Warren sheaf. [volume] (Warren, Marshall County, Minn.) 1880-current, 1898-03-03
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1t Is IN Effective Agent in Compact
sg t:sssaxgasgr. ing DIRT Roads. y.s.,: 81

II Is IN Enect1ve Agent In Compact.
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For many years it has been known
that the use of oil on troubled waters
greatly Gains them. Recently, some
railway companies have experiment ted
With it for the purpose of laying dust,
Which it is claimed that twill do for
avery long time, and now its value in
improving country roads is forcibly
inserted by J. G.. Winger, of Grand
Valley, Pa. + This gentleman says that
he has devoted his whole life, since the
discovery Of oil, to its development, and
has made study Of the great blessings
that it gives to man, and believes that
tire time. is not far in, the future when
dusty and; muddy roads will be condi-
tions unknown, and that crude oil will
bring this reform about. The expert
ence on which he principally bases his
opinion. he describes in a letter to the
Oil City Derrick: 49,
SIN the winter of 1894, near Grand
Valley, a small plug was forced out
Of an oil line and a quantity of oil
spurted on the road. The snow was
Thoroughly saturated with oil for about
one rod in diameter. The oil was spread
over the road by the feet of horses.
and the action of sleigh runners, for
roads in this valley are clay bottom, and
very dusty in dry weather, and muddy
in wet, and it is no unusual thing to
see dust from three to six inches deep,
and mud from ten to twenty inches, in
the season.
"This bit of road, and the crude oil
referred to, has attracted my attention
ever since; for, when the dry weather
returned, and dusty roads were the
hi;ling salutation of everyone you
met, these particular four rods Of road
were as free from dust as a well-kept,
bEick-paved street, and after a shower,
when the dusty roads were CONCERTED
into beds Of mud, this section Eof road
was as dry as if no rain had fallen.
The writer has explained the phenom-
eno1 to many observers who were ig-
norant of the cause. At present, and
after. the action Of three summers and
l.winters, there is still to be. seen the
uumistakable evidence of the preserv-
ing qualities Of crude oil. Now, &C.
cepting the foregoing observation as
truth, is it not safe to conclude that
Il hope for a solution of the greatest
public questions has nucleus on w hich
TO rest hope? Il i. IS
"Oil and earth have an affinity for
each other, and, when united in proper
proportions on a roadbed, are for a
long time inseparable. The oil on a
road bed prevents the earth from ris-
ing in dust, and excludes water, and
hence the impossibility Of mud. Itlools
reasonable that an oil-treated road,
properly shaped, will remain nudless;
when snow falls, even in small quanti-
ties, it will give good sleighing, and
| when the snow goes in the spring, it
| Will be ready for comfort, pleasure and
business.
Elm the employment of crude oil for
good roads, no change need be made
in the mode of construction now in
general use. The roadbed should be
properly shaped with machinery, and
Immediately after working and form
ing, and while the earth is loose and
best adapted for the ABSORPTION of oil !,
the oil should be applied, after the man
ner of sprinlling streets. The guam
| tity of oil to the rod Of road can only be
determined by experiments and actual
tests. The writer's opinion, based on
observation, is that one barrel of oil
| to each three rods of road will suffice.
This, if the writer has not erred in fig
ures, will be oil to the depth of one
third of an inch. Current price of oil,
and cost of applying, will determine
expense of treating mile of road.
Should not all join issue for expert
ments, in the interest of good roads, and
demand for cheap oil?"
Best Is None Too Good.
No dairyman should be satisfied with
| any but the best; of course, they cost