The Leavenworth echo. [volume] (Leavenworth, Wash.) 1904-current, 1915-10-29
RURAL ROAD WORK
Suggestions to Rural Communities for
the Construction and Main
tenance of Roads

the money appropriated for road pur-
poses and that the best results obtain
able may be secured it is essential that
the right man shall be placed in charge
Of road work. He should be selected
not only because he actually knows
more about good roads than any other
person in the community, but also be-
cause he can get the best results from
the money furnished. 1t is not suffi-
cient, however, to let the matter rest
with the appointment of a road over
seer. He should receive the whole
hearted support OF the community IN
the work 1t should be seen to that
under the conditions and with the
money furnished the community is
getting what it has right to expect
in the way of road improvement. 1t is
we'll to remember that if for any reason
an incompetent man is placed in
charge OF the work the responsibility
for failure rests upon the community.
There should be no other considera-
ton, therefore. in selecting road
overseer than that of securing man
with the ability to perform the duties
required. 1t should be realized that
good roads have much to do with the
prosperity of a community and that
united action in the right direction is
the surest and quickest way TO secure
them.
Where the road overseer has had
but little experience in road work, or
where some new and difficult problem
is presented to the inexperienced man,
the Office of Public Roads and Rural
Engineering of the department, when
requested will offer advice and sugges-
tons for carrying on the work and how
best to overcome the difficulties.
To secure a satisfactory road OF any
type, il is absolutely necessary to re-
member first, drainage; second, drain
age; and third, drainage. The earth
road, properly cared for, will answer
satisfactorily for the traffic of many rural
sections that cannot afford the better
types OF roads. But the earth road
must be we'll drained. After this fact
is we'll understood two other require
ments may be taken up-the location
of the road and the reduction of grades
to a general average of S per cent.
With the exception Of sandy roads,
which are easiest for travelling when
damp, all roads must have proper side
bitches to carry away the surface water.
In order to lead this surface water to
the ditch, the road surface must have
crown, or rounded roof, highest in the
center and sloping toward the side
bitches. A very easy and satisfactory
way to keep earth, clay and gravel
roads crowned, by the use of the split
log drag, is explained in Farmers Bull
letin SGT, copies Of which may be OBJ
tanned upon application to the depart
ment.
After the road has been crowned and
the crown is kept in condition by the
wise use of the road drag it should be
seen to that bitches are kept free from
weeds, etc., and that they are deep
enough to carry off the water that runs
into them. In most cases wide, shall
low ditch is best. Deep bitches are
dangerous TO traffic. At spaces OF ev-
cry few hundred feet along the roadway
a culvert of some kind should be made
to carry away the water which has gath
cred in the bitches.
A road properly built generally will
not have an average grade Of more than
S per cent. By per cent Of grade is
meant the number of feet the road rises
or climbs" for every 100 feet of its
length. On road Of per cent grade
the horses need pull the load up rise
Of only foot for every 100 feet they
travel. 1t has been found that where
horse can pull full load on level sur
face, he is able to pull only one-half
that load on a per cent grade aid
only one-fourth that load on 10 per
cent grade. More trips must be made
to and from market on a road with just
one bad hill in order to haul the same
amount that can be hauled at one trip
on level road.
Bulletin go OF the Department of
Agriculture contains pictures of small