The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1914-08-03
IMAINTE'N|ANCEOF
GOOD ROADS IS
ERYINPORTANT
General Impression That Ger.
tainSTypes of Roads Are Per-
manent is Erroneous.


WASHINGTON. d. G. July 20
There Is no phase of the road law
more important than that of main
tenance. The general impression
that there are certain types OF
roads that are permanent is erro-
neous. No permanent road has ever
been constructed or ever will be, ac-
cording to the road specialists OF the
United States Department of Agri-
culture. The only things about. a
road that may be considered perma-
nent are the grading. cufverts and
bridges. Roads constructed by the
most skilfull, highway engineers will
soon be destroyed by the traffic, frost,
rain and wind, unless they are prop
erly maintained. But the life OF
these roads may be prolonged by sys-
tematic maintenance. A poor road
will not only be improved by proper
maintenance but may become better
In time than a. good road without 1t.
Keep Surface Well Drained.
The first and last commandment in
earth road maintenance is to keep
the surface we'll drained. To insure
good drainage the bitches should be
kept open, all distractions removed
and smooth crown maintained.
Except for very stony soil the road
machine or scraper maybe used very
effectively for this work. The ma
chine should be used once OF twice
a year and the work should be done
when the soil is damp so that 1T will
pack and bake into a hard crust.
Wide and shallow side bitches should
be maintained with sufficient fall and
to dispose OF surface water.
These bitches can in most places be
constructed and repaired with road
machine.
: All vegetable matter such as sodsI
and weeds should be kept out Of the
road ais they make spongy surface
which retains moisture. Clods arel
also Objectionable for they soon turn
to dust or mud and for that reason
should never be worked when dry orl
hard. Boulders or loose stone are
equally Objectionable If smooth
surface is to be secured.
A split log drag or. some similar
device is very useful In maintaining |
the surface after suitable bitches and
cross sections have once ben secIred.
This drag can also be used to advant- |
age on a gravel road as well as on an
earth road. The principle involved in
dragging is that clays and mostl
heavy soils will puddle when wet and |
set very hard when dry. The little
that the earth road needs |
must be given promptly and at the
proper time II the best results are to
be obtained. .s.
Light Drag.
In dragging roads only small
of earth is moved. lust
enough to fill the ruts. depressions|
End clods in which to collect runs off
leaving the surface but little affected.
The drag should be light andl
should be drawn over the road. att
an angle of about forty-five degrees.
The driver should ride on the drag
and should not drive faster than al
walk. One round trip. each trip !
a wheel track is
usually sufficient to fill the
ruts and smooth the surface. If nee
essary the road should be dragged af-
ter every bad spell of weather, when
the soil is in proper condition to pud-
die well and still not adhere ITO the
drag. If the road is very bad 1t may
be dragged when very. wet and again !
when it begins to dry out. A few
trips over the road will give the oper-
ator an idea as to the best time to
drag. Drag in all seasons, but do
not drag dry road. 4
The, slope or crown of an earth
rood .chopId ha a hoot ono ;roI, ~. 1ho
foot. II the crown becomes too high
1t may be reduced by dragging toward
the ditch instead ofifrom it, II the
drag cuts too much. shorten the hitch
with strip Of nlaodoawawaououo
and change your. position on the