The daily silver state. [volume] (Winnemucca, Nev.) 1903-1907, 1903-10-22
QUESTION OF
GOOD ROADS
Communication Relating to d
Matter of Importance, As
All Will Admit

W1nnemucca, New, oct. ZO.-EdltOr
Silver State:-Almost every adult cit
izen of Humboldt county has during
the past summer, as in previous sum-
mers, suffered to greater or less ex-
tent from the choking, suffocating, all
permeating dust which rises from our
public highways. Not only is there
great physical discomfort but financial
loss in ruined clothing and damage to
goods in transit whether sacked or
boxed. We have suffered this for many
years and there scenes no remedy.
Now conditions have changed. The
oiling of roads as dust preventive
was initiated in Los Angeles county,
California in 1898, when six miles of
road were oiled simply to "lay Tie
dust" In 1902 more than twenty-five
counties in California extending from
the Mexican line north more than $50
miles of road had been treated with
OIL This treatment has passed the
experimental stage and the mileage
has been greatly increased during the
current year.
AS previously stated, the original
object was to lay the dust" and that
alone. 1t was found that the first
treatment was good Tor one season
and that a second treatment the next
year abated the dust nuisance per-
manently. To be rid of the irritating
lnnalatlons was all that was expected
out more was realized.
l quote from the report of the spe-
cial agent OF the department of agri-
culture:
! 1T was soon learned that incalcul-
ably valuable as it was, the laying oil
che dust was not the only, or even the
most extraordinary result obtained.
IL was found that when the oil was
applied it Immediately began to Dino
together all the loose particles con-
stiJuting the road surface, whether
clay, sandy loan, loose sand, gravel OF
lllG uuG iudlCl ldl Ou LAAC tOP Va NAN
macadem. A tough stratum is formed
resembling an asphalt pavement
Roads built on drifting sand or clayey
dust, no matter how deep, where trot-
ting with a buggy was impossible and
tor a pair OF strong horses to pull q
ton was a very laborious process, be-
came indurated resilient and firm, sc
that driving teams could trot with
ease and the same horses pull two and
one-half tons more comfortably thai
they formerly did the one tom
Commissioners, cIulzens, taxpayers
of Humboldt county, consider what
it means to more than double the
hauling capacity of your teams ant
then think of the abatement of the
dust California oils are especially
adapted for road use. Petroleums vary
with the localities in which they are
found. The more carbon they contain
the greater their specific gravity anC
the higher the temperature required
to evaporate them. The oils of Rus.
sia belong to what is known as ,-ie
nopthenere series. Those of Pennsyl-
vania, Ohio, Colorado and Wyoming
have a paraffin base. Those of Cali
fornia and Texas have an asphaltum
base.
Now all petroleum will lay dust, but
asphalt is required to bind together
the loose particles of road surface
This is why the California and Texas
oils are not only dust layers. but
road surfacers.
l have made an especial study o.
this matter for over a year and now
feel prepared to present 1t to the peo.
pie of the county. In future article
l shall have something to say about
methods of use, cost and practica
suggestions to Humboldt county.
HENRY w. NEWBY,
County Surveyor.