Cheraw gazette and Pee Dee farmer. [volume] (Cheraw S.C.) 1838-1839, 1839-05-03

LAY 3, 1889.
| cred with layer of asphaltum, procured
near Seyssel, in the Department Of the Ain.
In Paris, for the first experiment, part
of the trottoir upon the Port Royal, was
laid with Seyssel asphaltum; aliertwo years
trial, this was scarcely worn at all, willis, on
the surface ofthe surrounding stones, which
had been laid at the same time, the ira ces
OBJECT were very perceptibe. Alter lhisex.
pertinent, small part Of the bouleyards at
Paris was laid with Seyssel asphatum; M.
Pouloceau empl ,yed i. for the ,rottoirs Of the
Carrousel bridge, Sc. In other parts of
France asphatum has been employed also
in the way ofexpcriment, for covering the
roofs of houses as well as in several hydrau.
lie works..
Notwithstanding tile complete success Of
almost all these experiments, the expensive.
ness Of Seyssel asphaltum has prevented The
extension of Its application to building, an !
its ias-eaueetiouii iiuIu general use. Leaving
I uutof view the increase fprice occasioned
by The company which has obtained the
privilege of exclusive proprietorship of the
seyssel asphal,um beds, its price will al
ways remain on account of the expense in.
CURED in cutting trout, melting in order to
purify it, and in carriage.
| 10 Paris, Mr. Brlliante substitutes arti.
cial asphaltum for natural, with great sue
cess. He buys up at very low price the
biluminous remnants from coal thrown out
Of the retorts employed in preparing the car.
buretted hydrogen gas used forlighting the
streets (; to these he adds pitch, and mells
the whole together in boilers, mixing It up
with earth reduced TO fine powder, sifted
and dried, and at last pours it into forms in
which the composition cools and hardens.f .
In this simple manner material is obtained,
which has the same qualities Us natural as.
; phaltum.
The btuminous matter must he melted
carefully, without allowing the fire TO be-
, come too powerful, asst very easily takes
fire. After it has been a sufficient time
melted, considerable part ofthe oily matter
, evaporates, and the mass becomes thicker.
, The degree of liquidity ought to be such
, that it may be easily mixed up with the pull.
. yerized earth. This should be done with
great care, 80 as to make Of it a completely
, Uniform mass, in which the unassisted eye
] should not be able to Distinguish the parti.
cles of earth.
( In limitations Of natural asphal,um lime
y was at first mixed with the pitch but exper'
] ience soon showed that any pulverised ma
,eial would answer the purpose, only It mus
5 be thoroughly dry and very finely powder
added is not as yet positively determined
At present four parts (by weight) ofpowder-
ed earth are mixed with one Of bituminous
matter. The forms in:o which the artificial
asphaltum is poured may be varied at will.
, For greater convenience of carriage, the
size ofthe pieces does not exceed cubic
foot. The inner surface of the forms must
be of polished metal, that the asphaltnm
may not adhere toit NJ. Brilliante makes
use Of cast iron forms.
!. Asphaltum possesses quality invaluable
, in the art of building; that of being perfect.
, ly inpenetrable to water. In warm wealth.
er it is somewhat flexible, 50 that u slight in.
equality of the surface on which it is laid
does not prevent its durability !; bu! in cold
weather it becomes brittle. 1t attaches itself
strongly to any dry, rosgh surface, and does
not allow water to pass through where it
has been joined together by heat.
Artificial blocks may be made Of asphal.
tum, and laid like blocks ofstone OF bricks; ;
but q preferable method of using it IS, 10
oft by its properly Of being easily melted,
and to pour it!out upon the spot, in one solid
mass. it is generally useless, and only oc.
casions unnecessary expense TO have it very
thick.
Its proper use is evidently 70 cover the
surface Of pavenen, or building, when it
is required TO render them waterproof, or
to give them a considerable as well rs uni
form power ofress,ance against friction.
For this purpose i. is sufficient to pour
a thin layer from one to two inches in thick.
ness, over the surface Of a building, OF what.
ever material, earth, wood, stone, &C., It
may be composed, and in whatever position
the surface TO be covered may be placed.
It is only necessary i, be dry and rough.
The uspl,altum should at once be poured
over to the full thickness required, as hot
asphal:um viii not attach itself to cold, aud
i, canno, therefore be poured over in suc-
cessive layers.
ltis equally useless and unnecessarily ex'
pensive to make use of pure asphaltum 1t
j, is melted on the spot where 1t
IS wanted, and to one part OF it are added
three Of dry, coarse. grained, hard sand,
which has been first passed through selve,
in order to cleanse it, and to obtain grains
!. of uniform sizs i. is then carefully mixed