The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1908-05-15
INTERESTING PAPER ON The
PREVENTION OF DUST ON ROADS
VARIOUS EFFECTIVE AaE SUGGESTED TO THE CITY
FATHERS coNNoR J. AKIN

the remedies for preventing dust on
roads and streets was read. The ar
ticle follows:
The Tarvia principle of dust pre-
yention is not new. but dates back 20
1896. when experiments with various
Tar products were begun in France by
the League for the Suppression OF
Dust This process is now the COM
mon and standard method of road
building in France. The Road Com
missioner of the Department, states
that he was prompted to experiment
with coal tar on road surfaces through
frequently noticing that where tar
had been spilled accidentally on the
road it left "inextinguishable black
stains" The road was preserved long
err in these spots than anywhere else,
and the black stains soon appeared In
relief as the road wore down around
them. The result of his experiments
was so decisive that they were fol-
lowed nv numerous other tests in 9th
er parts of the country. Today coal
tar compositio is the standard meth
cd all over France for preventing
dust. These roads are declared to be
the finest in the world.
The need of such a preparation for
American highways has long been felt.
The growing use of AUTOMOBILES
(Which by the vortex caused by their
high speed, throws up great clouds OF
dust) has given increased emphasis
to this need. The force with which
these cars are driven, together with
the heavy rubber tires (often steel
shod) used thereon, have produced
conditions which macadam roadways,
as originally made, do not satisfac-
torily meet. The continually cupping
of the macadam surface by automo-
biles must be overcome if such road
ways are to remain in favor. More
over there has come to be more
general comprehension Of the follow
ing facts:
1st That dust is "a needless nui-
sance.
End. 1t is a decided menace to
health.
3rd. A properly built road will be
free from both dust and mud under all
conditions of traffic and weather
In the use of tar the belief is, we
have preparation which properly ap-
piled land this is not a difficult pro-
oess), will maintain and make macad-
am roads dustless at an annual saving
of 25% over present methods.
The common preventative of dust
is, the sprinkling of water, method
that is wasteful and temporary. Wa
ter acts as a solvent on an ordinary
road, forming mud, which soon be-
comes dust again, leaving conditions
worse than ever Water in the form
Of heavy rains disposes of the dust
bv washing it into the gutter, but
thereby exposes the foundation of the
roadway and necessitates a new top
dressing to overcome the resulting |
roughness. With the French, water
sprinkling is rarely or never used by |
the authorities to suppress dust OIL, ,
has been experimental with, has not
been satisfactory Coal tar prepara-
ton alone has stood the test The
method of application of Tar is simple
and requires no unusual or expensive I
The road must be very
dry and for this reason it is prefer
able to do the work during successive
" summer sunny days. If the work
is interrupted by rain, operations
should be suspended until the road Is
dry again; otherwise the tar will not
property.
The road should be swept carefully
and all the dust removed. The tar
should be applied hot in order that 1t
may percolate as far as possible into
the macadam. II should be allowed I
TO penetrate for few hours, during
which time such quantities as collect
in low spots in the road should be 4
brushed out evenly with a soft broom
Next cover the road with layer OF
clean, fine stone screening, sufficiently
heavy only to take up the surplus tar
on the surface. The road
should then be thoroughly rolled with
a heavy steam roller One year after
the first tarviating, a second layer OF
tar should be used in the same way
and under the same conditions Only
one-half as much tar will be required
In fact, the road will refuse to absorb
more than that quantity, the inter
stices being filled from the frst APP
plication.