Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1915-08-24
IOWA GEOLOGICAL SURVEY RE.
PORTS ON REQUIREMENTS OF
STATE HIGHWAYS.
AND BRICK
AVAILABLE MATERIALS
Survey Finds That Every County Has
Material at Hand For Temporary
mprovements-Estim Made on
Cost Of Building Gravel, Sand and
Macadam Roads.
special TO Times Republican.

Des Moines, Aug. 24.-Only two
types of permanent roads are believed
to be practicable under Iowa condi-
tons in the judgn eat of the Iowa
geological survey, which has made
an extensive study OF road materials
available in Iowa. These are brick and
concrete. Clays suitable for the man.
atacture Of paving brick are not wide
" distributed in Iowa, say the geolo-
s-sts. There is, however, wide dis
tr.Dution OF clay suitable for the man
utacIure OF BRICK sufficiently resistant
TO do good service on the country road.
Paving brick can be produced at a cost
Vi from SO TO sl2 per thousand at the
point OF production. Hard burned
brick manufactured from the surface
c.ays suitable for county road work
can be produced at cost of from SIS
TO SO per thousand at the point of
production.
The state geological survey has
published a special report on the road
materials of Iowa The Investigations
were made by 5. w. Boyer, George f.
Kay, and James II. Lees. Professor
Kay IS state geologist. and Professor
Lees IS assistant state geologist. This
investigation was an exhaustive one
and IS considered especially valuable
now that hard surfaced roads are be-
Ing given SC much study.
Cost Estimates.
The survey made the following es-
innate of the cost OF road improve
ment and road building for Iowa roads
ny 81, \
ver1s. They are classified as tempo
rary Improvements and permanent i'm
provements. They follow:
Temporary improvements = Gravel
roads, nine to twelve feet wide and
per mile. Sand roads treated with clay
nine TO twelve feet wide $500 to $4,000
per mile. Macadam roads, nine to
mile. Permanent improvements-Con
IS, 600 70 $4,000 per mile. Brick roads,
nine to twelve feet wide, $1,000 to s12,-
900 per mile.
Road improvement and road build
! ing in Iowa will depend largely upon
/ the availability Of the following mate
rails" says the report. Sand and
gravel; clay, mostly loess; limestone,
sandstone, glacial boulders, and the
manufactured products of clay and
limestone.
Material Close at Hand.
Nearly three-fourths of the coun-
ties of the state are supplied with
sand and gravel suitable for some form
OF road work. Not all of these coun-
ties have sufficient quantity within
; their borders to improve ali OF the
roads, but enough for use on the main
roads. The principal supply must be
obtained from the larger streams, or
from their immediate vicinity. Such
sands and gravels occur as terraces
or so-called second bottom deposits,
and in the present channels Of the
streams. Well known pits in which
these ter ace gravels are being devel-
oped are located at Mason City. Iowa
Falls, Clifford, Belmond. Clemens
Cherokee LeMars, Emmetsburg, Esth-
erville, in and around Des Moines, near
Grand Junction, Lake View, and Spen-
GER In addition gravel knobs are con-
spicuous in the north central portion
Of the state. The best known. ex-
amples are Ocheydan Mound in Os-
ceola county and Pilot Mound in Boone
county
The report says sandy roads may
be greatly improved by the addition
Of clay, that is those sandy stretches
which become almost impossible dur
ing certain times Of the year. Espe-
cially the loess clays are good, such
as form a surface veneer over the up
land portion of the southern half Of the
state and areas in the eastern and
western quarters of the north half.
, Limestone is available in quantity
sufficient for road purposes in rather
more than two-ffths Of the counties Of
the state" says this report. "The
stone varies greatly in composition
and physical properties and therefore
| in it's suitability for road work. The
! leading quarries and outcrops Of lime
stone are to be found in the eastern
half of the state. especially in those
counties Immediately bordering the
Mississippi river and its larger tribu-
taries. few Of the inland counties
are we'll supplied with good grade
of limestone, notably Humboldt. Har-
din, Marshall and Wapello counties.
Crushed limestone can be produced
for from rs cents to 81 per cubic
yard.
Sandstone is not as widely distrib-
uted in Iowa as limestone and, as a
rule. is not sufficiently indurated for
road work and deserves no farther
mention"
Glacial boulders are found in great
numbers and often Of large size in the
north central portion Of the state.
They form material much more resis-
! tant to wear than limestone and gravel
and when crushed and properly sized,
could be use1 as wearing surface on
| macadam ard concrete roads. The
cost per cubic yard would consider
ably exceed the cost OF gravel and
crushed limestone.
There are three Portland cement
plants in Iowa. This material is one
Of the most expensive and important
materials used in making permanent
roads. says the report
Burnt clay produces such as burnt
clay ballast and brick. are suitable fol
road ork and are widely distributed
over the state. Burnt clay ballast
! such as is used by railroads. can b<
produced for from so cents to 81 pc,
cubic yard.
Iowa at Washington.
Washington, Aug. 24.-1owa pen.