The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1915-11-18
BAD SPOTS IN ROADS
Temporary Expedients for Making
Them Passable. Should be Used
Only in Emergencies.

Them Passable. Should be Used
Only in Emergencies.
Temporary repairs TO roads are, or
at least should be, confined to emer-
gency measures. In proportion to the
results obtained, temporary work is
always expensive and is never justif-
ed by ordinary conditions. Unusual
conditions, however often occur TO
plague the road man. For example,
the closing of main highway TO
traffic because of construction, repair,
or washouts may suddenly throw a
heavy traffic for a short time on a
little used and probably unimproved
byway. Clearly, in such case tenn
porary expedients are legitimate.
The most common troubles met with
in case of this kind are mudhoes
and ruts if the soil is heavy, and dust
and loose sand if the soil is light or
sandy.
Mudholes the Chief Source of Trouble
On clay or gumbo road mudholcs
usually cause the most trouble. As
water is absolutely necessary for the
existence of mudhole, any treat
ment, whether temporary or perman-
ent in character, must provide for
getting rid Of the water. The first
step is, therefore, to dig a trench to
the side and allow the water and mud
to drain. If necessary, open up also
the side bitches. Furthermore, re-
move all of the soft mud left in the
mudhole. The bottom of the trench
should be filled with broken stone or
coarse gravel so as to provide drain
to prevent any further accumulation
of water. Gravel is the best material
for filling the old mudhole. If gravel
is not available, use the best earth at
hand, tamping it down in three or
four-inch layers. If possible, spread
a little gravel or sand over the new
fill, which should b made slightly
higher than the adjoining road sur
face. The best treatment of all, how
ever is to keep the drainage in good
Serious mudholes will then
rarely develop.
Don't try to fill mudhole without
first draining out the water and re-
moving the soft mud. Don't try to fill
it with large stones, because if this
is done there will soon be two mud
holes instead of one. Don't try to fill
a mudhole with sods or similar ma
terial which absorb water readily.
On an earth or gravel road ruts are
best treated with the drag. Don't be
afraid of dragging too often during
rainy SPELL If a thin coat of sand or
gravel be spread over the road sur
face when it has ben softened by rain
and then worked in by traffic and
LIBERAL use of the drag, poor earth
'oad can be much improved and made
o carry surprisingly heavy traffic
VI lof bHOfL tli1is
In contrast TO the clay or gumbo
Dad, the sand road gives least trouble
Turing wet weather. On sandy roads
!nything that will prevent the free
movement Of the sand particles will be
# value. AS long as the road is
amp, the surface tension of the capil-
airy water acts as a binder and holds
he separate grains Of sand in place.
III efforts should, therefore, be direct
d toward preventing the sand places
rom drying out, or 10 adding some
inder. The addition Of clay furnishes
positive binder and is really the best
nd most permanent treatment The
ddition Of any fiberous material such
s straw, spent tan bark, sage brush,
r pine needles is Of value and, when
pread on the road and covered with
hin coat Of sand or allowed TO work
ITO the surface, will make an almost
npassable sand road fairly good for
time. But the best way TO treat
ad place, whether on a clay or sand
pad, is to treat IL before il gets bad.
attention to small injuries
i'll present later prolonged attention
nd extensive repairs 10 serious dam
ges.-Weekly News Letter.