The Bourbon news. [volume] (Paris, Ky.) 1895-19??, 1914-01-20
SAND CLAY ROADS AND THE
TIME TO WORK TIL EN-.

ern States, according to the Office OF
Public Roads, U. S. Department OF
Agriculture The time to work the
roads is in the Spring when the soil
is damp If the working of the roads
is deferred until late in the Summer
| when they are dry, they are not only
much more difficult to put in proper
condition, but the cost of repair Is
greater than if they were worked
early in the Spring
/ Previously to 1894 comparatively
little, if any, Of these roads existed
The popularity of this type OF road is
due to the facts that It is cheap,
comparatively firm and durable, easy
to construct and repair, and that the
materials out of which is it built are
plentiful in many sections OF the
country.
The sand-clay road is made by mix
ing the sand and clay in such way
that the grains of sand touch each
other, the spaces between the grains
being filed with clay which acts as
binder.
The approximate mixture of sand
and clay may be determined by fill
ing vessel with a sample of the
|
of the same size with water. The
water is poured carefully into the
sand until it reaches the point of over
flowing. The volume of water re-
moved from the second vessel repre-
sents approximately the proportion OF
clay needed.
The proper proportion of sand and
clay can best be determined. how
ever, as the work progresses, as some
clay will contain more sand than 9TH
ers. In fact, clays are very frequent
ly found which already contain about
the right proportion of sand
If the road to be treated is sandy,
the surface is first leveled off and
crowned with road machine, the
crown being about one-half inch to
the foot from the center to the sides.
The clay is then dumped on the sur
face and carefully spread, so that it
will be from to 8 inches in depth
at the center, and gradually decreas-
ing in depth towards the sides A
layer of clean sand is then usually
! added, which is thoroughly mixed
with the clay, either by traffic or by
means of plows and disk or tooth har-
rows.
The best results have been obtain
ed by thoroughly mixing or pudding
the materials when wet. For this rea-
son, it is desirable that the mixing be
done In wet weather Themixing can
be left to the traffic after the materi-
ais have been properly placed, but
this involves whole winter and
spring of bad road, and even then the
mixing is not always satisfactory. In
all cases, it is advisable to dress the
road with a road machine or split
log drag after the materials have been
: thoroughly mixed, and to give 1t g
} crown of not more than inch or less
D than q inch to the foot from the cen
ter to the sides. A light coating o.
sand may be added. The use Of the
] road machine or drag should be con
tinued at frequent intervals until the
4 surface is smooth and firm.
If the road to be treated is com
posed of clay, it should first b.
: brought to rough grade with roa(
machine. The surface should theI
be plowed and thoroughly pulverizet
3 by narrowing to a depth of about
inches after which it is given ;
\ crown or slope of about one-half incl
to the foot from the center of tn,
sides. 1t is then covered with to
> inches OF clean, sharp sand, which i
spread thicker in the center than a
< the sides. The materials shoul,
} then be mixed with plows and har
= rows while they are comparativel.
= dry, after which they are finally pud
0 died with harrow during wet wealth
\ er., If clay works to the surface an,
= the road becomes sticky, more san,
! should be added.
\ The road is then shaped, crowne,
= and dltched in the usual manner wit
Q a road machine. This should b
done when the surface is soft, We
= stiff enough to pack we'll under tn
\ roller or traffic. Wide but shallow
bitches should be provided on bot
= sides of the road, and culverts o
u crossdrains should be placed whel
p ever water flows across the road, 70
= it is exceedingly importan: that tn
Il sand On clay" roads be we'll drained
= After the clay on sand, or the san
= on clay, road is completed, it shoul
be carefully maintained until the SUI
= face becomes firm and smooth. Tn
i construction of this type of road
= by no mcnas a quick operation.
. soft, sticky places appear, more san
/. should be added, and if loose, sand
places are found, more clay should b
o added 1t is just as important to a
i tend to these small details as to an
= other part of the work, for, if the
. are neglected, the road is liable
II fail.
= 1t requires approximately l cub
q yard of clay to surface ~ runnin
q yards of road II feet in width, {
= about 1,175 cubic yards to the mil
q From q to l cubic yard will make
y load for two horses on a dry ella
. road. The cost OF the road Wi
z therefore depend largely upon the di
4 lance the material is hauled, the ave
. age being from $500 to $1,000 pr
9 mile. A road built under the dire
y ton of the Office OF Public Roads :
9 Gainesville, Florida, one mile long,
< feet wide, and having 9 inches
q sand-clay surface, cost 1881 per mil
z or ten cents per square yard. Anoth'
= sand-clay road built by the office