The true Democrat. [volume] (Bayou Sara [La.]) 1892-1928, 1917-03-03
Making Dirt Roads


/ is probably better To follow the section
lines hut where heavy grades are eH
eauHteygd of other bad Typographical
conditions exist a location should be-
adopted which will provide the most
economical and satisfactory road iur
all time, without regard o property
lines.
10 have any degree Of success with
an earth road il must be- completely
drained .whjeh means wide. deep
bitches and offtakes, the location aud
grades of which must be- determined
by survey for the eye cannot be trusted
ia laying oul this work 4 common
source ct trouble is found where road
beds are built by taking materials from
the sides with blade graders In such
cases the profile OF the ditch conforms
with that Of the ground and depressians
are left where water collects and satu.
rates the toadbed After few years
| experience la maintaining such roads
an engineer viii always Insist upon
heavy, substantial earth construction.
for the first work laid out has to ha
rebuilt because Il is too light Frequent.
ly suuaciuE has been applied SO the
roadhed and IL lost because of the poor
| foundation WORT uF has Ia be- thrown
away ou account of the necessity Of
| rebuilding the foadbed.
Rolling an earth road has been de-.
monstfatod to be- advantageous. par
! ticularly by the use OF heavy tractors
hauling grading machines la such
eases Il IL rot uncommon to compress
the earth from 80 To 90 per cent on
| light work, which means better bearing
capacity Ia the road aud less damage
by rains An important point is To-
drag the Foadbed constantly during It's
construction. so that Il viii be smooth
at all times In this aay chuck holes
| aud fuis are prevented on new work,
and The road IL turned over in Il finish.
| al condition for the maintenance crew
II wa formerly the 7ule 10 build
| high crown on an earth road Ia order
io shed water, hu, nos that mainte.
nance systems are being established,
we end that light crown on substan
tiai earth construction il best. for this
permits intensive dragging building 40
In puddIed hard crust Ppsfs ant To traffic
aud imporvious 10 water The least
width ri the roadway should be - feet
and on main lines "a feet aide but tor
safety on entertainments II Is we'll To
Increase the width about feet on an
embankmeat four feet high and 6 feet
on an emhankment eight feet high
We have all agreed that dragging Is
the principal feature Of earth ruad
maintenance, II Is the management Of
dragging which makes OF breaks the
effectiveness Of the work. The superin.
tendent must contract with residents
along the road to drag certain definite
sections after each rain aud whenever
ordered by him These sections may
vary from tn miles for team haul
and up 30 10 miles or more With a
tractor 4 price per mile for dragging
and per aonr for extra work like clear
ms bitches is agreed upon II N stipu.
lated that the price of the frat few
dragRings be retained until the end Of
the season, and any neglect TO drag
when necessary shall be- compensated
for by a deductions from this retained
sum Il IL Impossible Go check this
work closely. but by reporting by post
card after each dragging and using
these reports as the basis for monthly
payments, few errors occur tn" supes
lnlendent IL generally given c0nsid
cradle voluntary assistance hy those
astng the roads.
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