Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1904-06-23

as successful as we have been in
this, our first trial at keeping down
the dust, l shall be more than salts
fed that the process of oiling the
roads is a good one, and l see no
reason why it may not be extended
to the streets of our dust.burdened
city, and that with go-ahead
young mayor, and backed up by a
wise council intending to give the
city relief from its many ills so far
as lies in his power, we will soon be
as far in advance of other cities in
the state in the matters Of public
improvement, az our county under
the control of it's progressive coun'
ty judge, and his staff of magis.
trates is far ahead of all the other
counties of the state.
THE subject of oiling roads is re-
ceiving widespread attention in ev-
cry section of the country. The va.
rious good roads associations have
takenthe matter in hand, and the
national government has become
deeply interested in the subj ect and
has caused it's road experts work.
ing along these lines TO give the
oiling process a thorough investi-
CATION. If successful at any reason
able price the oiled roads will be a
boon to all those who live on the
public highways. The saving in
the matter of clothing alone would
pay the amount spent on oiling the
roads not to speak of the crops and
grass destroyed by dust along the
routes of travel. The injury to the
health of those who are subjected
to the maliga influence of dust is a
matter to be considered in an in.
vestigation like this and il is found
that even the stock are frequently
injured by the clouds of dust that
pour into their nostrils as they
Craze along the highways.
must be understood that the oil
process is not for the relief of the
dust nuisance alone. There is an
other good brought about by the
oiling that, while not so potent to
the public eye as the the laying of
the dust. yet serves prominent
and very desirable purpose. l re.
fer to the fact that the oil, penetra,.
ing the surface of the road and
forming an asphalt cushion or
base. rendering the road impervi-
GUS to water. 1t has been demon
strated by the experiments thus far
made that almost any kind of road
can be improved by the application
of oil TO it's surface. Take, for in.
stance, an ordinary dirt road of
loan and clay; after grading and
rolling the road 80 that the surface
is hard and smooth, the oil is APP
piled and sand spread aver its en-
tire area as soon as possible. Sand
appears to be the chief remedy for
all the difficulties in oiling, as in a
real asphalt street surface with
Trinidad or Bermuda lake asphalt.
the principal ingredient of the
wearing surface as well as the bind
er cover, is sand. So whatever soil
the road has for a foundation, il is
mixed with oil during the process
of oiling. To insure good results on
road of any material, il is impera-
tive that the bitches be kept open
giving free passage of the water
from the crown of the roadway to
the side drains and by the use of oil
there is little doubt that great saw
ing is made in the life of a road
where repairs would have to be un-
dertaken to a greater or less extent
had the road been left unprotected
by the oiIing process.
"If possible the oil should be APP
piled to the roadway, either after
being heated or during such sea-
SONS of the year as will insure the
surface of the road being as hot as