The log cabin Democrat., 1921-08-12
PUBLIC CAN HELP
 FINAL SURFACINC
OBSERVE CLOSED ORDERS
Contractors Ready fer Importan Top Surface N Nork-Requires
 Careful Handling.

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 crucial Foiae in construction eee necessity I5r giving the contractors tlil cooperation bE remaining off thc closed sections is more apparent. and the citizenship of the county can be of considerable assistance in hurry ing up the work, as well as securing better roads, by giving the crew the right of way and taking the detours where necessary.
 About 900 yards of the top course has been laid on the Vilonia road, be- ginning at the terminus of the Oak street paving. The contractors, the Hogan Construction Company of Lit tie Rock, intended to lay the first as phalt yesterday, but were delayed by rain and also by leakage in the steam coil of the super-heater. Should the top course of rock be dry this after noon, the asphalt may be laid this as the super-heater had been adjusted to force the asphalt under pressure through the distrib- utor.
 Asphalt can be laid on moist rock, it was said by M. Nicholson, district engineer for the Parkes Engineering Company, who now has headquarters here. It can not be laid on wet rock, however, and the contractors will wait until the 900 yards is thoroughly dry before making start. The top course upon which the asphalt is placed must also be free of dirt and dust, Mir. Nicholson said, and it is for this reason that traffic must re- main away from sections where con- struction is under way. For example, should wagon or automobile driver knock down the barricades at present on Oak street and drive across the top course of stone and screening placed there, the contractors would be forced to take up the entire 900 yards and replace it with materials free of dust and dirt. Asphalt will or dirty and strict care must be ob- served to get conditions right and keep them so until the surfacing is completed.
 The process of completing a high way after the grading has been con- pleted and the base course of stone placed, was described by Mr. Nichol son. The base course is first thor oughly swept to do away with dirt or dust and then the top course, rock of 3-inch size, is placed. This rock is screened and graded. Before the first coat of asphalt is applied, the top course is light rolled" The first coat of asphalt is of IA gallons ap- piled at a temperature of not less than 300 degrees and is distributed under a pressure of from 40 to 60 pounds to the square inch. This is followed by layer of stone chips which barely covers the asphaltic surface thus made The chips are also rolled lightly to close up and fill up any voids in the courses of stone underneath and the highway is then ready for it's completion.
 One-half gallon of asphalt to the square yard, applied at the same temperature and under the same pres sure, is the last course. It receives a topping of chips or fine screening, which is rolled down to make the final surfacing. Applied under heavy pressure, the asphalt permeates the rock courses underneath and solidi-