The Cape Girardeau Democrat. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1876-1909, 1898-02-19
U PETROLEUM.
It IL an Effective Agent In Compass.
ing Dirt Roads.

ing Dirt Roads.
For many years il has been known
that the use of oil on troubled waters
greatly Gains them. Recently, some
railway companies have experimental
with it for the purpose of laying dust,
which it is claimed that it will do for
a very long time, and now its value in
improving country roads is forcibly
asserted by j. e. Winger, of Grand
Wiley, Pa. This gentleman says tina;
he has devoted his whole lie, since the
discovery of oil. to its development, and
has made 4 study of the great blessings
that it gives to man, and believes tina:
tie time is not far in the future when
dusty and muddy roads will be cOndi-
tons unknown, ard that crude oil will
bring this reform about. The expert
enc On which he principally bases his
opinion. he describes in a letter 10 the
Oil City Derrick:
"In the winter of 1894, near Grand
Valley, 4 small pug was forced out
CT 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,
ard the action of sleigh runners, for
the distance of about four rods. The
roads in this valley are cay bottom, ard
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
E&iiing salutatiOn of everyone you
met, these particular four o d OF 0
we're as free from dust as a weli-kept
brick-paved street, and after a shower,
when the dusty roads were converted
into beds of mud, this section of road
was as dry as if no rain had fallen.
The writer has explained the phenon'
enoa 10 many observers WAC were lg'
nu-ant of the cause. At present, Il
after the action OF three summers L
winters. there is still to be seen the
u~mmiStakab,e evidence of the preserv.
ing qualities of crude oil. Now, &C.
,epting the foregoing observation as
ruth. is it not safe 10 con~.Ude tina
/ hope for a solution of the greatest
public questions has a nucleus on which
10 rest a hope?
oil and earth have an affinity for
Zach other, and, when united IN proper
------.sl-- -, - rnnIbnI IVA for u
Iohg time iEseparab!e. The oil on a
-oad bed prevents the earth from us
Ing in dust. and excludes water. and
renee the impossibiiity of mud. ltlCoks
reasonable that an o~il-treated road,
properly shaped, will remain mudiess;
xbtn snow falls, even in sma.i quaint.
Ties, it will give good ~sleignlng, and
when the snow goes in the spring, II
will be ready for comfort, pleasure and
business.
IN the employment Of crude oil for
good roads, no change need be made
Ia 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 s%prinkling streets. The guam
titv 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 ccst of applying, will determine
expense of treating a mile Of road.
Should not All join issue for expert
merts. in the interest OF good roads, and
q demand for cheap oil?"