The Democratic advocate., 1909-05-07
ROADMAKING With OIL
METHOD OF CONSTRUCTION VALUABLE
FOR DIRT and MACADAM
Oiled Highways Are DuSiIesS, KudIeSS
and NOISeIeSS

year, more good roads will be built
In Kansas during the next twelve
months than in any other state In the
Union. Mr.. Smell Investigated road
conditions for the Standard Oil Com
pany. The big trust Is seeking a
market for its surplus Of oil left after
the more valuable products have been
taken from It. The surplus oil is now
sold chiefly for fuel.
The company expects to build a
mile of good road near the State Agri-
cultural college at Manhattan, Kan, -
Mr.. Smell said. I'VE expect to show
by the experiment that an oiled road,
whether built with earth or crushed
rock, is not only the most durable,
but in the end Is the most economical
I'm every state there Is annually
spent millions of dollars in building
new roads. In few cases is any con-
siderable sum spent on the roads to
preserve them. Oiled roads are not
only dustless, mudless and noiseless,
but they are practically self healing
that is, they improve with use. The
dirt and oil roads give horses good
footing, while the tires OF the vehicles
iron out the hoof marks
Experiments made on Kansas City
boulevards and on roads In Jackson
county, which were coatedd with oil,
have been watched by men and or
ganizations interested in good roads
The use of oil on boulevards and roads
in Jackson county was among the ear
lier experiments in its use. Adopted
for use to prevent dust, IL was found
that oil also Is preservative. In his
report to the board OF park commits
sioners on the use Of oils on Kansas
City bouleyards, w. II. Dunn. super
intendent OF parks. said the results
we're remarkable"
The city paid an average of TIN
cents barrel of forty-two gallons for
the oil. An area equal to 1010 $50
square yards was oiled. The cost OF
oiling per square yard was slightly
more than cent, representing the oil.
labor and supplies. The oil subdued
dust. Had the same area been sprin-
kled with water TO prevent dust the
cost would have been "a cents per
square yard. Mr. Dunn estimated
that the cost Of sprinklIng the area
oiled last summer would have been
$16,20732. The expense of oiling
this area was $10,671.44. The direct
baNihE III Aeinh Oil wan GbyHpnsNht vi
"a per cent. The indirect benefit fol-
lowed In marked saving In the cost
of maintaining the boulevards and the
uniform excellence OF their condition.
Good roads naturally are a rural
problem. In the cities no progress can
be made unless the thoroughfares
used for business and pleasure are
paved and maintained in good condi-
tion. Country towns are concerned
as much with good roads as are the
farmers who use them. In country
towns business practically is at a
standstill in rainy seasons. Bad roads
keep the farmers at home. II the
. farmer had At thoronghfare 10 the
village he could do his trading on
days when be could do no tasks IN
the fields, II Is far more desirable
that the farmer should visit his near
est town In the rainy season than az
any other time. as the commodities
he has to sell command the highest
prices when rain keeps him at home.
The regents Of the Kansas State
Agricultural college were among the
first Of the governors OF agricultural
colleges in the United States to realize
the vital concern which coed roads
are to farmers. Not only was there
the feature of poor roads following
rain, but there was the every day fea-
ture OF Ifsts, pools and poor roadbed
generally.
The college board OF regents named
Albert Dickens to take charge OF ex-
perimental road work in Kansas. Mr
Dickens selected one-fourth of mile
of road west of the reformatory al
Hutchinson to use in the first experi-
ment He reported upon the test as
follows
The soil was fair sample OF the
sandy loan of the Arkansas valley Al
the date OF Its selection no rain had
fallen for ten days. The sand was
several inches deep. Loads consist.
ing Of fifty bushels OF grain made an
exceedingly heavy load for a stronP
draft team. A good carriage team
r3quired much urging to pull the car
riage faster than walk.
After the grading was completed
and the roadbed was well formed
where fills we're required the entire
road, one-fourth mile In length and
thirty feet wide. was plowed TO q
depth OF about four and one-hali
inches and thoroughly pulyerlzed with
harrow and disk. A disk, sci
straight. was run before the oil sprln.
king tank to open small burrows, and
a harrow followed the oil sprinklne
tank to thoroughly mix the soil and
oil
The oiling was done the first days
OF October The oil was not heated
The tank OF 500 gallons would cover
about $500 square yards once. The
harrow followed each application
When one gallon to each square yard
had been applied the soil seemed
nearly saturated to the depth of the
plowing, four and one-half inches
After narrowing the last time a heavy
float was used to smooth the surface
In a week the road was sufficiently
firm to allow rolling. A twelve tor
roller was used, going over the road
several times until Il seemed to be
thoroughly firm. After week the road
was used by all kinds of trafilc II
was firm, but not hard. A sharr
shod horse left the calk marks plainly
outlined, but did not tear up the sol
even when driven at quick trot
One reason for building the road
in the fall was to note the effect ot
lFeezlHB weather Inc road was moi
seriously affected. II seemed that ths
cotaing OF oiled soil kept the underly
ing soil sufficiently dry to prevent ser.
ious heaving by frost
Mr.. Dickens ended the report By
saying that the road is in good condi
ton. Under his direction roads aIsC
were built near the Agricultural col
lege in black loan; at Maple HILL II
the Mill creek valley, In soil knowr
as "gumbo;" at Garden Cityin ''as baC
a stretch Of road as can be found any
where" being Of sand, which absorbed