The Caucasian. (Shreveport, La.) 1900-192?, 1907-06-16

ors of Los Angeles, Cak 1t seems that
the contact of the rubber tire produces
first spreading, followed by contract
ing force against the road surface, caus-4
ing gradual loosening of the particles
which are whipped away from their
bearings by the rapidly revolving
wheels of the machine.
OILED ROADS.
In California, where rock and gravel
were never so abundant, we found oil
in most general use. A single purchase
of 10000 barrels of oil at ooc was made
while we were there, for county roads
work, and three millions is being voted
for road building in Los Angeles county
alone. There the soil varies from a
gravel and sand, to all sand, with
stretches of adobe. This adobe CORE
spends to our heavy stiff lands on Red
River, being devoid of sand, and work
ing into a putty when in contact with
water
Until recently the roads were roughly
thrown UP and sprinkled with oil, thus
laying the dust, which would otherwise |
be unbearable, and forming light crust
over the surface, no attention being
given either to PREPARATION of the sub
surface or the drainage; consequently
road thus eheaply built could accom-
plish little beyond the laying of the dust,
aving no solid foundation to support the |
cover and withstand heavy traffic. How
ever, engineering talent has within the
past FIVE Or six years been devoted to
along scientific lines, |
resulting i'll the construction, at low
relative cost, of the finest roads on the
American continent, using Oil and wa
ter, with an inch or so of sand as a top
We inspected miles of these
roads built in the different soils referred
to, many of which have stood the wear |
Of traffic for from three to four years, |
without one dollar of repair, and with |
no perceptible deterioration. The sur
face of these roads presents an asphalt |
ike appearance, comparing favorably to |
The eye with our asphalt and bitulithic
streets, being altogether free from dust,
and standing in highest favor with the
fraternity. Will here remark |
hat the difference between we'll and |
poorly constructed roads is as wide as
a pronounced success and an
AFFECT failure
The main features of construction |
consist in a thorough cultivation and
aamn1ering of the roadbed with a roller
weighing $50 pounds per inch width of
ire, after which it is cultivated to the |
inform depth of about four inches with
small gang plows until in prime loose
condition. Water and then oil are ap-
1lied, the former first to control the lat
er and hold it within four or FIVE inches |
% the surface; the cultivation is re-
,eated until the oil is thoroughly incor-
,orated in the loose mass, which is then
subjected to tamping process until per-
ectly firm. A short tooth harrow now
-uns over the surface until it is loos-
,ned up to the depth of about one inch,
after which one gallon of oil per square
Yard is applied and rolled in with
which travels back and forth |
n a serpentine course along the road
until impaction is thorough, across as
we'll as longitudinal. A drag twenty feet
ong is now used to smooth the surface,
md sand to the depth of one inch-more
n less, according to the soils evenly
applied, and is driven into and becomes
thoroughly incorporated with the inch of
surface earth impregnated with the last
application of oil. After which the road
PRESENTS firm stee1-hI,,e surface and is