Evening Republican, Volume 20, Number 285, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 28 November 1916 — Beating the Shifting Sands. [ARTICLE]

Beating the Shifting Sands.

Confronted by the task of building a highway over a desert of constantly shifting sands, which In a few years might cover and render useless a roadbed of macadam or concrete, the California highway commission has introduced a type of paving vyhieh is portable, so that It can be easily moved to conform to the changing topography of the country. Popular Mechanics Magazine describes the paving as made of plank, built In sections 12 feet long und 8 feet wide, and hauled by wagons to the points where it Is needed. This unused thoroughfare extends six miles across a portion of the desert lying 'between Yuma, I Ariz„ and Holtville : , Cal. The plank sections are built on 4by 6-inch stringers. The units are bound together by iron strips placed over rows of spikes, one either side and one along the,center of the road. Roundheaded Bolts running through the planks and stringers are used to hold the strips down. The latter, In addition to Joining the units together, keep the spikes frdm working out of tlie lumber. 'it V