The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1914-07-01
road DRAG is
THE SIMPLEST
DEVICE IN USE
And also the Leaset Expensive
for Maintaining Earth
Roads Experts Say.
tsrEciAL, 70 ,1hE rEluoRAn,

:
WASHINGTON, D. c., July L.
The road drag is the simplest and
least expensive continuance yet de-
vised for maintaining earth roads,
according to the experts in the
United States Department OF Agri-
culture. who are cooperating with
state and county authorities in work
for better roads.
Properly used, the drag gives the
needed crown to the road, smoothss
out ruts and other Irregularities,
spreads out puddles of water, there
by accelerating the drying of the
road and makes the surface more or
less impervious to water by smearing
over the so-called pores in the earthly
material. The cost Of operation de-
ponds, Of course. upon local condi-
lions and thoroughness with which
the work is done. It is safe to say,
however, that 1t Is less expensive
than any other efficient system Of
upkeep.
! Farmers Bulletin No. 597, OF the
Department of Agriculture, discusses
and How 1t Should Be Used" the
best methods of maintaining earth
roads in good condition by this SIM
pei device. In the bulletin, which has
Just been published. the department
points out that Of more than 2,0OO,-
900 miles Of public roads in the
United States, only 100000 miles
have been given a hard surface. 1t
is true, of course, that large part
of the remaining mileage consists of
roads that are entirely unimproved.
and that on roads Of this class the
drag is practically useless. There is
a much larger mileage, however, that
has been partially improved, and It
is on roads Of this characteristics
that have been crowned or. drained.
but have not a hard surface-that
the use of the drag is advocated.
Ordinary Log Split.
In its simplest form, the road drag
consists of an ordinary log split in
half and the two halves connected
like the uprights of ladder by
means Of cross sticks or rungs set IN
it. The log should be about seven
or eight inches in diameter, and
from six to eight feet in length. 1t
is better to have it of well-seasoned,
hard, tough wood. The semi-cylin-
drica1 halves Of the log form the run
ners of the drag, and are usually
spaced from thirty to thirty-six
inches apart. The. front runner is al
ways placed with the split surface OF
the wood facing forward, but the
rear runner sometimes has its
rounded fact In front. This is done
in order to increase the smearing
action of the drag as It passes over
the surface Of the road.
The two runners are not placed
directly behind each other, but are
Offset, as it is called, from twelve to
sixteen inches. This Is done because
the drag is drawn over the road at
an angle sufficient to make the run
ners free themselves Of the material
which they scraped. The amount Of
this angle or skew depends, Of
course, upon the the condition Of
the road. BY offsetting the runners,
| 1t is possible to make their ends fol-
low approximately the same line on
the road, which they would not do
| If they were set directly behind each
other and the drag drawn at an angle
with the road.
In order to provide standing room
for the man, 1t is usual to nail two
boards down upon the rungs parallel
to the runners. Standing upon these
a skillful driver would bear his
weight in such way as to aid ma
terially in the successful operation
of the drag.
The drag is drawn by chain
which should be about eight feet
long. This can be fastened by eye
bolts to each end OF the front run
ner. or one end of the chain can pass
through a hole at the discharge end
of the front runner, and the other
end be Topped over the rung at the
cutting end of the runner. It is inn
portant that the hitching link should
be SO designed that its position can
be changed readily. 1t is also desfr-
/