The Nezperce herald. (Nezperce, Idaho) 1900-1957, 1915-11-11
Winter Care of Roads
Keep bitches and Drains Open and Use
Road Drag to Prevent INJURY by
Freezing Weather

Freezing Weather
Water, not cold, is the cause c
: the deterioration of roads in-winter
according to the road specialists Q
the department of agriculture. Col
weather does not in itself injure road
no matter whether they are earth
gravel, or macadam. In fact, al
earth road will stand more traf6
when il is solidly frozen than at any
other time. Excess water, however
is always detrimental to highway
When cold weather turns this watsl
into ice, the damage that it does i.
greatly. increased. Ice occupies. con
siderably more space than the water
from which it is formed, and every
person who has livedIin cold eli
mate is familiar with the powerful
bursting effect ofsswater..when leftsto
freeze in a confined ; vessel. The
same. action takes place when wet
road freezesss~~to ANY considerable
depth. Itss..simply bursts, Cor, as..we
generally term it in road pa lance,
the road heaves. Later, when the
frost leaves, the road is disintegrat-
ed and ruts badly. If this process
is repeated number of times during
the winter, gravel or macadam
road may be practically destroyed,
while an earth road may become en-
tirely impossible,
A dry road will not heave. Rock,
gravel, sand and even clay when
perfectly dry contract slightly on
freezing. In order to expand on
these materials must con-
ain or be mixed with water, and the
more water they contain the greater
he expansion which takes place.
But so long as the road remains fro
en- the damage does not become ap-
Hence the frequent and er-
oneous idea that it is the thaw
yhich Injuries the road. The injury
,as done when the water in the road
roze and the particles of road sur
ace-broken stone, sand, or still
ner particles of eartn or clay-were
ushed apart by the expanding pow
r of the freezing water. The thaw {
lerely allows the ice to melt and r
ssume its original volume as water.
The remedy is self-evident. Keep
lie water out of the road. If the S
'ad goes into the winter thoroughly
~, with the surface and drainage I
good condition, the chances are
,tremely favorable that it will come S
1t all right the following spring.
The job before the road man is to S
'ep the hard, dry surface formed
the summer time from becoming C
ftened by the fall and winter rains IL
d SHOWS. When the fall rains be-
the earth or gravel road should E
dragged frequently to prevent the
rmation of ruts and the collection K
water. All raveled places on S,
lcadam surfaces should be care
ly filled in and consolidated. C
During the winter, whenever n,
aw is coming on, the cross drains
d side bitches should be opened up b
far as possible so as to prevent 81
ter collecting along the roadway.
the thaw is so pronounced that the CT
ldway is softened, the drag should Q
USED; sometimes one round trip
the drag, with the hitch reversed, L
l entirely rid the earth of slush pc
! melting snow and leave the road
face practically dry. Don't get CT
idea that the drag is not needed ST
your earth and gravel roads in IT.
winter time. Instead, keep it
ere you can get at it readily, for
he winter is an ordinary one you
need it many times. S. -
ot. Agriculture News Letter. W.
Grangeville Youth to Annapolis.
\ dispatch in the Oregonian from de-