The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1898-12-27
CRUDE OIL FOR ROADBEDS.
Satisfactory Results From It's Use OF
Country Roads in Iowa.

Country Roads in Iowa.
Sometime ago reference was made to
! the fact that it had been discovered that
good country roads could be made by the
use of crude petroleum on them.
DIR. Hogg.. Of this city who is a man
of wide reading and close observation.
has been investigating this proposed OK
pertinent in securing good roads, and it
is his opinion that the use of crude OH
may prove n panacea for bad roads in
localities where road material is hard
to obtain.
DR.. Hogs attention was first called
to this matter by an address recently
made by civil engineer, Major Meigs,
at the session of the Missouri Good
Roads Association.
In this address Major Meigs stated
that he first heard of using oil in the
highways by reading a newspaper clip
ping from Pennsylvania town. 1t
seems that a leaky oil pipe near the
town in question was responsible for the
discovery. This pipe was near place
in the road that was invariably impas-
sable during the season of spring and
fall rains When the leak occurred in
the pipe the ground became saturated
to some extent with OIL and very soon
it was noticed that the mud dried up,
and the surface of the earth became
hard. and remained so. 1t appears that
so notorious was this piece of bad road
that the effect of the oil on it became a
matter of so much comment that pre-
sently the experiment was repeated in
other localities, and with the same effect.
Major Meigs sent letter to the off
Gals of the Standard Oil Company, and
asked them to furnish him some crude
oil for experimental purposes. They for
warded Il tank containing 80 barrels,
with their compliments and wishes for
success. Some eight barrels of this oil
have been used ON VIGOROUSLY muddy
road near Keokuk with most satisfac-
tory results.
! Major Meigs said that it was no
: trouble anywhere TO keep dry roads in
good condition at minimum expense.
Oil will prevent the earth from becom-
ing wet by forming waterproof crust.
So far, as he has carried on experiments.
d barrel of crude oil is sufficient for a
strip of road 100 feet long and II feet
wide. The cost of the oil at the wells
i is about 90 cents a barrel. No other
material, he said, is so cheap. and no
other will prove so effective. In conclu-
sion. he said that he would send oil free
to all wishing to make experiments, If
they would pay the freight
Major Meigs's speech caused a great
deal of comment. To the delegates it
seemed to open an entirely new field.
Many questions were asked him, all of
/ which he answered as his information
warranted He explained the well known
theory that oil and water will not mix,
and made it apply to the question of
good roads. The earth was porous
enough, he said. to retain the oil, and
cause it to shed water. so that where
the oil took hold moisture must depart,
and naturally, the earth became COM
pact.
1t is maintained that no roads are so
good as dirt ones, when they are dry,
and none so cheap. In many localities
material for constructing macadam or
gravel roads must be brought long dis
tances, and consequently is quite costly.
But from what Major Meigs said, it is
thought possible that, with the aid of
crude oil, earth could be utilized at a
much less cost than macadam and
gravel, even when the latter was near
at hand.