The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1903-09-17
ro oIL okLAAoMA RoAps.
Movement on Foot to Apply California
- Scheme.


Farmers and friends OF the aErieul-
tural welfare Of oklahoma have caught
up an interest in the movement for
improved country highways. which Is
growing rapidly and in an intelligent
way that viii. without much doubt. re-
dound beneficially to the territory. The
oklahoma good roads people are trying
to profit by the experiences OF others
persons who have been similarly in
terested all over the country. A num-
Der OF men have a plan on foot to test
the efficiency Of the application OF oil
In Improving highways. They have
been In correspondence with experts In
California, where the matter has gone
beyond the experimental into the sue
cessful stage and they are now ready
to take II up for Oklahoma. r. A.
Ashton, territorial oil inspector, has
been one Of the devotees OF this method
OF road Improvement. He has found
that oil can be procured at an exceed
lngly low figure from the Beaumont.
Tex. fields. That oil has an aSphaltum
base which proves to be just the ele-
ment in making n road what Is desired.
He figures that right now a forty-two
gallon barrel Of this crude oil sufiici-
emily good for sprinkling roadways can
be had for i5 cents. II is believed that
the railroads, In the Interests OF the
interests Of the coupetaionshrdluupu
country IN commercial ,say. could be
Induced to handle it without great
charges In that way It is figured that
at cost Of from 800 to $500 a mile the
sprinhing process could be accomplish
ed comparatively cheap.
In San Bernardino county. Cal. the
plan originally was to utilize the oil in
laying the dust which there at seasons
makes life almost unbearable. For this
purpose its efficiency was found COM
plete. But the experiment proved to
be much farther successful. with sys-
tematic application OF the oil and ju-
dicious use Of It Immediately after
sprinkling, the particulars Of sand or
soiloran together into firm resilient
crust on the surface of the ground.
which proved to make a fine road
Teams could have their loads more
than doubled and still be able to move
them with greater ease than was pos
sible when the dust was deep. Rains,
when they came. as in arid countries
was often the case they did come, with
great downpours, did not wash out the
ipduH toNeleu Win OIL as IN the case
of those never sprinkled. After while
it WIS found that a few applications of
oil In a season put a highway I'm shape
not to need further attention Tor an en-
tire season.
President Titus, of the Logan County
Good Roads Association has under
consideration a plan for giving the oil
sprinkling scheme a test In Oklahoma.
In some localities there are deposits Of
sand which make 1t extremely hard
pulling for a team. The wagon wheels
sink deep into IT, and the horses them
selves having no firm footing find diff
ficulty in drawing a load. 1t Is prOpos-
ed to choose a piece of sandy road in
Logan county and sprinkle oil after the
directions of those capable of advising.
Should It be successful. there is a pos
sibility that Oklahoma would not have
to go outside OF her own limits 10 Sc
cure the oil. A number Of dicoveries
have taken place in the two territories
recently. and with their proper dew
elopment it may be found feasible TO
use this product i'm the construction and
maintenance Of first-class highways.
PERSONLS.