Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-10-28
DUST IN LONDON STREETS
Steps Being Taken to Lessen the OBJ
lection to Automobiles.

From the Londcn Express
1t is hoped in London that by next sum-
mer the nuisance of dust stirred up by
motor cars will be very greatly alleviated.
The Hon. John Scott-Montague the ed
itor of The Car, is raising a fund for ex-
periments in this direction and hopes to Sc
cure sufficient amount to deal with the
matter in thoroughly practical fashion.
'Westrumite,' Limited, are also making
some experiments which should prove very
useful. They have treated several sections
OF road with their material. .Westrumite,'
and the results at present are quite excel
LENT
''Westrumite" has been laid on the Old
Windsor road and on the lower part of
River Hill. which lies between Seyenoaks
and Tonbridge
a fast motor car was recently ridden over
both sections of road. In each case there
was not trace of dust so long as the car
was traversinS the road which had been
treated, while Immediately this was left
the usual horrible cloud arose
'Westrumite'' Is the invention of Ger
man chemist. by name Van Westrum. who,
being practically expelled from his own
house. which was on the highway in a
suburb of Berlin. by reason of the dust
raised by passing motors, set himself to find
a remedy. and found it in preparation of
petroleum and ammonia, which is soluble
in water.
1t has been adopted in Frankfort and
Dresden by the councils of those two cities
1t is claimed for .'Westrumite" that >
per cent of the liquid, added to 90 per cent
of water. is sufficient to lay the dust on
any ordinary road, and that having once
been sprinkled the road will not need a
fresh application for a period varying from
two to four weeks, according to the amount
of traffic on it. 1t is claimed that the
material is disinfectant. that it prevents
both dust and mud, and, consequently, to a
great extent wear and tear 1t is non-in-
mr. a nd i- -ra.;e, -
does not stain clothes should it fall upon
them.
The benefit derived from the disappear
ance of dust would be sufficient to COM
mend it, even if it involved the ratepayerS
in an increase of their rates; but although
the cost of the material is flo per ton, yet
the saving in the cost of water and of labor
involved in the existing processes of la wing
the dust is SO great that the ratepayers can
treat their roads with "Westrumite with
out any additional expense wha tever to
themselves. while. on the other hand, there
should be an economy effected from the
point of view of maintenance.
The best-known test at present is that of
the Gordon Bennett race. where certain por-
tons of the road were treated with this
material. and ten weeks later, according to
the report of the road expert sent over from
London, are In almost as good condition
and as free from dust and mud on the
day upon which they We're treated. OF
course, roads in a country district are not
subjected to heavy wear and tear.
The first cost of treatment of a thirty foot
road is less than f10 per mile, and subse-
quent treatments will cost one-half that
amount The effect of continual applica-
ton is cumulative, and the road improves
considerably under the treatment
No special machinery is required for pur-
poses of sprinkling, the .'Westrumite," be-
ing put into the ordinary water car, which
Is then filled in the usual manner.
1t is point in favor of '.Westrumite"
that there is no need to close the road dur
ing it's application. All that is required for
lit Is from two to four hours dry weather
following the treatment, and. of course,
while still wet, the less traffic the better.
After this period of. say. four hours, rain
has the effect of improving the surface
There is no question that the dust null