Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1914-11-12
6B[I(
ROADS
IMPORTANCE OF ROAD REPAIR
impression That There Are Certain
Types OF Highways That Are Per
msnent ls Erroneous.

There Is no phase of the road prob
lem more important than that OF main
tenance. The general impression that
there are certain types OF ROADS that
are permanent Is erroneous. NO per-
manent road has ever been CONSTRUCT"
ed or ever will be, according TO the
road specialists of the United States
department of agriculture. The only
things about road that may be con-
sidered permanent are the grading
culyerts and brid yes. Roads construct
ed by the most sllilful highway enSl-
neers will soon be destroyed by the
traffic, frost, rain and wind, unless
they are properly maintained. But the
life OF these roads may be prolonged
BY systematic maintenance. A poor
road will not only be improved py
proper maintenance. but may become
better in time than d good ROAD WIZ
out it.
The first and last commencement IN
earth road maintenance is 10 keep the
surface we'll drained. To insure good
drainage the bitches should be Kept
open, all obs iructioas removed and
smooth crown maintained. Except LOT
very stony soil the road machine or
sclaper may be used very effectively
for this work. The machine should be
USED once or twice year ana the
work should be done when the soil ID
damp SO that It will PACK and bake
into a hard crust. Wide and shallow
side bitches should b. maintained with
sufficient fall and capacity to dispose
of surface water. These bitches can
in most places be constructed and re-
paired with a road machine.
All vegetable matter such as sods
and weeds should be kept out OF the
road as they make sponsy surface
which retains moisture. ClodS are
also objectionI bic ter they soon turr
to dust or mud and for that reason
roads should never be worked when
dry or hard Boulders or loose stones
are equally Objectionable II smooth
surface is to be secured.
A split-log drag or some similar de-
vice is very useful in maintaining the
surface after suitable bitches and
cross sections have once been secured,
This drag can also be used to advan-
tase on gravel road as well as on an
earth road. The principle involved in
dragging is that clays and most heavy
soils will puddle when wet and set
very hard when dry. The little atten-
ton that the earth road needs must be
given promptly and at the proper time
II the best results are to be obtained.
In dragging roads only a small
amount of earth Is moved, just enough
to fill the ruts and depressions with
thin layer of plastic clay or earth
which packs very hard 80 that the
next rain instead of finding ruts, de-
pressions and clods in which to collect
runs off leaving the surface but little
affected
The drag should be light and should
be drawn over the road at an angle OF
about forty-five degrees. The driver
should ride on the drag and should not
drive faster than walk. One round
trip, each trip straddling wheel
track, Is usually sufficient to fill the
ruts and smooth the surface. If neces-
sary the road should be dragged after
every bad spell of weather. when the
soil is in proper condition to puddle
we'll and still not adhere to the drag.
II the road Is very bad 1t may be
dragged Wien very wet and again
when 1t begins to dry out. A few trips
over the road will give the operator
an idea as to the best time to drag.
Drag at all seasons, but do not drag
a dry road.
The slope or crown OF an earth road
should be about one inch to the foot
II the crown becomes too high 1t may
be reduced by dragging toward the
ditch instead of from It, II the drag
cuts too much, shorten the hitch and
change your position on the drag. II
II Is necessary to protect the face OF
the drag with a strip Of iron, II should
be placed flush with the edge OF the
drag and not projecting. A cutting
edge should be avoided. as the main
object in dragging Is to smear the
Al N, aoii into posifion