The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1906-12-02
SEN. Mann s
O|[|NCf SCHEME
Continued from Ninth Pase.)

lis, Of Lexington, KY, began expert
menting with crude petroleum taken
from what is known as the Ragland
district in Kentucky. The oil used
was heavy, dark in color, and contain
ed from 50 to so per cent of asphalt.
Several macadam and gravel streets
and turnpikes in and about Lexington
were first treated. The result was a
revelation in the way OF health, com
fort and economy, and since that
time the work has been extended I'M
til there are now over so miles of
turnpike and streets in Fayette coun-
ty which have been treated with this
oil.
Among the advantages obtained by
oiling is the fact that the dust is abb
solutely eliminated. The fluid part OF
the. oil sinks into the ground and af-
ter several oilings layer several in
cheS deep is formed, the material be-
ing bound together in a solid mass
On the top there remains coating
OF asphalt each year growing in depth
until after a few years perfect as
phalt surface is produced, elastic, but
not slippery in wet weather.
No oil should be used except one
containing an asphalt base, and the
larger the percentage of asphalt in the
oil the better the result obtained.
Oil with paraffine base is injurious
and worthless.
The cost at Lexington, which is
near the oil fields, is about two cents
a square yard for each Oiling; at more
distant points the cost is of course
increased by the additional freight
rate on the Oil This quality of oil
can be had in some parts of Kansas
and some parts of Illonis The heavy
Texas oils also answer the same pur-
pose.
! 1t has been demonstrated that the
saving in repairs of macadam street
/ treated with ,.is oil ranges from fifty
to seventy-five per cent; consequently
the treatment pays for itself many
times over. One stretch of pike four
miles long first treated five years ago
with oil, and to-day finer than any
park boulevard which has been sprin-
killed. with water to keep down the
dust, cost in four years for repairs
$4,000 or $3.50 per mile, a little
more than $500 per mile per year.
Where the road is subject to ordinary
traffic, one oiling a year is sufficient
Where the travel is excessive it
should be oiled twice year. 1t
should be carefully swept and cleaned
before the oil is applied. 1t will then
absorb less oil and the oil will pene-
trate the roadway better. For forty
eight or seventy-two hours, according
to the condition of the weather, it will
be unpleasant until the fluid portions
of the oil have ben absorbed. The
oil is also likely to be tracked onto
the sidewalks and into the houses I'M
less care is exercised. After that. it
produces smooth, brown surface
agreeable to tf1e~ eye. relieving it
from the glare of the macadam road
in the hot sun, nOiseless for vehicles
and pleasant to ride over. The as
piialt oil has but little odOr, and this
is not unpleasant and disappears en-
tirely after a few days. An oil with
a paraffine base continues to be ex-
tremely offensive.
The statement sometimes made that
the surface of an oiled road is not
clean is erroneous. Last summer af-
ter very heavy rainstorm | threw
my handkerchief on the middle of a
road and placed my foot upon it, and
picked it up without there being a
sign of any discOlOratiOn or dirt
In treating macadam or gravel
road with oil the best results are Sc
cured by having the road constructed
with good crown in order that it