The Mena weekly star., 1921-04-21
A FEW THINGS ON
 HIGHWAY BUILDING
Only Wise Man Can Build Coed Road" and Yet Just Anybody Can Talk About It-That
 Muddy Street.

Building of the Jefferson highway in Polk county has doubtless caused more talk than any other one of the present day subjects. Since the spreading of gravel started in Mena this work has helped increase the ratio of conversa- tion and the effect of recent rains up- on this class of surfacing has. in Mena at least, caused the talkfest to break over the banks.
 For the benefit of those who want to see good highway built and also for the enlightenment of those who don't know blame thing about high way building, the opinions of high authority on road building have been sought
 Here's what Is to be found in Herg- CT & Bonney's Handbook for High way Engineers" on the subject On gravel roads. On page 137 and d36 is to be found the following:
 "A coarse we'll graded gravel is the most satisfactory material for cheap road. It gives body to the travelled track, binds well, rides easily and with consolidated depth of to % inches holds all ordinary loads after it is we'll consolidated.
 "At the present time 50 per cent of the mileage of surfaced roads in the United States are graveled roads.
 They are however HARD TO CONSOLIDATE QUICKLY AND NEED CAREFUL CONTINUOUS ATTENTION to prevent the for1na- tion of ruts, holes or humps. GRAVEL. ROADS CANNOT BE BUILT BY MERELY DUMPING LOOSE GRAV- FL IN THE ROAD AND THEN HOPING THAT TRAFFIC WILL. PUT IT IN SHAPE. A large mile age has been built on this principle and the results are shameful. A suc- cessful gravel road REQUIRES CAREFUL SELECTION OF THE GRAVEL, CAREFUL SPREADING. CAREFUL CONSOLIDATION ANB CONSTANT MAINTENANCE.
 On page 156 on the subject of "sub- base bottom course," Harger & Bon- ney say: "A stony gravel containing not over IS per cent of loam makes a satisfactory course; the depths vary from 40 to 50 per cent of fine ma- terial, suitable gravel for pitrun bot tom should not contain more fine ma terial passing a one-fourth inch screen then coarse material retained on one-fourth inche screen. If there IS large excess of the fine the gravel should be screened and remixex at the bin in proper proportion.
 "The great difficulty in this con struction is TO GET PROPER CON- SOLIDATION WITHOUT TOO MUCH DELAY. It is advisable to lay course of this kind at least tive weeks ahead of the top stone in order to give traffic and rains a chance to help consolidate the course. The ad- dition of 10 per cent loam to clean gravel will quicken the consolidation. This can be done either at the pit by leaving a thin layer of loam when stripping or by placing from one-haH to one inch of loam on top of the gravel as spread on the road. *s* A gravel bottom consolidates unevenly and it is always necessary to reshape it somewhat after consolidation.
 There is saying among civil en- gniecrs and construction men that Only wise man can build GOOD gravel road" The commissioners of the Jefferson Highway believe they have that type of man in their en- gineer, J. F. Haley, and in their chief roadbuilder, L. H. Lybrand. All the good roads boosters in Mena and vic- inity are hoping that the commission CTS have made no mistake in this re- spect.
 Yet some Mena citizens, taxpayers. too, watching the progress of the highway building, have been free ts express their doubts as to the correct ness of construction on Jansen ave nue. The comments have become more acid since the rains came and muddied the crossings.
 Engineer Haley isn't at all worried by these comments. He says folks must expect some discomforts during this class of construction work. He asks the people to be patient and re- serve judgment until the work is com pleted
 For be it known, that portion of the Jefferson Highway lying on Janssen avenue isn't finished yet, and will not be classed as completed job for some time to come