The silver state. [volume] (Winnemucca, Nev.) 1909-1925, 1914-01-24
CLAY FOR
BUILDING ROADS

WASHlNGTON, Jan. 2l-There is
at present about $4,000 miles of sand
clay roads in the United States, main
ly in the southern states, according to
the Office of public roads, U. s. de
partment 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
summer when they are dry, they are
not only more difficult to put IN
proper shape but the cost of repair is
greater thar if they were worked
early in the spring.
Previous to 1894 comparatively lit
tie, 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 it is built are
plentiful in many sections of the
country.
The sand clav road is made by mix
ing the sand and clay in such a way
that the grains of SAND touch each
other, the spaces between the grains
being filed with clay which acts as a
binder.
The approximate mixture of sand
and clay may be determined by fill
ing a vessel with a sample of the sand
to be used, and another vessel of the
same size with water. The water is
poured carefully into the sand until
it reaches the point of overlooking.
The volume of water removed from
the second vessel represents approx
mately 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
others. In fact, clays are very fire.
quently 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 a 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, and gradu-
ally decreasing in depth towards the
sides. A LAYER of clean sand is then
uSlidliN dUtltus which IL IHDTbiiRflN
mixed with the clay. either by traffic
of by means of plows and disk or
tooth harrows.
The best results have beer obtained
by thoroughly mixing or pudding the
materials when wet. For this reason,
it is desirable that the mixing be done
in wet weather. The mixing can he
left to the traffic after the materials
have been properly placed. but this
involves a 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 it a crown of not
more than one inch or less than three
fourths inch to the foot from the cen
ter to the sides. A light coating of
sand may then be added. The use of
the road machine or drag should be
continued at frequent intervals until
the surface is smooth and firm.
IF the road to be treated is compos-
ed of clay, it should first be brought
to a rough grade with a road machine.
The surface should then be plowed
and thoroughly pulverized by har-
rowing to a depth of about four inches
after which it is given a crown or
slope of about one-half inch to the
foot from the center to the sides. 1t
is then covered with six to eight
inches of clean, sharp sand, which is
spread thicker in the center than at
the sides. The materials should then
be mixed with plows and harrows
while they are comparatively dry, af-
ter which they are finally puddled
with a harrow during wet weather. If
clay works to the surface and the
road becomes sticky, more sand should
be added.
The road is then shaped, crowned
and ditched in the usual manner with
a road machine. This should be done
when the surface is soft, vet stiff
to pack well under the roller
or the traffic. Wide but shallow
should be provided on both
of the road, and culverts or
cross-drains should be placed wher-
ever water flows across the road, for
il is exceedingly important that the
"sand on clay' roads be well
drained.
After the clay on sand, or the sand
on clay, road is completed, it should
be carefully maintained until the sur
face becomes firm and smooth. The
construction of this type of road is
by no means a quick operation. If
should be added, and if loose, sandy