Evening star., 1921-02-27
SNOW-BOUND ROADS COST u. S.
BUSINESS $500 100000 IN 1920
Many States Have Made Separate Bureau
In Hig ghways Department for Cleaning
Arteries of Icy Distractions.

are open to vehicular traffic through
out the year. Farm products. in
Of Milwaukee over it's highways
throughout the winter That 1t is i'm
portant that the highways should be
open to this trahic during the winter
is seen in the fact that IS per cent
OF the milk and dairy products con-
ter the city by means OF motor
trucks. The County Loop. the coun-
tvs pleasure thoroughfare. is also
kept open.
Iowa's Failure Costly.
Last year in many parts of Iowa.
even the main highways were not
cleared of the heavy SHOWS. AS
result farmers had to feed high
were ready for market. They were
compelled to hold corn, oats and
wheat until the price declined from
IL to 80 cents a bushel. In other
cases, the farmers attempted to break
a way through for sled road. They
tore down fences in the attempt, but
even then only a small load could be
carried because of the bitches. In
the meantime the cities were paying
exorbitant prices for foodstuffs.
Many states are now considering
as a part Of highway maintenance:
The state highway departments of
pennsylvania and Connecticut have
been active for the past few years
in maintaining the highways in their
respective states during the winter
months. and many other state high
way departments are seeking legis-
lation to empower them to carry on
the work Of snow removal. In 1918
Connecticut spent 100000 for snow
highways. or about s45 per mile.
During the same year the state Of
Pennsylvania spent from $50 to 5000
per mile on certain highways. de-
pending upon the location and other
conditions
snow-removal work consists pri-
marily of snowplows. either of the
blade, grader or V type. often sup
plemented by other forms Of equip
ment. Shows. up to twelve inches
in depth can often be handled with
truck plow attachments are used to
advantage on snow up to three feet
in depth. In using the truck with
the plow attachment, a trip is usual
ly made down on one side of the
road and back on the other. thus
road grader or other equipment to
clear Off the shoulders. In Pennsyl-
vania, heavy SHOWS are combated
with a large V-shaped plow, thirty
inches high at the apex. six feet high
at the back, with twentyfoot legs
and sixteen feet wide at the back.
This plow is constructed with nova
Bile braces and is drawn by a heavy
tractor and has proven a very eco
nomical and effective device in work.
ing on heavy and deep snow. The
braces are provided so as to
permit vehicles to DaSS
The use Of a power-driven rotary
sweeper similar to that used by cleo
trio railways to clean their tracks,
or the use of a side elevator machine
seem to be possibility. There is
every reason to believe this the most
method where the snow
is exceptionally deep or on heavily
driftsA roads.
Causes of Snow Drifts.
There are three causes for snow
drifts. These are. first, the confg-
uration Of the land to windward Of
the road; second. natural, obstruc-
tions to windward of the road, and
third. snow cleared from the road
previously and piled to windward.
The first Of these cannot always be
prevented. but the other two can
and should be prevented. In the first
from beside the road. and fences
close to the road should be Of the
wire type, SO as to present little OBJ
structioh to the wind. Snow should
never be piled to windward, as it
will cause a drift in the next storm.
Lastly. drifts may be prevented by
the construction of either fixed or
portable snow fences. These fences
should be placed some distance from
the road and in places where houses
or the conhguration of the land
causes drifts to form, as the fence
causes the drift to form sooner and
away from the road. A snowbound
road is as undesirable as mud road,
or as no road at all.