The Dupuyer acantha. [volume] (Dupuyer, Mont.) 1894-1904, 1901-09-05
ORIGIN OF ASPHALT.
WHERE 1T is OBTAINED AND
ITS COMMERCIAL USE.
Operations at Guanoco and trinidad
Some of the Noted Regions Where
Different Grades of Asphalt Are Found
An Asphalt Mountain.

American corporations over the pos
session of an asphalt lake in Vene-
zuela has caused especial interest in
what an asphalt lake is like and how
asphalt is mined and shipped to mar
ket. Asphalt, or asphaltum, is the
solid form if bitumen. Bitumen is a
generic term which is applied to a va
riety of substances, ranging from
natural gas. naphtha, petroleum and
mineral tar to asphalt. The asphalts
of different localities vary greatly in
composition, as is shown by their
chemical reactions. Nearly all are
anonymous and have the general APP
pearance of pitch, melting at about
the temperature of boiling water. AS
phalt, it is thought by scientists, has
resulted from the hardening OF the
maltha and petroleum elements,
through o~xygenation and evaporation.
One Of the most interesting asphalt
beds in the world is the pitch lake in
the state of Bermudez, Venezuela. This
/ valuable deposit was unknown to
American capitalists until 1888, when
an American engineer, Ambrose How
ard Garner, received a title to the prop
erty from the Venezuelan government.
This he sold to the New York and
Bermudez company, which is closely
allied to the so-called asphalt trust, of
which Gen. F. v. Greene is president.
The several square miles which are
included in the concession obtained
have, in the last thirteen years, been
steadily improved. The company has
cleared the Maturin river to naviga-
ton, so that deep sea craft from all
quarters of the globe can run in from
the Caribbean sea-, past the British
possessions of Trinidad island, and in
land to the docks Of the company at
Guanoco. The town of Guanoco is the
river terminus of the Bermudez com
pany's railroad. Here are hundreds
of native ~Venezuelans, working under
the eve Of an American superiEten-
dent. The raw asphalt is brought from
the lake, five miles distant, on hat
ears, and shoveled into the holds OF
the vessels. At Guanoco this opera
tion is much simpler than at Trinidad,
where lighters are necessary because
of the long shelving beach OF the mar
bor. The railroad follows an old In
dian trail, which led from the river 10
the shores of the pitch lake. The sur
face of the lake is SO hard that for
some distance from the shore 1t sup
ports the weight Of A loaded train.
AS n looks over the surface OF this
great deposit he at first sees nothing.
of a striking or unusual nature. He
views only a black plain, resembling
anthracite coal, or flint, upon which
are groups of natives working with
picks and shovels. Closer examina-
ton, however, shows that portions OF
the surface are soft like tar, where the
asphalt is sticky and bubbling. AS
phalt is distinguishable from anthra-
cite not only by its form, but because
it is soluble in bisuiphide of carbon
and benzole. These pitch pools resem4
BILE somewhat the hot springs of the
Yellowstone region. They slowly cool,
and become hardened after many
years. AS at Trinidad, they vary In
depth. Some of them have never been
fully sounded, and are thought by the
natives to extend into the bowels OF
the earth. The asphalt which is mined
at Bermudez lake is more or less
hardened, and is obtained with some
difficulty, as it retains the suns heat
to a trying degree. The Bermudez com
pany. after years of experiment, has
succeeded in putting on the market as
I phalt which will neither crack from
? cold nor melt under the burning sun
? About a decade ago vehicles were like
" to cut into asphalt pavements IL
the summer months. BY chemica
treatment this has been obviated II
> all the newer pavementsS even In no
countries. where it fully resists tn
- suns heat, and at the same time re
! tains it's durability and elasticity: Ms
| phalt is used largely in the manufae
ture of ~eennents. 1t lis mixed with
petroleum residue to render it plastic
and is then tempered with on~e-sevent
Il it's weight of sand. 1t also forms on
of the most durable waterproof mater
ials known. For roofing purposes
> is mixed, while hot, with fine grave
or is absorbed by thick rolls of felt pi
per. Asphalt is found ia many cour
tries. In Vera Cruz, Mexico, near tt
village of Moloasan, is a mountai
largely composed of asphalt. The d
posts at Seysseis France, and at V
de Travers, Switzerland, consist
y limestone i~mpregnated with bitum
nous matter. which, when heate
crumbles to a powder. After 1t h