Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1900-01-05
ABOUT OILED ROADS.
RESULTS OF ExPERlMENTSlN SOUTH
ERIN CALIFORNIA.

A System Which Has Proven Successful
on Railroads Now Being Adopted on
Wagon Roads-Laysthe Dust and Clements
the Road Bed.
County and road supervisors In South
ern California are unanimous in the be-
lief that the problem Of excellently mac
adamized roads at small cost has at last
been solved, and that solution of it has
been attained through the application to
them of crude oil. There are now near
ly hundred miles of road in the several
counties of the southern part of the
state which have been treated in this
manner, and so pronounced in every
instance and particular has been the
success of the trial that there is no
doubt that nearly a thousand miles will
be put under contract for the treatment
during the coming year. 1t has been
found that to place roads in condition
through the use of oil is cheaper than
maintaining then in half condition dur
ing a single season by sprinkling with
water. And when road has once been
put into condition swith oil it requires
but slight additional expenditure to keep
it SO.
| On all of the main highways in Los
Angeles county oil-coating is now APP
piled. Many of them have but patches
of it. half mile or a mile in extent, the
oil being used upon it to test the effect it
will have upon earths of different
character and upon roads of varying
qualities. 1t has been found that where
the road had an even, hard foundation,
smooth and clear Of ruts, and about two
inches of dust on The surface, upon this
road the Gil is complete success and
gives surface as polished, clean, and
clear as an asphalt street. Where the
soil Is clayey, tho the surface is rutty,
it will maintain the hard character of the
ground, allay all dust, and prevent fur
ther decay by resisting the formation of
mud. the oily ard impervious ground
holding the water In the ruts until 1t
dries out and preserving the earth be-
meath from becoming saturated with 1t.
On road of deep, loose sand, how
ever, the oil appears to show little
benefit. though opinion is yet divided as
to whether or not repeated applications
of it upon surfaces of this character
would not ultimately so pack the sand
as to make it a hard, tight body. Those
who claim 1t would not point to the fact
that the wheels cut into the oiled sand
as before. while those who think it would
pack believe the sand, when applied to
streets in the city, would come to be
much the same as bituminOus lime rock,
which is nothing more than sand thor
oughly satuated with btumen. This
substance. when applied to hard sur
faces. packs readily.
1t is fact, however, that the sand
5 road does not predominant in California.
and that the most common highway has
hard foundation composed of clay with
Q a dust covering worn from the surface
which will blow away with the wind
, and thereby cause more dust to be re
leased from the surface, as result Of
which action the road is eaten down, be-
comes rutty and "worn out" With this
character of road, especially before the
. ruts get into it, the oil is lasting boon
n Roads which have ruts should be re
paired before being treated, and on sandy
: stretches the sand should be removed OF
= overcome, even though it might bt
necessary TO spread upon the SURFACE
| layer OF cay ana roll II down before ap
II plying the oil.
a good piece of oiled road is eXen
= plitied in the Pasadena main turnpike
As displayed upon this road, the oil con
# verts the fine clay into sort OF asphal
t tum. This is soft and gummy withou
beng sticky, and gives an elastic sur
L face over which the wheels pass withou
o cutting. grinding or wearing the soil
Il The elasticity Of this cushion render
vehicles passing over 1t almost noiseless
and has rid persons residing on tn
" sides Of great nuisance which the,
heretofore endured in the racket Of th
wagons rumhling along the pike. Fur
ther than this. horses travel better upo
: it, for not only do the wheels move wit
. less eXertion from the animal, but tn