74 AN EXPERIMENT WITH A STEAM DRILL 



enabled a team to get over the elevation more quickly and 

 easily than now with a longer hill having a uniform grade. In 

 this case, there was no increase in the total length of road, 

 rather a slight decrease, but only an increase in the length of 

 the hill. There can be no question that, with the same road 

 surface in two cases, a heavy load would steer clear of a grade 

 of one eighth every time, and also of a grade of one twelfth for 

 as great a distance as ninety feet, in favor of a uniform stand- 

 ard grade of one twentieth. Moreover, since it is found that a 

 driving horse with a light load will trot steadily along on a 

 standard grade and that a heavy load may be easily started 

 upon such a grade, it remains at least doubtful whether the 

 extra speed claimed even in the case of a medium-sized load on 

 the concentrated grades is not taken out of the animal driven. 



In riding a bicycle, it is noticeable that an ordinary rider may 

 climb a hill at a standard grade without marked increase of 

 effort, and with regular, steady motion, while upon a steeper 

 hill, even if quite short, a special effort is necessary to get up 

 sufficient momentum to carry one up the steep part, and this 

 effort leaves one out of breath at the top, or, perhaps, only halt 

 way to the top. We think it is the same with the horse on the 

 steep grades, and that the extra effort required to climb a hill 

 quickly comes out of the reserve strength of the animal, and, 

 therefore, is no real gain. It may be easier in some cases for 

 the driver to concentrate his efforts at a few points while 

 urging on the average horse but the owner of the animal would 

 prefer the standard grade. 



One fact was clearly shown as a result of the experiment, 

 viz., that a hard surface may counterbalance a steep grade. 

 After the completion of the grading a portion only of the hill 

 was graveled, and that lightly. As a result the road was un- 

 usually muddy the following spring, and there is no doubt but 

 that the harder surface with the steeper grade would have been 

 preferable for the time. As the question of surfacing, at least 

 as well as before work began, involves simply the expendi- 

 ture of a few dollars for gravel, there is no argument there 

 against reducing grade. It is important, however, as teaching 

 the great utility, yes, even absolute necessity, of surfacing in 

 order to procure good roads. 



