Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1914-08-06
GOOD HIGHWAYS.
Importance Of Road Maintenance and
Repnir-Permanent Road Impossible.

There Is no phase Of the road problem
more important than that of mainten-
ance. The general impression that there
are certain types of roads that
are permanent Is erroneous. No per
manent road has ever been con-
structed ever will be. accord
ing to the road specialists of the United
States department of agriculture. The
only things about a road that may BE
considered permanent are the gradine
culverts and bridges. Roads constructed
by the most skillful highway engineers
will soon be destroyed by tho traffic.
frost and wind. unless they are properly
maintained. But the life Of these roads
may be prolonged by systematic mainten-
ance. poor road will not only be i'm
proved by proper maintenance but may
become better in time than good road
without 1t.
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
may used very effectively for this work.
The machine should be used once or
twice a year and the work should be done
when the soil Is damp so that 1t will pack
and bake into hard crust. Wide and
shallow side bitches should be maintain
ed with sufficient fall and capacity TO dis
pose of surface water. These bitches can
in most places be constructed and repair
ed with road machine.
All vegetable matter such az sods and
weeds should be kept out OF the road as
they make spongy surface which re-
tains moisture. Clods are also objection
able for they soon turn 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 device
Is very useful in maintaining the surface
after suitable bitches and cross section
have once been secured. This drag can
also be used 10 advantage on a gravel
road as we'll as on earth road. Tho prin-
| ciple involved in dragging Is that clays
| and most heavy soils Will puddle when
wet and set very hard when dry. The lit
tie attention that the earth road needs
must be given promptly and at the proper
time II the best results are to be obtain
| ed
| In dragging roads only a small amount
of earth is moved. just enough to nil
the ruts and depressions with thin lay
err OF plastic clay or earth which packs
very hard so that the next rain instead
| OF finding ruts, depressions ana clods IN
which to collect runs off, leaving the sur
face but little affected.
| The drag should be light and should De
drawn over the road at an angle Oh ABOUT
A. degrees. The driver should ride on the
drag and should not drive faster than
walk. One round trip, each tr1p strao-
ding a wheel track, Is usually suincient
to I'LL the ruts and smooth the surface
If necessary 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 II may be dragged
when very wet and again when II peBihs
to dry out. few trips over the roao
will give the operator an idea as to the
best time to drag Drag at all seasons
but do not drag dry road.
The slope or crown of earth road shouio
be about one inch to the foot IT th'
, crown becomes too high 1t may De re-
duced by dragging toward the dltch III
, stead of from It. II the drag cuts t"'
much, shorten tho hitch and change you
position on the drag. IF 1t Is necessary
to protect the face of the drag with !
strip OF iron, 1t should be placed nus'
r with the edge of the drag ana not pro
jecting A cutting edge should be aVoid
ed as the main object In dragging IL u
smear the damp soil into position
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You'll not secure that better posiuoi
without an effort. The classified adver