Gloucester County Democrat., 1908-10-08
FURNACE STAG AND "CANDY ROADS
THE LATEST NOVELTIES.
Oflice of Public Roads of the u .. De-
partment of Agriculture makes
Unique Departure in High
way Construction.

In the effort TO give the Nation Dust
Proof Thorofares Experimental Roads are
Constructed with the by-products of Blast
Furnaces and Sugar Refineries.
Uniquely interesting are a number Of the
experiments now being conducted by the
Office Of Public Roads Of the United States
Departments Of Agriculture one being the
effort to build dust proof road by oom-
bining the heretofore little used blast fur
mace Stag, with asphalt or tar.
This endeavor is of she utmost economic
Importance, because of the hoped for sac-
cess is attained, unsighsly mountains Of
Stag will soon disappear from the vicinity
OF scores of cities, and ready market will
haye been established for vast quantities OF
this material.
For several years the scientists in the
Office Of Public Roads, as well as in many
of the more progressive States, haye been
working to achieve two great objects, viz:
the utilization OF by-produots in road
building and the developments OF dustless
roads. Experiments already conducted IN
dictate that crushed rock combined with tar
or asphalt preparations bid fair to solve in
measure the dustless road problem. Ex-
haustiye laboratory tests have indicated
that Stag in combination with preparations
Of tar or asphalt may be made to serve as
substitute for crushed rock. Sections OF
experimental road are now being construct
ed which will subject the materials TO ac-
tual service test II the results are as sat-
isfactory as she preliminary conditions In
dictate, the slag-asphalt or slag-tar roads
will realize the hope of the scientists for
both the utilization Of by-products and the
attainment of dustless road. One of these
experimental stretches of road is now in
course of construction at Chicago. under
the supervision of Chief Engipeer Vernon
M. Peirce, Of the Federal Bureau, and one
at Birmingham, Alabama, under the direc-
sion Of Mr. B. F. Heidel, First Assistant
Engineer.
The road at Chicago will be of Stag and
asphalt; that at Birmingham OF alag and
tar. The greatest skill and care will be
used in putting down these short stretches
and they will 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 never-failing market
will haye been created for blast furnace
waste
Besides this activity in Stag experiments,
the Public Roads Office is also busy at
Newton. Massachusetts, with special as
phalt preparation, never before tried, which
the Director and bis lieutenants hope may
prove efficacious as dust binding surface
material.
More unique than this, however, the
Office is preparing at the same place to lay
a stretch of what facetious writers are al
most certain to label Candy Road. y In
all flights Of fancy it is probable that no.
body except scientist would 90 so far
afield in research as to adopt molasses as a
road building material, but that is exactly
what has been done here, and Assistant
Chemical Provost Hubbard of Director
Pages scientific corps is leyeling half
mile stretch of road near Newton, and in a
few days will be III active supervision OF
the laying of the first molasses road of hie-
tory This molasses is the almost useless
bY-product Of the great cane sugar refiner-
les of the South, and the best sugar refner-
les Of the West and Southwest. Ii is SICK
ening sweet, nearly as black and as thick as
tar, and almost as powerful as binder.
Having always been waste product, it
can be bought at lower price than coal tar
and in gr eater quantities.
When the quantity and the sticky cor
sistency of this material was called to the
attention of Director Page, number oi
months ago, he conceived the idea that il
might aid in solving the always difficult
problem of dusty roads. He sent for sup
ply for laboratory experiments and detailed
Mr.. Hubbard to conduet them. The mo-
lasses was blended with oils and limewater
was mixed with rock dust, with earth and
with sand and tried out under heat and
under water. Il behaved 50 we'll and held
out suoh promises for ideal roads that the
practical test Of real road was recently
decided upon.
Stag as tbe useless py-product Of the
blast furnaces and "molasses' as the use
less BY -product Of the sugar refneIies may
in few years reyolutionize country road
building; create demand for more ex-
&opd al roado y, tho Sta toe xUhnro tharn ,nrf.,