The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1898-12-14
Crude Oil For Bad Roads.

Major M. Meigs, civil engineer of
Keokuk, Iowa, made short address
at yesterday session of the Missouri
Good Roads association, which, in the
opinion of many, was the most inter
estin- part Of the days work. He
opened new field of investigation,
and proposed experiments in securing
good roads along line practically un-
known outside of few localities in
the East. Iti is his opinion that the
use Of crude oil may prove panacea
for bad roads in localities where road
material is hard to obtain.
He said his attention was first d.
rectcd to using oil on the highways by
reading a newspaper clipping from a
Pennsylvania town. 1t seems that a
leaky oil pipe near the town in ques-
tion was responsible for the discovery.
This pipe was near a place in the road
that was invariably impossible during
the season Of spring and fall rain.
When the leak occurred in the pipe the
ground became saturated to some ex-
tent with oil, and very soon it was no
ticed 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
presently the experiment was repeated
in other localities, and with the same
effect.
Major Meigs said that he sent let
ter to the officials of the Standard Oil
Company and asked them to furnish
him some crude oil for experimental
purposes. They forwarded tank con-
tanning 130 barrels with their compli-
ments and wishes for success. Some
eight barrels of this oil have been used
on a notoriously muddy road near
Keokuk with many satisfactory re-
suits.
Major Meigs said that it was no
trouble anywhere to keep dry roads in
good condition at minimum expense.
Oil will prevent the earth fro,r becom-
ing wet by forming waterproof crust.
So far as he has carried on experiments
barrel of crude oil is sufficient for a
strip of road 100 feet long and IL feet
wide. The cost Of the oil at the wells
is about 80 cents barrel. No other
material, he said, is so cheap, and no
other will prove so effective. In con-
clusion, he said that he would send oil
free to all wishing to make experiments
if they would pay the freight.
Major Meigs' speech caused great
deal of comment. To the delegates it
seemed to open an entirely new field.
Many questions were asked him, all Of
which be answered as information
warranted. He explained the we'll
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 compact.
Its 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
distances, and consequently is quite
costly. But from what Major Meigs
said it was thought possible that with
the aid Of crude oil earth could be
utilized at much less cost than ma
cadam and gravel, even when the latter
was near at hand.-M. Louis Republic.