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

Major VI Mcigs, "A civil cnrinc.r Of
l\c"knk, Iowa, made short address
AZ yesterday y session nf the Missouri
G"od Roads association. which in the
"p'nion of many, was the most inter.
r>tin part Of the days work. He
opened new field uf investigation,
and proposed experiments in securing
good roads along a line practically un-
known outside Of few localities in
he East. II is his opinion that the
use Of crude oil may prove panacca
for bad roads in localities where road
material is hard to obtain.
lie said his attention was first di.
rrclcd TO using oil on the highways by
rndi"g newspaper clipping from
Pennsylvania town. 1t seems that a
lcaky oil pipe near the town ia uucs-
ton was responsible for the discovery.
This pipe was near place in the road
that was invariably impossible during
the season Of spring and fall rain.
When the leak occurred in the pip the
ground became saturated TO some ex.
tent with oil, and very soon it was no
tlccd that the mud dried up and the
surface Of tho earth became hard
aud remained so. 1t appears that so
notorious was this piece Of bad road
that the effect Of the oil on it became
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 aud asked them to furnish
him some crude oil for experimental
purrOs scs. They forwarded a tank con
tanning 1870 barrels with their compl-
mcnts and wishes for success. Some
eight barrels OF this oil have been used
on notoriously muddy road near
kcokuk with many satisfactory re-
suits.
Major Mcigs said that it was no
trouble anywhere to keep dry roads in
good condition at minimum expense.
Oil will prevent the earth frou. bccom-
ing wet by forming a waterproof crust.
So far as he has carried on experiments
barrel of crude oil is sufficient for u
strip of road 100 feet long and l2 feet
wide. The cost of the oil at the wells
is about 30 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 Mcigs' 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 he answered as information
warranted. lie 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.
It's 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 CT
gravel roads must be brought long
distances, and consequently is quite
costly. But from what Major Mcigs
said it was thought possible that with
the aid Of crude oil Garth could be
utilized at much less cost than ma
cadam and gravel, even when the latter
was near at hand. Louis Republic.