Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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GAZING T?ROUGI IN GRANDPA'S Listen, children, hold your brei PA And I will tell you what I si n\i I saw tho sun sink in tho west, t PA I saw the mill raco in tho br Sj CIIOHUS: HQ 'Twas just little knot-hole W And grandpa let mo look th Pjjs Whene'or ho sat out on tho And many pretty sights I sa JL I saw tho village blacksmith get j ' I saw some men go to a oar JD I saw a hen oat sawdust, thou la pjj And many other Bights I sai GOOD RNDSJinMIU EXPENSE. THE "MISSOURI" WAY OF WORKING ROADS. AN ACCIDENTAL "DISCOVERY." The following article has been handed us by a member of the Ooo neo cottnty grand jury with the re quest that we publish the same : In Missouri we have learned how to make good dirt roads without money ! It is infinitely easier than making brick without straw. By tho frequent uso of a simplo devico our common earth roads can bo main tained, at practically no expense, in admirable condition. Thia device iss tho split-log drag. It was per fected by D. Wnrd King, of this] State. There is no patent on it. So far as I know it is not for sale by manufacturers of agricultural imple ments, Anyone can maleo a drag. In advocating its usc no ono can possibly have an ax to grind, lt is an unpretentious tool, almost ridicu lous in its simplicity, with a noble mission. That such a plain, unpoetic device should produce the remarka ble results which have been placed to its credit in this and other States, seems almost beyond belief. Wher ever it has been intelligently em ployed, hard, smooth, convex roads, over which it is a delight to travel, afford convincing evidence of its effi ciency. As the result, of an educa tional campaign-during the last two years to exploit its merits, the drag is now in extensivo use, especially in the corn belt. It has won its way against prejudice. it has made good, and it is remarkable how vig orously people push a good thiug along, once they have been shown. Road drags aro not new. They have been used in different parts of tho country for half a century, but never until a few years ago has their practical importance in road-making been sufficiently demonstrated to secure their general adoption. Like almost every man who defiantly pulls out of the common rut and makes a step toward better things and better living, Mr. King was roundly ridiculed by neighbors and others who witnessed the initial work of the^drag. Of course he was locally known as a "crank.'' Many of those who have adopted his drag have earned similar titles. It takes a courageous man to start something new in a farming commu nity. As a class we farmers resist innovations almost to the extent of making ourselves absurd in the eyes of an intelligent public. It ?B sur prising with what;|bulldog tenacity wo hang to traditions, old methods and scrub stock.)?Hut the drag is sweeping us toward a brighter day. One improvement paves the way for another. Betterment is infectious ; so is dilapidation. One day, several years ago, Mr. King was moving some rubbish from his yard and barn lot.J . Among tho junk was'the frame of an old hay rack, built for a wagon and composed of two slabs made by splitting a log. In dragging this relic down the road to dump ;t into a convenient hollow, its effect on the rough surface was so noticeable that Mr. King decided to try it out further, so it was dragged over the road four or livo times, till ing In the deep wagon tracks, smooth ing the surface and producing such a marked change that the accidental experiment induced Mr. King to build a drag especially for tho pur pose which this makeshift only par tially served. Tho split-log drag was, therefore, a fortuitous discovery ! With his new drag much better work was done, and by continued tests Mr. King at length developed a system of earth-road maintenance which is i THE KNOT-HOLE WOODEN LEG. ?th and dose your eyes, I beg, wv through grandpa's wooden leg. he old sink ia the shed, ook, aud tho oabbage got a hoad. that once had hoon a limb, rough it, as it nover bothered him. porch I'd sit upon a ker;, w through grandpa's wi>oden log. ? out and shoe some flies; and put on railroad ties ; y a wooden egg, ar, through grandpa's woodeu leg. -Atlauta Jourual. sound in theory and resultful in prac tice. It is this system which is re sponsible for miles of perfect road in Missouri and other States. To pass in a vehiole from a road that has been properly dragged to an un dragged road is like passing from an asphalt to a cobblestone street. Mr. King maintained a mile of public road along his farm by use of a drag, and it was famed as the best milo of earth-road in that pa *t of the State. In traveling, people went out of their way to use this road. Il was always good. When runabouts wero miring in undragged roads, heavy wagons could easily be drawn at a trot over tho King road. This satnplo stretch was such a contrast during most of thc year to tho road along the farms of his neighbors, and it spoko so elo quently of the progressiveness of Mr. King that several of his neighbors] finally yielded to the pressure and begnu to drag the road contiguous] to their farms. In time tho entire community was aroused to the uso of] tho device, and Holt county achieved celebrity ns possessing tho best roads! of any county in tho State. Drags then began to travel. The Missouri State Board of Agriculture got behind thc drag and issued bul letins telling how to make it and ex plaining its use. Iowa next took it op, then Illinois, and now it is being used tn a dozen States. Good roads trains, which gavo instruction in the uso of the drag and made demon strations with it, were run by several railways. Farmers' institute lectur ers took up tho subject, and in other] ways the drag has been advertised. And still it has not gained the popu larity to which it is eutiiled. It hasn't anything like the number of users it ought to have. Farmers have been asked to adopt so many methods of road improvement, invol ving large expense in most cases and saddling obligations on posterity, that | they have grown unreasonably sus picious of nearly every progressive movement, resisting it or denying it active support until it literally over whelms them The drag is against this type of opposition, and ia over coming it. It is an interesting theory which explains the success of the rot.d drag. When he was a lad on the farm, Mr. King, with several of his chums, used to make "mud pies" and plates, saucers, cups and the like from the puddled earth found on the surface of the road after rains. Most farm boys have busied themselves at simi lar work. Those who have, need not be told that the dishtn, bowls and other products of their skill as clay .workers would hold water. The mud used was of suoh consist ency and the soil particles were so1 closely held together that it was im pervious. This mud represents the] dust mado by constant tramping and wear of tho road surface. When moistened this fino dust forms a paste similar to cement. And here is where tho drag suggests its use. All roads over black prairie, gumbo or clay soils have a few inches of puddled earth on their surface after considerable rains. By using the drag on these roads the "dust paste" is crudely troweled or smeared over tho surface. Wind, sunshine and travel J dry, harden and boat down this mud mantlo until it becomes a sort of shell which turns water almost as freely as a slato roof. Travel soon works up dust on tho surface again.73 Then another rain forms puddled earth or dust paste from this dust. Another dragging spreads this coat over the first, and the same processes dry, harden and tamp it. We now have a double shell on the road, making it harder, smoother and nearer water-proof than before. Dragged after each rain, when the mad works nicely and does not stiok to the drag, a road will aoquire dur ing the season suoh a thiok, oompaot "hide" that it will turn water, resist the notion of frost, and remain hard and smooth throughout the year. The more it is traveled the better it will be, provided it is dragged after eaoh rain. Every time the dust paste is spread over the surface aud then beaten down and hardened the road is improved. The writer has a piece of road that has been dragged for two years. Its shell is so thiok and hard that it oan soaroely be out with an ax. You can Vager that the bottom will not fall out of this road, no matter how wet the spring may be. It was tested the past spring by weeks of rainy weather, bat it held its owu. Other roads were impassable. Their bottoms fell out, and they would mire man or boast. Instead of turning the water they absorbed it. Practically all typed of soil, bar? ring sand, will make good roads where the drag is properly used. Clay and gumbo soils make ideal earth-roods. Most roads are flat ; in fact, many of them are lower in th 9 center than at the sides. This con dition should bo altered eithor by the use of the largo road-workers found in many communities or by running tho drag at an angle so that it will work a little earth toward the mid dle. It is essential to have the mid dle of tho road at least a foot higher than the edges of tho traveled way. As the drag does not move much earth it will take six or eight drag gings to effect this change, but the job could be quickly performed with a big road-scraper. A good earth road must be hard, smooth and oval or convex. A road will acquire these fundamental char acteristics and retain them if it is dragged after each rain. By riding the drag the driver can regulate tin amount of earth moved toward the center. The first applications of the drag will merely knock off the rough edges, fill in tho ruts and provide for moro effective work in the future. Begin at ono side of the road, driv ing astride the wagon track ; return over the other track ; then work out toward tho sides. It may bo well to go over it again, working back to ward the middle and moving consid erable earth toward that part. Each dragging will suggest how the next one should be regulated. Two types of drags are commonly used. One ia the split-log, the other is the plank drag. Both are satis factory. More depends upon the frequency and time of use than upon the style of drag. As logs suitable for drags are not conveniently avail able in many sections, the plank drag is adopted. The coat ia from an hour's work up to $3, depending on the materials used and the labor em ployed. Any farmer oan make a drag. The aplit-log type ia made by aplitting a log ten to twelve inches in diameter and about nine feet long. Avoid heavy wood, ar oak. Though not essential, it is better if the log splits straight. It will then better adapt itaelf to the purpose 'n view. Bore holes in the front half or slab so that a forward slant will be given the lower part of its face. The holes in the rear slab may be bored straight. Two-inch holes are ad viaed. The two slaba are held to gether by means of three braces with slightly tapering ends driven into the holes, split and wedged. Drive the wedges in crosswise of the grain of the wood. Toe-nailing might bo resorted to if necessary. The braoea should bo ?bout two and one-half inches in diameter. To give rigidity and strength to the frame, a diag onal cross brace may be placed be tween? tho slabs at the lead-end. ?Shoe the lower edgo of the front slab at thia end with a piece of iron about four feet long. An old wagon tire will sufHco. Bolt it on securely, allowing tho hoAds of tho bolts to bo countersunk. Tho function of this atrip of iron ia to enable tho drag bettor to tako hold of hard Surfaces, and out dirt to Work toward tho middle of tho road. Without it, tho drag at thia point wonld soon be come rounded, thus impairing ita usefulness. In order that tho drag may be drawn at an angle of about forty-five degrees the chain is ar ranged with a long and short hitch. The face of tho front ?lab should be free from projections and irregulari ties which would interfere with the -- ? free sliding of earth along toward the middle of the road. For this reason it is necessary to attaoh the chain as indioated below. The long hitch goes over the front slab around a cross-piece, and is fastened to the back or rear slab. The other end of the chain or the short hitch is passed through a hole in the front slab. It can be fasteued here, or to give a stronger bold on tho frame it may be fastened to the back slab. It is of course under stood that the two slabs face the same direotion. The plank drag is made of pine timbers nine feot long, eight i nolie a ^.viilc and two ipoh.estbick. The two pieces may be re-enforced on the inner side by strips of two by six inches, giving greater strength and rigidity to the drag. In other re speota the plank drag is practically identical with tho split log. Tho for mer has au advantage in that it is lighter, more easily controlled and easier to make. To afford the driver a place to stand a platform of one inch plank is laid upon the cross pieces. By shifting his weight to different pointB on this platform the driver can cause tho drag to take hold or run practically clear at either end. The surface of the road will suggest how to maniprlate the drag. Tho railroad iron drag is made of railroad rails eight feet long and fas tened two feet six inches apart with one-inch bolts, with tapa screwed up against tho face and back of each rail. The hitch is tho samo as in the caso of the wooden drags. This drag ia hoavy and will take hold where lighter drags make Bmall im pression. It is a great tool to get a road ready for tho lighter drags. Both .pieces cut dirt ami work it to ward tho middle. For taking off projections and smoothing tho sur face this drag has no equal, lt ia especially effective in dragging road? that aro slightly frozen, in which condition they do not yield to the work of wooden drags. To summarize : Build a light drag --Jo it now. Run it at an angle ol forty-five degrees, working a little earth toward the middle of the road at each operation. Drive the team at a steady, even walk. Ride thc drag. Work as much of the road at can be got at handily. Do tho work thoroughly. A boy can op?ralo a drag. Do uot drag a dry roadbed except for experimental purposes Drag aa soon as possible after ead rain, when the surface is in a pud died condition. Drag at all soasom whenever time allows-and it doei not requiro much time. Roadi dragged immediately before a ooh spell will freeze in a smooth condi tion. When roads are first draggci travel should be to one side if possi bio until th.- roadway has hail linn to freeze or dry out. Ten to fifteei applications of the drag in a yea should be given. By making tb roadway smooth and hard travel i distributed over the entire area, thu increasing its wearing qualities am contributing to tho pleasure of trav eling in vehicles or on horseback Dragged roads can be traveled wit! safety and pleasure, day or nighl every day in the year. Social commingling and neighbor liness are stimulated by dragge roads. Accidents are avoided. Goo horsemanship is promoted. Lan values are enhanced. The cost c transporting farm produce is reducec Thrift, neatness and progress are et couraged in all departments of farn work. Every farmer whose lan adjoins tho road ought to make drag and keep that part of the roa in repair. I have already emmie ated tho compensations for the worl Neighborhood road-dragging clul should be organized. Prizes mig! bo offered for tho best milo of ron maintained with a drag. Merohan and othor business men in the smalb cities can easily bo interested in th matter. In this connection it worth noting that the Iowa Legisli turo at its last session passed a la directing township road suporviso and trustees to have tho roa< draggod at least ton times a yoi with a split-log or plank drag ar pay fifty cents a mile for each dra ging.-D. C. Wing. How to Avoid Appendicitis. Most victims of appendicitis aro thc who aro habitually constipated. Ori Laxativo Fruit Syrup cures ohronio cc stipation by stimulating tho livor a bowols and restores the natural notion thc bowols. Olino Laxative Fruit Syr does not nauseate or gripo and is ml and pleasant to take. Kofuse subs tutes. Dr. J. W. Holl, Girlhood and Seo linked together. The girl who talc? sion has plenty of i plump, active and ene The reason is that a digestion is weak, .S* provides her with pen easily digested form. \\ It is a iood that bu X girl's strength. ^ ALL DRUQGISTSt j Mount Tabor Items. \ [Too Late for Last Issue.] Mount Tabor, Jan. 24.-Paul Arm strong, of Riobland, spent Sunday with relatives in this seotion. Rev. G. T. Harmon, Jr., filled bis regular appointment at Nazareth Sunday. Misses Mary Cleveland and Luoy Jones, of Madison, attended service at Nazareth Sunday. J. T. Porter is vory ill at thia writ ing. Miss Rubie Elliott, of Westmin ster, is our assistant teacher. Horace Turpin, of this community, who has beon working at the big saw mill, has been brought home sick with la grippe. * EarneBt and Eugene Singleton, who have been out in Alabama, vis ited homefolks recently. They have many friends here who were glad to seo them. Arthur King, of Madison, spent last Sunday with bia parents, Mr. and. Mrs. B. E. King. School Boy. Spocial Announcement Regarding tho National % Pure Food and Drug Law. Wo arc pleased to announce that Fo ley's Honey and Tar for coughs, colds and lung troubles is not affected by tho Natioual Puro Food and Drug Law, as it contains no opiates or otber harmful drugs, and wo recommend it as a safe romedy for children and adults. ? Dr. J. W. Doll. Borings 1,000 feet deep in New Orleans have encountered nothing more solid than mud, saud and a lit tle thin clay, hence tho problem of making safe foundations for the piers of a giant railroad bridge which is soon to be built across the Missis sippi near the city is a hard ono for engineering science. The piers will rest on timber caissons, euch measur ing over 60x126 feet and 140 feet high. The bottom of these caissons will be 170 feet below the surfaoo of the river. The relief of ooughs and colds through laxative influence, originated with Bee's Laxative Cough Syrup, containing honey and tar, a cough syrup containing no opiates or poisons, which is extensively sold. Secure a bottlo at once, obtain a guarantee oonpon, and if not fully satis fied with results, your money will bo re funded. Sold by Walhalla Drug Co. ; W. J. Lunney, Seneoa. The University of Pennsylvania will soon send an expedition into the polar regidos under direction of Dr. George B. Gordon. The Cottor Planter with a habit. IR determined to.aet from lils labor- tboroforo, ho aooa provldod with V?rgin?a=C Fertiliz This Is fl mighty good habit, td enrich tho soll, groatly Increase c?rtala tho largost crop ot highoa the vory bost ammonlatos mon highest grado pliosptiato rock the as tho nnost potash salts of which always como m> to or oxcecd our i If your doalor cannot supply j iv 11 ni/.TN, drop us a postal or equipped with tho best fortlllzors i VIRGINIA-CAROLINA i at any ono of tho Richmond, Va. Norfolk, va. Durham, N. C. Charloston, 8. Atlanta, Ga. ti's Emulsion are ts Scoffs Emut* ich, red blood ; she is xgetic. t a period when a girl's coffs ^Emulsion verful nourishment |n ilds and keeps up a BOO. AND $1 .00. m SCHEDULE OF JKH SERVICES "I was glad when they said unto me, Let us go into the house of the Lord." Psalm 122. vorse 1. A Sabbath well spent brings a week of content, And health for the toi?r.of tho morrow; But a Sabbath profauod, whato'er may be gained, Is a certain forerunner of sorrow. Evory true Christian dolights to meet on tho Lord's day in tho Lord's House with tho Lord's people to worship Bim? aud it is also, of course, the duty of all church members to regularly at tond their church services unless provented by #ck ness or some special important duty. WALHALLA BAPTIST CHURCH. H KV. O. H. JI JD. PASTOR. Evory Sunday morn i mr at .I LOO Evory Suoday evening union ser vices at. 7.30 Sunday school at. .10 00 Thursday (prayer mooting) at. 7.30 Tho Loni's Supper is observed ou the fli st Sunday in tho month af tor tho morn ing sorvico. WALHALLA LUTHERAN CHURCH j 31. John's.) REV. H. 0. GROSSMAN, PASTOR. First and third Sundays (English) 11 a. m. Second and fourth Sundays (German).11 a. m. Every Sunday livening union sor vicos at.7.3u p. m. Sunday school (English). .10 a m. WALHALLA PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. REV. L. Wi DROWN, PASTOR. Second and fourth Sabbaths , .11.00 a, m. Union service every Sabbath.. 7.80 ni. Sabbath school at.10.00 a. m. Mill-week service (Wednesdays) 4.00p. m. OUT-OF-TOWN APPOINTMENTS: Bichland-First and third Sab baths at.11.30 a. m. Sabbath school.10 30 a. ra Bethel -Fourth Sabbath_ 8.00 p.m. Fifth Sabbaths.11.00 a. nw WALHALLA CIRCUIT-M. E. CHURCH. REV. J. 0. YONG UK, PASTOR. Walhalla-First aud second Sundays at.... .ll.00 a. m. . lyayer meeting (Wed nesdays) at_ . 7.80 p. rn Union sorvices every Sunday at.7.30 p.m. Sunday school at..10.00 a. m. Millville -Second Sundays at 7.00 p. m. Prayer moetiug evorv Thursday at. 8.00 p. m.. OUT-OF-TOWN APPOINT? TS: Zion every 1st Sunday at 3 , . m. Whitmire every 2d Sunday at ll a. m. Oconeo evory ?d Sunday at 3 p. m. Bethel every 3d Suuday at 3 p. m. Double Springs 4th Sundays at ll a. m. Laurel Springs 4th Sundays at 8 p. m. PROGRAM OF UNION SERVICES. Union services (commencing at 7.30 o'olock) are held as follows, unless other wise Ht at rd : First Sunday at the Baptist church. Second Suuaay at Presbyterian choroh. Third Sunday at the Methodist church. Fourth Sunday at the Lutheran church. (Preachers as announced.) Every one is heartily invited, and it ia hoped that members of all the chnrchea will make au effort to bo present and bring friends with them. Poisons in town who are not in the habit of attend ing church, or who are not church mem bers, are especially invited, ManZan Pile Cure CURES WHR O i HEH8 FAIL po IO the best possible rosulta Unit his lands aro woU arolina ers! j, by tho way-for thoy i the aercatfo, and make t grado cotton. Mndo of oy ean buy and of tho oarth produce")), as well Europe can boast. They {iiaranteud analyses. rou with fhoso brands of lotter, and you will bo it. tho least possible cost. CHEMICAL CO., ?e eltlos: C. 8ava n.ah, Qa, M ''t^omory, Ala. Me .?phis, ."un.