The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-09-21
oil 1O1LAY DUST
SCORES SUCCESS.
EXPERIMENTS IN ENGLAND AND
.. WHAT THEY SHOW.
Dust-Raising Motor Cars Nuisance of
Great Magnitude - Creosote Oil
Mixed with Rosin or with Tallow--
Many Other Experiments.

Liverpool.-The rapidly increasing
use OF motor cars in England has di-
rected great deal of attention to the
best means Of laying the dust which
these cars raise. 1t is recognized by
the highest medical authorities that dis
ease germs are widely scattered by the
dust clouds which motor cars place in
motion, and that the dust thus circu-
lated is one of the causes of consump-
ton and disease of the throat and lungs.
Merchants stocks are also damaged.
Many protests and demands for relief
have been made. Dust raising is
nuisance of such magnitude that vari-
GUS civic and official andti-dust expert
ments have been made. While the prob
lem has not fully been solved, the re-
suit of some of these experiments may
America who are confronted with the
same situation. There has been great
deal of discussion in England as to who
should defray the expense Of keeping
the highways in sanitary condition, and
1t is strongly urged that considerable
portion of the expense should be borne
by those who necessitate the outlay.
Quite satisfactory results have been
secured in Liverpool thru the use of oil
sprlnkled upon macadam roadways. The
surface having the cleanest and whitest
sote oil mixed with rosin, while that
covered with creosote oil mixed with
tallow had the least odor. The surface
covered with ordinary petroleum was
the first to show the dust. The next in
order was mixture of creosote oil with
rosin and tallow, and then the hot Gre.
osote oil alone. Creosote oil mixed with
pitch, cold creosote oil, and hot .creosote
oil mixed with a small quantity Of
Mitch C1oI rao,1to 1o,,& L.
gave a bad appearance, The heavy
black oil (coal tar waste oily lasted
slightly longer than the creosote oil and
was much cheaper. The Texas crude
petroleum gave the most lasting results,
and portions of the road heavily coated
with this oil showed somewhat glazed
surface formed of oil and dust. From
the standpoint Of the wear and tear of
the road surface. the oiling on the whole
has proved advantageous, the wear ap
pears to be less; the surface of the road
dries more quickly after rain; and the
been reduced. The first sprinkling kept
been reduced. The first spinkling kept
the surface in good order for three
weeks, at the end of which time it was
thought advisable to recover the area.
The good effects Of the oil on the sur
face after a second coating had been
applied had not entirely disappeared
after the lapse Of five weeks. The cost
varied from one-half cent to ! cent per
made as to the smell Of the oil, espe-
cially the creosote, but against this it
was claimed that as long as the smell
remained flies practically disappeared
from premises adjoining the roads. Oil
ing wood pavements in Liverpool was
done in the same manner and the dust
satisfactorily kept down, a result pre-
vlously not obtained even by watering
four times day, and the surface Of the
road was maintained in good condition
during dry weather without gravel. It
rainfall, and to avoid this it was found
necessary to sprinkle little gravel on
the roadway. - = = - ..,'o->% s>~ '''
The district council Of Norwich has
also been experimenting with the dust
laying. problem, shrinking with a cal
eium-chloride solution. This is made
by diss sI}S one h, hh99ndssdweight Of
ter. The chloride is sold at 1929 a
ton at the chemical works. The expert
ment was tried for fourteen days over
three lengths Of main road, The first
cost only $4.44, as against 1918 with
water, which has to be applied daily;
the second $3.50, against $2O.33, and
the third 1888, against $40.55. The
194ld appeared to change the gravity
Of the dust particles, preventing them
from being blown about either by wind
or motor cars. The roadway seemed to
be bound, and in dry weather had a.
good surface. The liquid absorbed the
mois ture, and each night an amount Of
moisture was gained which prolonged
the effect of the treatment This re-
viving influence was apparent for fully
three weeks after the expiration Of
the treatment. During wet weather
there was q tendency for the SURFACE
dried and set hard. The conditions
vary SO greatly it is preferable, per
haps, that the method Of application
should be determined by experiments
in each particular district, but the re-
suit of the treatment of roads in Nor
witch has been most satisfactory to the
surveyor of the council