The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1915-11-18
BAD SPOTS IN ROADS
Temporary Expedients For Taking
Them PasSable.

Them PaSSable.
Temporary repairs to roads are, or at
least should be, confined to emergency
measures. In proportion to the results
obtained, temporary work is always ex-
pensive and is never justified by ordi-
nary conditions. Unusual conditions,
however, often occur to plague the
road man. For example, the closing of
main highway to traffic because of
construction, repair or washouts may
suddenly throw a heavy traffic for a
short time OH a little used and probably
unimproved byway. Clearly, in such a
case temporary expedients are legiti-
mate.
The most common troubles met with
in a case of this kind are mud holes and
ruts if soil is heavy, and dust and loose
sand if the soil is light or sandy.
On clay of gumbo mudholes usually
cause the most trouble. AS water is
absolutely necessary for the existence
of a mudhole, any treatment, whether
temporary or permanent in character,
must provide for getting rid of the
water. The first step is, therefore, to
dig a trench by the side and allow the
water and mud to drain. If necessary,
open up also the side bitches. Further
in the mudhole The bottom of the
trench should be filled with broken stone
or coarse gravel so as to provide drain
to prevent any further accumulation of
water. Gravel Is the best material for
filling the old mudhole. Ifgravel is not
available, use the best earth at hand,
tramping it down in three or four inch
layers. If possible. spread a little
gravel or sand over the new fill, which
should be made slightly higher than the
adjoining road surface. The best treat
ment of all, however, is to keep the
drainage in good condition. Serious
mudholes will then rarely develop.
Don't try to fill a mudhole without
first draining out the water and re-
moving the soft mud. Don't try to fill
it with large stones, because if this is
done there will soon be two mudholes
instead of one. Don't try to fill mud
hole with sods or similar material which
absorbs water readily.
On an earth or gravel road ruts are
best treated with the drag. Don't be
afraid of dragging too often during a
rainy spell. If thin coat of sand or
gravel be spread over the road surface
when it has been softened by rain and
tehn worked in by traffic and a liberal
use of the drag, poor earth road can
surprisingly heavy traffic for a short
time
In contrast to the clay or gumbo road,
the sand road gives least trouble during
wet weather. On sandy roads anything
that will prevent the free movement of
the sand particles will be of value As
long as the road is damp, the surface
tension of the capillary water acts as a
binder and holds the separate grains of
sand in place. All efforts should, there
fore, be directed toward preventing
the sandy places from drying out, or to
adding some binder. The addition of
clay furnishes positive binder and is
really the best and most permanent
treatment. The addition of any fibrous
material such as straw, spent tan bark,
sage brush or pine needles is of value
and, when spread on the road and cover
ed with thin coat of sand or allowed
to work into the surface, will make an
almost impossible sand road fairly good
for time But the best way to treat
a bad place, whether on clay or a sand
road, is to treat it before it gets bad.
Immediate attention to small injuries
will prevent later prolonged attention
and extensive repairs to settle damages.