OBJECT-LESSOlsr AND EXPERIMENTAL EOADS^ 1912-13. 11 



This material was loosened with plows, hauled in drag and wheel scrapers, and 

 spread with shovels. 



The surfacing material consisted of sandy chert gravel possessing fair binding 

 qualities and excellent resistance to wear. The gravel was applied in two 

 courses, the first course having a loose depth of 7 inches at the center and 5 

 inches at the sides, and the second course a loose depth of 4 inches at the 

 center and 3 inches at the sides. The total compacted depth was 8 inches at the 

 center and 6 inches at the sides, and the crown of the finished roadway was 

 three-fourths inch to 1 foot. The gravel for both courses ranged in size from 

 3^ inches to fine sand. The surfacing material, of which 1,357 cubic yards was 

 used, was delivered on the road at the contract prices of $1.15 per cubic yard 

 for 1,171 cubic yards and $1.25 per cubic yard for 186 cubic yards. 



The equipment consisted of one 6-horse road machine, one road plow, one 

 5-ton horse roller, 8 No. 1 wheel scrapers, 4 No. 2 drag scrapers, and hand tools. 

 The grader outfit, including teams and operators, was hired at the rate of $14 

 per 10-hour day. Labor cost $2, teams $4.67, and foremen $2.67 and $4 per 10- 

 hour day. 



The total cost of the road to the community was $2,703.69, which is at the 

 rate of $0,511 per square yard. The principal items of cost were as follows : 

 Excavation, at $0,335 per cubic yard, $693.20; shaping the subgrade at $0,018 

 per square yard, $101; surfacing material, delivered, $1,579.15; spreading the 

 surfacing material, $75.80; rolling, $19.09; explosives. $3.16; materials for the 

 culverts and stakes, $12.08; labor for the culverts, $6.80; trimming the shoul- 

 ders, $7.71 ; incidental expenses, $109.70 ; and superintendence, $96. 



Columbus, Miss. — On July 22, 1912, work was begun on a section of the 

 Tuscaloosa road, extending from Columbus eastward toward the Alabama State 

 line, and it was completed on September 16, 1912. The adjacent land is level 

 and the natural soil a sandy clay. The road was graded 20 feet wide for 2,291 

 feet, making an area of 5,095 square yards. Earth to the amount of 5,778 cubic 

 yards was moved, and the maximum grade was reduced from 5 to 0.1 per cent. 

 The earth was loosened with plows, picks, and shovels, loaded with shovels 

 into wagons, hauled in wagons and drag scrapers, and spread with shovels and 

 a small grader. The average haul was 450 feet and the maximum haul 700 

 feet. The total area surfaced was 3,564 square yards. Two types of surfacing 

 materials were used — a good cementing gravel for 1,166 feet and a loose pit 

 gravel for 1,125 feet. The former material, donated by an abutting property 

 owner, was spread upon the prepared subgrade in a single course 7 inches thick 

 before being compacted. It compacted readily under the action of traffic, and 

 the surface was maintained in proper shape by frequent dressing with a road 

 grader. The pit gravel was spread upon the clay subgrade to a depth of 6 

 inches, and it was expected that it would be mixed with the clay by the traffic, 

 but when the representative of the Office of Public Roads left it was stUl in a 

 loose, uncemented condition. A total of 636 cubic yards of gravel was used. 



Drainage structures were constructed as follows : At station 4-f 25 a rein- 

 forced concrete bridge with 18 feet 6 inches of roadway, a span of 15 feet, and 

 4.2 feet height of opening; and at station 9+70 a reinforced concrete bridge, 

 with 18 feet 6 inches of roadway and 6.5 feet height of opening, and two 15-foot 

 spans. Both bridges were constructed by contract, with the exception of the 

 center pier of the second bridge, which was built under force account. 



The equipment consisted of road plows, drag scrapers, a small road grader, 

 and hand tools. 



Based on labor at $1 per day and teams at $3, the principal items of cost 

 were as follows: Clearing and grubbing, at $0,017 per square yard, $84.20; 

 excavation and embankment, at $0,206 per cubic yard, $1,189.35; fine grading, 



