Western Carolina Democrat and French Broad hustler. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1913-1915, 1915-01-28
ROAD SUPERVISOR PATTON
TALKS ABOUT THE ROADS
Denies Charges That Sand has Wash.
ed Back Into Creek; Explains
Cause of Muddy Roads,

road bond issues, the present condi-
ton of the new roads and the agita-
tlon for more road building in Hender-
son county has resulted in an endless
chain Of talk. There are all kinds Of
views as to the effectiveness of the
work that has been done, and the work
that should be done, hence there are
few conclusions of one accord.
There are those who are opposed to
sand-elay roads Just because the new
roads are in muddy condition while
the advocates of the present system
OF road building are loud in their ap-
proVal Of prevailing conditions.
Some road enthusiasts declare that
the work has been of little ave-. averr-
ing that the sand has washed back
into the creek, that it was dumped on
a hard road bed last summer and did
not get mixed in the least, and that
therefore no good was done whatever.
The next enthusiast says that condi-
uons are as good as could be expected.
Some Of the road takers contend that
the road builders should have gone to
the expense of mixing the sand aud
clay and then packed 1t by machinery.
Others say that this would have been
too expensive and that nature and
traffic should have been allowed to do
the mixing and packing, as is being
done.
Road Supervisor Patton Talks.
Probably the views of Road Super
visor P. r. Patton on the subject OF
road building would be of more inter-
est than those of any other one man
in the county by reason OF his experi
enee and observations.
Mr.. Patton, when seen by repre-
sentative of the Democrat, declared
that it was folly to argue that the sand
had been washed back into the creek
He said that sand is not washable UNI
der ordinary conditions and that for.
this reason SO per cent OF it remains
ON the roads despite the claims OF
Others that about All the sand wash
lis not material thai @s hes away
eseept uadep a somes hat flushing
process aad that mere have beenzno:
floods to flush the sand into thu
bitches, although a little has natural
Iy been pushed out of the center of the
road by traffic Defending the muddy,
newly graded and sand-clay roads, Mr..
Patton says they are just as good as
could be expected. The sand was
poured down in most instances on Q
hard road bed during the summer fol
the reason that it was considerably
less expensive to let it mix naturally
by rain and traffic than purchase mix
ing machinery. Mr.. Patton declares
that this is the best of mixing weather
and that where sufficient sand has
been placed, different kinds of clay
requiring different amounts of sand
to make the roads about equal, the
roads after once drying out will hard
en- firmly and remain so during com
ing winters until by long usage they
need further attention.
Mr., Patton says that there are only
a few good pieces of road for the req
son that only a small portion of the
work done during the past summer
was thoroughly mixed and packed be-
fore winter weather. Some of the roads.
he says, will need more sand, for il
would have made traffic almost impos,
sible had a sufficient quantity of sand
been poured down at one time.
Mr. Patton says that some people
contend that the sand has washed
away Just because the roads are moi
white like sand beds. The sand, he
says, has been colored by the water,
soaked clay Despite the critics Mr.
Patton shows no signs of depression,
traffic is doing just what had to be
done in that way or by machinery
working processes at a great expense
to the county. He says that when the
weather clears In spring and the roads
begin to harden and are snOothed by
systematic dragging, the crown Of |
the road will form, the mixture OF
sand and clay will harden and then
the people will be taught what it takes |
to make the best sand-clay roads,
Work Is q Little Slow Now.
Mr.. Patton said that road work was
suspended during the bad
only little sand-hauling be-
ing done He realizes that this is the |
best time In all the year to haul and
have the sand mixed, but it is ezpen'
sive and difficult to get sand-hauiers
at the regular price for the reason
that the roads needing the sand are IN |
a. very bad condition because OF the
grading recently done.
In order to get sand out on the |
Shaws creek road arrangements have
been to load it on cars at the freight
depot of the Southern railway and
ship to a siding few miles from town
TO q point only a short distance from |
where the sand is to be applied to the |
roads.
Mr. Patton is not i nthe least dis |
couraged over the roads. He regrets
his inability to have more sand hauled |