The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1915-08-01
VALUABLE HINTS
ON ROAD BUILDING
Use q Road Drag Ju1iciously After
Each Rain. Says American High
way Association.

The trafic on earth and gravel roads
has q constant tendency to develop
ruts, chuck holes and depressions.
The chief aim and purpose Of road
maintenance Is to prevent and remedy
this destructive action. To be enc
cessful and efficient road maintenance
must be systematic and continuous.
Haphazard work Ia expensive and
unsatisfactory.
If the road Is very rough and I'M
even or the crown IL very low the
road machine or grader Is very en-
dcient for placing 1t in shape. One
must guard, however. against the all
too common pratice OF scraping the
sod and other vegetable matter ana
refuse from the sides and bitches on
to the road in general. On the clay
and heavy soil roads all vegetable or
spongy material should be carefully
excluded. Such materials absorb
moisture readily and furnish but Little
resistance against wear. The road
surface should be built with the best
material posible--material which VIII
pack and consolidate under traffic ami
which win be az nearly waterproof
as possible and will wear uniformly.
In general the road machine or
grader should be used in the spring OF
the year while the ground is moist and
in such condition that 1t will work
easily and at the same time pack we'll
under passing traffic. Consider bic
skill and Judgment is required to use
the road grader TO the best advantage.
An unsktlled and careless operator will
sometimes actually leave the road in q
worse condition than when he began
work. Do not scrape sod and re-
fuse into the road. Good earth Is far
better as it will not absorb moisture
so readily. Do not be guilty OF Ihe
too common practice of leaving a
wtndrow of ciods or loose earth along
the middle OF your road TO impede
traffic and absorb water at the first
rain. Leave the roads smooth over
the entire surface and traffic will
spread and be less likely to produce
ruta Always use the grader in such
a way as to make the road better and
not worse for the passing traffic
When the road has been placed an
god condition as TO crown and
tool for maintaining 1t In that con-
dition. Drag the road after each
rain while the surface Ia stili moist
but not sticky. Use q Light drag ana
move only q very little earth---Just
sufffcient to iii the ruts and depres-
sicns ana leave a slight surplus II
the crown In low Ride on the DRAG
and SHIFT your position according to
the amount OF earth necessary to be
moved. II the rain has been OF long
duration IT may be advisable TO drag
the road twice: first. vary soon after
rain. and again when the clay IL dry
ing out or beginning to get.
Do not drag a dry road. Success
ful dragging is dependent on q GER
tain amount OF water or moisture
clay ana most soils II not too sandy.
win puddle IL worked when wet, and
on drying out will set very hard. The
drag In connection with traffic Is es-
sentially a pudding machine which,
when properly used, leaves the road
surface crowned and covered with a
smooth layer OF puddled and densely
packed soil. This layer is as nearly
fmpervfous to water as is possible
TO make t. Following Isasns find little
or no place for Judgment, as the water
quickly runs of to the side bitches.
Unless the rain is long continued.
th@' road surface ~ not sortened 10
any great depth. The prompt use Of
the drag after each rain leaves the
surface smooth and ready to with
stand the next storm.
Therefore. to make your road
smooth, use q road machine or grader
to put IL in proper shape in the spring
OF the year. To keep your road
smooth use the road drag judiciously
after each rain. This will keep an
earth OF gravel road In the best shape
In which IL is possible to maintain it
throughout the year.