Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1908-11-21
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ROAD KILLS WEEDS
WITH SILT {: !. WATER I:
-- .------------; -
Some Interesting Results Of Ex-
periments on Oregon
Short Line.
- --- -
is NOW ANNUAL FEATURE :
is NOW ANNUAL FEATURE.
Saline Fluid Readily Destroys ordin-
airy Weeds and Dandclions, but
Docs Not Affect Foxtuil.

Figures on the results of sprinklins
the lines of its railroad tracks with
salt water for the destruction OF weeds,
which has become an annual feature
with the road, have been given out by
the Oregon Short Line. Tho practise
was inaugulated several years ago, by
way or experiment.; but the results
were 50 satisfactory that this method
of destroying the noxiouB weeds and
grasses which grow along the roadbed
almost the entire length of It's track
was hailed as an effective, as well rs
an economical way of accomplishing
what had heretofore required the la
borious efforts of many laborers to per-
form.
On some portions of the road, the
weeds had obtained such a firm foot
Ing that 1t was necessary to go over
the track as many as II times before
the weeds were killed. This was the
case on the line west out of Ogden.
between Little Mountain, Promontory
Point and Salina, where the cost was
necessarily higher than on the other
divisions, where scarcely second
sprinkling was necessary. On the track
west of Ogden. train of Six water cars
was used and liz miles of main line
were covered and AS miles Of side
tracks. The ground was covered 10
times, and 1906 GALLONS of aalt water
per mile were used. The regular train
crew and two section laborers were
used for the work. and the entire cost
of the sprinkling, which proved cffec-
tual In destroying the weeds, was
sls.96 per mile.
The conditions were out OF the ordi-
nary, however, on this particular
branch. The sprlnkling had been left
so long that the weeds and grasses had
secured firm hold on the ground and
did not succumb to the effects Of the
salt water so readily as IL they had
been sprinkled earlier in the season.
COST OF THE WORK.
On the Utah division of the road,
the results were different. OF total
Of 1852 miles Of road covered, 100 OF
which were on the main line and SO
miles on sidings, some of which requir-
ed second sprlnkling, the cost footed
up $2.79 for the first sprinkling and $1.96
for the second sprinkling. For this to-
tai mileage $4,000 gallons of water
We're used. The results achieved were
most satisfactory, the weeds generally
whitening up within "a hours after the
application Of the water to their roots.
INTERESTING RESULTS.
Some interesting results of salt water
aprinkling We're noted by the men in
charge of the work. On the Mcnan
branch In Idaho, the water was effec-
tive in killing ordinary weeds and
dandelions, but had no effect upon the
weed known as foXtail. Another ad-
vantage Of the sprinkling is that the
salt water goes to form n crust over
the face OF the soil. and assists in
keeping down dust on the sections
sprinkled.
On the Minidoka branch weeds grow
to such an extent that when the wind
blows them over the track they inter-
fere with the progress Of trains. When
the salt water sprinkling Is brought In
to use on this branch the results will
be most salutary, enabling the trains
to make better time and keeping the
roadbed in Il much better condition.
EQUIPMENT USED.
The results OF the track sprinkling
have been most satisfactory to the of
flcials of the road, and there is no
question that this method OF weed
killing Will be permanent annual fea-
sturc of the operation of the road The
salt water is obtained from a point on
Salt lake about eight miles west OF
Ogden, spur of the road having been
built for the purpose. and pumping
plant having been installed Ordinary
steel coal cars are used to carry the
water, the one of which is fitted with
a double sprinklng attachment, which
sprinkles the water over the roadbed
a distance of eight feet on either side Of
the center of the rails