The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1908-10-12
DUST PREVENTIVES
BY PROVOST HUBBARD
Public Roads Office at Washington, D, c.,
Issues an Important Docu-
fflent.

Washington, D. G., Oct l2.-"Dust
Preyentiyes,' by Provost Hubbard issued
as bulletin No. 81, 4. $. Office Of Public
Roads, ia the latest cpntr ubitionGpJ
Roads, Is the latest contribution to liter.
ature on road construction and mante.
nance, Mr., Hubbard's paper aas been
prepared TO meet the growing demand
BY road engineers for specific intorma-
ton on the important subject OF dust
prevention. He has made research OF
all literature on the subject supplement,
| ing this with the results OF actual cx.
periments made BY the Office of Public
Roads. Interest has been recently re.
awakened in the problem of the proven.
ton Of dust on country highways, the
well night universal use of the automo-
bile being responsible for the additional
study and experiments. Road engineers
are now agreed that the automobile when
moving at a high speed is destructive to
macadam roads, the broad soft tires lift.
ing the rock dust and scattering il over
adjacent fields. A road robbed OF this
fine surface binding material retrogrades
rapidly. That Indictment now lies
against the modern motor car, but on
the other nand the introduction of the
machine has done much to awaken an
interest, not merely in dust prevention,
but in the entire slbject of road improve.
ment. Therein the automobile is en-
titled to credit. 1t Is super1uous to add
that clouds of dust are annoying, not
only to the users Of the highways, but
to the residents whose property borders
upon them, and that they affect public
health and depreciate the value of prop.
erty.
Mr., Hubbard in his discussion Of meth.
DDS of overcoming this condition, divides
the problem into two parts, first by APP
plying materials that will hold the dust
down, and second, by adopting a form OF
road construction that will reduce dust
formation and tie wear of the roads to
a minimum. These, he says, may be
attained by temporary" and by "perma-
nent" binders-those under the tempo
rary" classification being materials which
must be frequently applied, the 'perma.
neEt" ones being the heavier materials,
which through one application maintain
the road surface in dustless condition
for a season.
The author describes the manufacture
and properties Of tar, pointing out the
differences between tar from coke ovens.
from gas plants, refined coal tar and
water-gas tar. 4 chapter on the applica-
tion Of tars follows and brings out the
fact that the painting OF road surfaces
with tar was considered in France as
early at 1867, although the work was
not begun in earnest until 1902. The
chapter contains clear directions for APP
plying the material to the road both
used as palliative and for use in per
manent construction. Much data is given
as to cost and quantities of materials.
and examples are cited of successful
roads built by the aid Of various tars.
After the consideration of tars, the au.
thor deals with the classification and
properties Of oils and gives the location
Of all the producing fields in the United
States. He describes the method Of re-
filming oil and the charter of the residum,
and draws comparisons between crude
oil and the by-products of the refined
oil.
A chapter dealing with water and salt
solutions including calcium chloride fol.
lows, and the portion Of the bulletin
relating to materials terminates with
chapter on temporary tar and oil binders,
emissions and similar preparations.
Mr. Hubbard concludes his treatise by
calling attention to the Importance OF
careful selection of dust representatives.,
making valuable suggestions for the
choice of materialsf or treating country
roads, suburban and park roads respec.
lively He gives an exhaustive expa-
nation of the methods of examination.
and outlines tentative specifications for
the use Of dust representatives.. The bull
letin should do much toward directing
experimental work in this important field
along proper lines.