The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1914-01-22

Department Gives Number of
Miles and Says Work Them
in the Spring Time.

There are at present about IS 600 I.
miles OF sand clay roads In the United
States, mainly in the southern states,
according to the office OF Public
Roads, United States 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 ara
not only much more ditticuit TO put
lin proper shape but the cost of re-
pairs is greater than If they were
worked early in the spring.
Previous to 1894 comparatively
THE popularity OF this type of road
| is due to the facts that it is cheap
comparatively firm and duran1e, easy
| to construct and repair, and that the
j materials out of which it Is built are
plentiful in many sections OF the
country
The sand-clay road is made by
mixing the sand and clay IN such
way that the grains of sand toueh
each other, the space between the
grains being filed with clay which
acts as a binder.
The approximate mixture of SAND
and clay may he determined by MI.
ling a vessel with sample OF tine
sand to he used, and another Vessei
1 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 rep
lresents approximately the proportion
of clay needed.
The proper proportion of sand and
\ clay can best he determined, how
ever, as the work progresses, as
some clay will contain more sand
| than others. In fact, clays are very
| frequently found which already con-
tain about the right proportion OF
lsand.
4 If the road to be treated is sandy,
the surface is first leveled OF ana
crowned with a road machine, the
crown being about one-h@lf inch 10
1.-The foot from the center to the sines.
1.-The clay is then dumped on the sur
face and carefully spread, so that ~
depth at the center, and graz aIlg
decreasing in depth towards the
4 side. A layer of clean sand is then
usually added, which is thorougnBi
linked with the clay, either by u sllllc
Tor by means of plows and disk OF.
tooth harrows. 1880
The best results have been obtain
led by thoroughly mixing or pudding
IThe materials when wet For bhls
treason. it is desirable that the mix
| ing be done in wet weather. me
mixing can be left to the traffic al
ter the materials have been properly
placed. hut this involves a whole win
ter and spring of bad roads, and even
then the mixing Is not always sat
isfactory. In all cases 1t Is auVlsaDle
10 dress the road with a road ma
chine or split-log drag after the ms
terials have been thoroughly m1Xeu'
and to give it crown of not more (
than one inch or less than three
fourths inch to the foot from the
center TO the sides A lignt coating
of sand may then be added. The use
of the road machine or drag shouio
he continued at frequent Intervals
until the surface is smooth and Irni'
II the road to be treated IS com
posed OF clay, it should first ne
brought to a rough grade with road
machine The surface should tnen
be plowed and thoroughly pulVer-
ICED by narrowing to depth of about
four inches after which t Is given .
crown or slope of about one-hall
inch to the foot from the center 70
the sides. Ut is then covered with
six or eight inches of clean, sharp
sand. which is spread thicker in the !
center than at the sides. The ma ma.
terials should then be mixed Win
blows and harrowS while they are
Comparatively dry, after: switch they
are finally puddled with a harrow /
during wet weather. If the clay
works to the surface and the ROAD
becomes sticky, more sand should
be added.
Thelroad is then shaped. crowned,
/ and ditched in the usual manner
with A road machine. This shoulu
Ibe done when the surface is SORT,
yet stiff enough to pack well unae[
1.-THE roller or the traffic. Wide put
ishaIlow bitches should be provided
ION both sides of the road, and cul-
tverts or cross drains should ne
iblaced wherever water flows across
1.-The road. for it is exceedingly inn
Inortant that the sand on clay
roads be we'll drained.
After the clay on sand, or tns
sand on clay, road is completed, y
should he carefully maintained unit
the surface becomes firm and smooth:
The construction of this type OF
road is by no means quick opera
| ton. If soft, sticky places appear,
more sand should be added, and y
loose, sandy places are found, more
CLAW is NEEDED 1t is just as import
liant to attend to these SMALL detalls a.
to any other part of the Work, LOT |
If they are neglected, the road is IL
able to fail.
1t requires approximately one GU
hic ward. of clay to surface one ane
one-half running yards of roao
twelve feet in width, or about 1Sl19 |
Ecnso:c yards to the mile. From three
Fonrthss TO one cubic yard Will make /