If they car be
secured, are better under these condi-
lions. They should first be cut into
fo~ur.foot lengths. Trenches then are
SUM in the cutters at right angles to-
the road, and the tie or log Is placed
in the trench. Where the wash H.
severe, several logs are placed direct
ly over each other, like the fash
board in a dam. The top log Dr. tie is
placed at least four inches below the
gutter in order to prevent 1t from COM
ing in contact with a road drag or
road machine In operation. The ties.
or logs are placed from 20 to 60 feet
apart, according to the grade Of the
hill, and it is an easy matter to in
sert one whenever required.
The chief advantage gained by this
use of logs or planks is that deep and
dangerous bitches which are not only
a enc to travel, but also make the
road narrow, are removed When the
planks or logs are used. the entire
width of the road can be used by the
public, and the road is always safe.
Many sand beds that are bad at all
seasons can be improved by mixing
clay with sand by means of a plow
and harrow and hen using the road
drag systematically. On the other
hand, many clay sections that are bad
in wet weather can be improved by
: first blowing and then mixing In sand
by means Of the harrow, and finally
, using the road drag.