Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1916-06-22
DIRECTIONS for
TILE DRAINING
ROADS

Most of the springy places or sink
holes in roads are due to two causes
Lack of drainage in the side bitches,
and second, and probably the greater
cause, lack of drainage beneath the
surface. In other words, the under
ground water flows SO close to the
surface of the road that there is not
travel, and the whole road surface
cuts through and becomes bOttOmless.
Deepening the bitches will help, in
asmucn as they will help get the sur
face water off the road into the ditch
es, and will carry it away, if the ditch
es are properly dug. But no matter
how deep the side bitches are made
(within limits of safety to traveD
they will not catch any great part Of
the underground water, as it follows
just so far below the surface wherever
the surface is.
In the case of springy places on
flats or near marshes, the road should
be raised as much as money permits,
the side bitches deepened and made
with an even grade so that they dis
charge to some outlet. Down the cen
ter of the road, as deep as you can get
it and still get an outlet, should be
laid line of 4or inch land tile In
verified sod or burlap should be placed
over the tile joints. The trench for
this should be dug with ordinary til
ing tools to an even grade. 1t is
much better if the trench is back-filled
with clean crushed stone or clean stOn-
sy gravel. These things being done,
you will be ast0unded at the improve
ment in conditions next spring and il
all wet times. The tile should be given
a fall of about inches in 100 feet, if
it is possible to get it, the more the
better, though it will flow with a fall
of as little as l inch in 100 feet, if
we'll laid If the trench described
above is filled with rock or coarse
gravel, results are secured, but tile is
much better.
The short spring holes, on hills u
sually, should be treated by opening
good bitches at each side so the sur
face water bows off readily, and then
in the shoulder about 10 feet from
the center of the road should be laid a
4 or inch tile at a depth of at least
3 feet below the center Of the road.
This tile should be placed on the edge
of the road the side from VIII I'll the
underground water comes (the side
of the road on which the land is high
est. The trench should be bach-till-
ed with stone or gravel, and if this
work is we'll done so the tile runs
freely, you will be surprised tc see the
amount of water it will discharge, and
the improvement in the r)ad during
all wet seasons. In exceptional cases
thetile should be placed on both sides
of the road, but usually line of lie
on the high side will intercept the I'M
foreground flow and lower the water
level enough to save the road. Pilin%
stone in sink holes until the bottom is
reached will usually improve condi-
tions, but the expense ofthis method
of fixing a sink hole is usually very
much greater than thing it, and the
results are not as good, because it
does not remove the cause which pro-
duces the bad spot, while tile does.
Four inch unglazed field tile i
worth from 8 to 5 cents per foot;
six inch from A u to 7 cents per foot;
four inch glazed sewer pipe with bell
is worth from to 10 cents per foot;
six inch from 10 to II cents per foot
Prices vary with quality, desired,
kind of delivery and local profit. Your
local dealer can give you prices.
As for surface drainage, the only
safe rule is to grade the road so the
water will run promptly from the
surface of the road into the bitches,
and to SO grade the bitches that wa
ter will not stand at any point but
flow rapidly along the bitches and a.
way to some natural outlet. Standing
water Except in some cases on marsh
esq is evidence of lack of care in max
ing and maintaining the bitches, and
a sink hole or springy place is an alb
solute indication that both side ditch
es and tile underdrain are very badly
needed.
Wisconsin Highway Commission.
IUETDD OTUCIOT