The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-03-24

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 pos
sessions of Trinidad island and inland
to the docks of the company at Guam
AGO.
The town of Guanoco is the river ter
minus Of the Bermudez company's rail-
road. Here are hundreds Of native
Venezuelans, working under the eye of
an American superintendent. The raw
asphalt is brought from the lake. five
miles distant, on fiat cars, and shoveled
into the holds Of vessels. At Guanoco
this operation is much simpler than at
Trinidad, where lighters are necessary
because of the long, shelving beach of
the harbor. The railroad follows an old
Indian trail which led from the river to
the shores of the pitch lake. The sur
race OF the lake is SO hard that for some
distance from the shore 1t supports the
weight of loaded train AS one looks
over the surface Of this great deposit he
at hrst sees nothing of a striking or I'M
usual nature. He views only a black
plain, resembling anthracite coal, or
mint, upon which are groups of natives
working with picks and shovels. Closer
examination, however, shows that por-
LlcnS or the surface are soft like tar
where the asphalt is sticky and bubbling'
| Asphalt is diStfnguishable from anthra-.
| cite not only by it's form but because it
| ls soluble in bisulphide of carbon and
cenzode. These pitch pools resemble
somewhat the hot springs Of the Yellow
STONE region. They slowly cool, and be-
GCnle 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.
Inc asphalt which is mined at Ber-
| mudez Lake Is more or less hardened.
ana IS obtained with some difficulty. as
| 1t retains the suns heat to irvine, de-
| gree.
The Bermudez company, after wears of
experiment, has succeeded in putting on
the market asphalt which will neither
! crack from cold nor melt under the burn
ing sun. About a decade ago vehicles
We're likely to cut into asphalt pavements
IA Inc summer months BY chemical
treatment this has been obyiated in all
the newer pavements, even in hot coun-
tries, where it fully resists the suns
meat, and at the same time retains ,ts
| durability and elasticity.
Asphalt is used largely IN the manu-
1acture of cements. II is mixed with a
| petroleum residue to render if nlas+ic
ana IS then tempered with one-seyenth
ITS weight Of sand. It also forms one of
the most durable waterproof materials
known. For roofing purposes it is mixed
wn,Ie hot. with fine gravel, or is abb
sorbed by thick rolls Of felt paper.
Asphalt is found in many countries.
IN vera Cruz, Mex, near the village of
Moloasan, is mountain largely com
! posed Of asphalt. The deposits at Sevs-
sci, France, and at Val de Travcrs
switzerland, consists of limestone i'm.
| pregnated with btunlinous matter
which, when heated, cpumbles to a
powder After it has been pounded into
mcuIds and is cooled it resembles the
original rock. Over LOCO miles of the
streets of Paris have been supplied from
| these two localities