Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1904-04-14
OIL ROADS ARE TALKED OIL
After Two Applications, One In TIT
Spring and One In the Fall, q
Country Road is Fixed.

| WV I'''P,''y 'P's'
killed. with oil the first time in The
spring and then again in the fa'l
aud once year thereafter, no bet
ter roads will be found anywhere
1t il true when the oil ia fret APP
piled that it is very disagreeable
and especially offensive to women
but after the benefits are realized
only words of satisfaction are forth
coming.
Take for instance in southern Cal
ifornia where oil sprinkling has
been tried more than anywhere el-e
in this country. Three years ago
only few streets in one or two
to wns had been oiled, followed by
showers of indignant complaint.
Now miles and miles of streets and
country roads have been converted
into pleasant driveways by the use
OF oil. There. where perpetual rum
m-r rrigns, and where there il no
rain Tor six and eight months at "a
stretch. the dust becomes II nuis-
ance to reckon with. Since oil came
into use az a dust layer no finer
drives can be found than in that
country. The first cost, il is true. il
considerable, but the ease with
which the roads are thereafter ept
in condition in the long run makes
the process one of great economy
to the tax payers, to say nothing of
the comfort and pleasure derived.
If, when the public roads are
worked this spring and rounded
up. slipping from the middle 10 the
cutters. they are treated to a liberal
application of oil. afterwards har-
rowed. as is sometimes done and
the process repeated next fall. there
is no question IA to what will be-.
come of the custom in Kansas. AT.
ter few years the oil will become
thoroughly worked into the earth,
which will soon become packed
and hard. and after the second APP
plication. in some places after the
first, depending upon the soil. will
have the appearance of macada.
mized roads. There will be no dust.
no cutting up of the roads and no
chuck holes. II the roads properly
rounded up in the fret place they
will pack down that way and when
the rains come the water will run
off like rain from a ducks back. At
Bakersfield, Cal, where the largest
oil field was found. all hauling had
to be over one road to reach the
field, there was no other way, and
part of that was through the river
low lands. but after the use of oil
no better road could be asked, and
the heavy hauling did not cut them
up. Il
The reply is made that oil in Cal
ifornia 10 much cheaper than il is in |
Kansas. Not than il was when road |
sprinkling with oil was begun; not
than II is now in most places of the
state when freight rates are taken
into consideration. Again, the
heavy oil lie best adapted for sprink-
ling purposes, and that ia selling
for IS cents a barrel. Road sprink-
ling with oil can be done az cheap
" in Kansas as It can in California.
All that lie wanted 10 some board
Of supervisors to take the initiative
and others will quickly follow
There is scarcely town in South
ern California now that has not oil
sprinkled streets, some of them 325
miles removed from the off fields.
Good roads 10 one of the bless
ugs the oil business has promised
10 Kansas; roads the year around
neutrality-suspicious. Re-
porter.
The Cherokee County and Qua
paw Agency, retail druggists, held
! very interesting meeting here