Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1916-04-05

That full value may be received
for the money appropriated for road
purposes and that the best results
obtainable may be secured it is es-
sentialNthat the right man shall be
placed in charge of road work. He
should be selected not only because
he actually knows more about good
roads than any other person in the
community, but also because he can
get the best results from the money
furnished. 1t is not sufficient, how
ever, to let the matter rest with the
appointment of a road overseer. He
should receive the whole-hearted sup
port of the community. in the work.
1t should be seen to that under the
conditions and with the money fur
nished the community is getting
what it has right to expect in the
way of road Improvement. 1t is well
to remember that if for any reason
an incompetent man is placed in
charge of the work the responsibility
for failure rests upon the community
There should be no other considera-
ton therefore in selecting road
overseer than that of securing a man
with the ability to perform the duties
required. 1t should be realized that
good roads have much to do with the
prosperity of community and that
united action in the right direction
is the surest and quickest way to
secure them.
Where the road overseer has had
but little experience in road work or
where some new and difficult prob
lem is presented to the experienced
man the Office of public roads and
rural engineering of the department
of agriculture when requested will
offer advice and suggestions for car
rying on the work and how best to
overcome the difficulties.
To secure a satisfactory road of
any type it is absolutely necessary
to remember: First, drainage; sec
ond, drainage; third, drainage. The
earth road, properly cared for, will
answer satisfactorily for the traffic
of many rural sections that cannot
afford the better types of roads, but
the earth road must be well-drained.
After this fact is we'll understood
two other requirements may be taken
up--the location of the road and the
average of 5 per cent.
reduction of grades to a general
With the exception of sandy roads,
which are easiest for travelling when
damp, all roads must have proper
side bitches to carry away the surface
water. In order to lead this surface
water to the ditch the road suface'
must have a crown, or rounded roof,
highest in the center and sloping to-
ward the side bitches. A very easy
and satisfactory way to keep earth
clay and gravel roads crowned by the
use Of the split log drag is explained
in Farmers Bulletin SGT, copies of
which may be obtained upon applica-
tion to the department.
After the road has been crowned
and the crown is kept in condition by
the wise use of the road drag it
should be seen to that bitches are
kept free from weeds, ETC., and that
they are deep enough to carry off the
water which runs into them. In most
cases a wide shallow ditch is best.
Deep bitches are dangerous to traffic.
At spaces of every few hundred feet
along the roadway a culvert of some
kind should be placed to carry away
the water which has gathered in the
bitches.
A road properly built generally will
not have an average grade of more
tnan per cent. by per cent OF
grade" is meant the number of feet
the road rises or climbs" for every
100 feet of its length. On road Of
l per cent grade the horses need pull
the load up rise of only foot for
every 100 feet they travel. 1t has
been found that where a horse can
pull full load on level ground he is
able to pull only one-half that load on
a 5 per cent grade and only one
fourth that load on a 10 per cent
grade. More trips must be made to
and from market on road with just