Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1914-02-09
SAYS SIX HOURS OF
SUNSHINE NECESSARY
Also Steep Grades May Be Avoided by
Locating Road Around, Instead Of
Over Hill Is Advice.
STARTLING" INFORMATION
FROM U. s. GOVERNMENT
Method by Which Sunshine Can Be Sc
cured Daily During Rainy Months
Not Given, However.

The following article on the cost and
location of earth road was sent us from
the coffee Of Information Of the
U. S. Department of Agriculture at
Washington, and is printed just to
show the class of dunn ignorance that
can hold down job in that city of
jobs. For decidedly fresh "informa-
tion" right from headquarters we
commend this to Capital Journal read
ers. 1t should 60 in the humorous col
umn. Just note that to have good
roads they should have six hours OF
sunshine daily and then ship your Ore
gon country roads down to Arizona for
the winter. Then note the fact solemn
ly told that "many steep grades may
be avoided by locating the road around
instead of over the hill, (" Do you get
that9 Then absorb the balance Of the
information and then go and build
roads. Here is the bulletin that Amer
leans are paying good money to get and
it should be therefore priced:
Cost and Location Of Earth Roads.
Washington, Feb. 9.-The cost Of
hauling over country roads is largely
determined by the size of the load that
can be hauled, the number of trips that
can be made in day and the wear
and tear on teams and equipment, ac-
cording to the Office of Public Roads,
Department of Agriculture. Steep
grades as well as ruts and mudholes
serve to decrease both the speed and
the load. On the principle that a chain
is no stronger than its weakest link,
the maximum load is what team can
draw up the steepest hill or through
the deepest mud-hole OH that road.
Wherever possible roads should be
located ON straight lines between ter
minal points. In hilly br mountainous
country, however, the attempts to keep
roads straight between terminals often
leads to the serious error Of heavy
grades. Straightness and grade must
therefore be handled together. Tho
best location is one which is straight
in general direction, is 4ree from steep
grades, is located on solid ground and
serves the largest possible number Of
people. Roads should be located for
the benefit of the public as well as the
private land owner.
The elimination of one Of two steep
hills on u line of road will frequently
enable horses to draw three or four
times as much as they could draw on
the old road. 1t takes Approximately
four times as much power to draw loads
up 10 per cent grades (l0 IT, vertical
in 100 #. horizontally as on the level,
but on q per cent or per cent grade
horse can usually draw (for short
time) as much as he can draw on the
level, A per cent grade is therefore
considered the maximum on roads sub
iect to heavy hauling. Many steep
grades may be avoided by locating the
road around instead Of over the hill---
the handle Of the bucket is no longer
when held in horizontal position than
in a vertical. BY going around we
avoid two steep hills.
If the road must pass up steep bill
or mountain sides the stoepness Of tho
grade may be decreased by increasing
the length of the road. In other words,
eliminate steep grades by locating the
road on curved or zigzag lines, and not
in straight line from the bottom to
the top Of the hill, These curves should
be carefully plotted and the straight
stretches located with an instrument.
This improves the looks Of the road and
does not add materially to its cost
In studying the relation of grade to
distance the following calculation is
interesting. To lift ton one foot high
requires 1000 foot pounds Of energy;
on a road the surface Of which offers
100 pounds Of tractive resistance per
ton the same energy would roll the ton
a horizontal distance Of 20 feet, To
save one foot Of grade the road may
therefore be heightened 20 feet,
Roads should never be located so
close to stream beds as to be subject to
overflow or ou ground which is con-
stantly damp and marshy.
The earth road should have at least
six hours Of sunshine each day. This
can be secured either by locating the
road with southern or western expo
sure or by having such brush and trees
as impede the drying action Of the sun
and wind removed. With gravel and
stone roads, this is not so necessary,
as certain amount Of moisture is
needed on such roads, especially in the
summer time.
Relocating roads is not an engineer
ing problem alone. One must also con-