Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1915-07-02
How to Make and
Keep the Road Dry

w dtei, piuo WY "
earth, when mixed, invariably
orms mud. On ordinary earth
roads the rains and melting snow
urnish the water and the pasSlng
traffic the mixing, aud the result
is muddy roads. Take away the
water or prevent it from mixing
With the clay or earth on the road
surface ard little or no mud will
result. In other words, keep your
roau dry If YOU wish it to remaln
hard, smooth and free from mud.
Except in very sandy or ara
egions, good drainage is the card
nal principle i'll the maintenance
# earth and gravel roads Get the
water away from the road as quick
and completely as possible. Wat
NATURALLY. seeks the lowest level.
You can not keep the water from
ling on the road, but you can
,ssist its natural inclination to get
way to a lower level. Keep the
uts filled and the road crowned
+. it'll slope towards the side
Iitches of from ii rec fourths to
ne inch to the foot, and the wal
er will not collect. on the road to
rak in and he mixed to mud by
,assing traffic. Keep the side
litehes.- clacn and With frequent
,utl>ts to get the water away from
e@road entirely. Do not let thr
:ulverts clog up or mate ial accum
tie III The bitches and hold baci
nnls Of water to soak into ~ anr
soften the founda' o. of your road
Water is an enemy that will ru
away if you will give it a chance
IN MOI "eclorr: to give it ever.
chance 1t wi llpay and pay wei
Like most other enemies, waite
: not very destructive or danger
$ until it collects in force. There
ore, get the water away from you
ad a every available opportunlt,
d before it has m to collect IL
sufficient volume to be dangerou
The road, and do not invite eel
IN disaster by m, king your cu'
,r,s to small to care for the larges
,sSibIe storm. Furthermore
| oui the Ell verts so that the wa;e:
viii, Of II cessi;v, flow through
rem and not flow aronnd q
,eneath them. Properly designe'
SUBSTANTIAL wing and end wall ar
,rtification which protect th'
culvert from attack and destruc
| Ion during severe storms. Do no
| ,uild dry wea her culverts; bull.
Them with view of caring for an'
protecting the road during tn
orst possible storms
Make your road dry, build il
lard and compact with a crow
,rfiripnt to shed water rapidly t.
side ditch IS. and with ample cuI
verts and drains. To keep YOU
,ad dry maintain the drainage II
,ood condition. Drag your roads
,fter each rain; dragging fills in th'
$, snooths the surface, ant
naintains The crown On aroat
which a; been properly dragged
ne rain finds no where to collect anc
,ak into and soften the surface
Unless the rain is Of long duration
| the surface is softened but very
little. As soon as the rain ha
ceased and the road surface dried
! 20 tlat the clay is not sticky, bu'
while it is still Plastic, drag The
road again. Any depression OF
ITS which have been formed dur
ng and after the rain are thus fill
ed an the surface smooted up anc
las cred over with a thin plaster
If clay or earth which packs anc
becomes very hard under passing
ralfi:. Therefore, in order to make
.ad eep your road dry. first pro
vide for good drainage and then
maintain the good drainage by
systematic dragging after each rain
)ilignnt attention to these points
will in general, insure an earth road
airly paSsable at all times anr
cry good most of the time.