Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1908-09-30
EXPERIMENTAL STRETCHES So
ING LAID IN TWO
PLACES.
ETHER ASPHALT OR TAR ARE
USED FOR BINDING
PURPOSES.

pullo a 0uSt-proof road by combining
Inc heretofore little used blast furn-
ace Stag with asphalt or tar. This
enoeavor is of the utmost economic
importance, because if the hoped for
success is attained, unsightly noun
tains of Stag will soon disappear from
the vicinity of scores of cities and
ready market will have been estab-
lished for vast quantities of this ma
terial.
For several years the scientists in
the office of public roads, as well as
in many of the more progressive
states, have been working to achieve
two objects, viz, the utilization of by
products in road building and the de-
velopment of dustless roads. Expert
ments already conducted indicate
that crushed rock combined with tar
or asphalt preparations bid fair to
solve in a measure the dustless road
problem. Exhaustive laboratory tests
have indicated that Stag in combina-
ton with preparations of tar or as
phalt may be made to serve as sub
stitute for crushed rock. Sections of
experimental road are now being con-
strdcted which will subject the ma
terials TO actual service test. If the
results are as satisfactory as the pre-
liminary conditions indicate, the Stag
asphalt or slag-tar roads will realize
the hope of the scientists for both
the utilization of by-products and the
attainment of a dustless road. One
of these experimental stretches of
road is now In course of construction
at Chicago, under the supervision of
Chief Engineer Vernon NJ. PIERCE of
the federal bureau, and one at Birm-
inghan. Alabama, under the direction
of B. F. Heidel, first assistant engin-
eer.
The road at Chicago will be of Stag
and asphalt, that at Birmingham of
Stag and tar. The greatest skill and
care will be used in putting down
these short stretches and they VIII
then be carefully observed during the
trying months of winter If in the
spring it has been established that
this class of road remains firm, does
not rut, sheds water and makes but
little dust, a vast step forward will
have been taken in road building, and
a never-failing market will have been
created for blast furnace waste.
Besides this activity in Stag ex-
periments, TIE pblic roads. Office
is also busy al Newton, Mass, with
a special asphalt preparation, never
before tried, which the director and
his lieutenants hope may prove effica-
cious as a dust binding surface ma
terial
More unique than this. however,
the Office is repairing at the same
place TO lay a stretch of what face
tious writers are almost certain 10
label candy road. In all flights of
fancy it is probable that nobody ex-
cept a scientist would go so far a6eld
in research as to adopt molasses as
a road building material, but that is
exactly what has been done here, and
Assistant Chemist Provost Hubbard
Of Director Pages scientific corps is
leveling a half mile stretch of road
near Newton, and in few days will
be in active supervision of the lay
ing of the first molasses road of his
tory This molasses is the almost
useless by-product of the great cane
sugar refineries OF the south, and the
beet sugar re cries Of the west and
southwest. ! is sickishly sweet,
nearly as black and as thick as tar
and almost as powerful as binder.
Having always been a waste product,
it can be bought at lower price than
coal tar and in greater quantities.
When the quantity and the sticky
consistency of this material was
called to the attention of Director
Page, a number Of months ago, he
conceived the idea that it might aid
in solving the laboratory experiments
and detailed Mr.. Hubbard 20 conduct
them. The molasses was blended with
oils and limewater, was mixed with
rock dust, with earth and with sand
and tried oft under heat and under
water II behaved so well and held
out such promises for ideal roads that
the practical test of real road was
recently decided upon.
Stag as the useless by-product OF
the blast furnaces and "molasses" as
the useless by-product Of the sugar
refneries may in a Jew years revo-
lutionize country road building; Gre
ate a demand for more extended
roads in the states where those pro
duets are easily to be had, and add
millions to the wealth OF the country
bv putting a cash value on hitherto
waste material
While experts are laboring with
these unique material experiments in
east south and middle west, another
scientist, also from the Office Of pub
lie roads, is engaged at independence
Kas.. in trying to devise a method Of
constructing oiled roads analogous
10 the methods which have produced
he famous oiled roads OF southern
California. He is mixing heavy OILS
possessing pronounced asphalac
bases with natural soil and sand and
contracting the preparation 50
formed with a tamping roller on