Polk County observer. (Monmouth, Polk County, Or.) 1888-1927, 1910-12-09
wATERpRooFING STREETS.

Inc ODSeTV6F D6lleNSS every. ASSl
dent of the incorporated towns o
Polk County will be interested in tn
new method of surfacing streets
known as "waterproofing." While th
process is yet in the experimental
stage in the United States, it has al
ready become general in England AM
other countries of Europe. 1t is claim
ed for this process that 1t is both &c
onomical and sanitary, and that /
keeps the streets free from dust II
Summer and from mud in Winter.
AS we understand the waterproofini
process, a good macadam is laid in tn,
first instance, that is the surface Il
made as smooth as 1t can be got will
macadam. This is swept clear of dus
and hot tar is sprinkled over 1t by {
machine, at the rear of which is a re-
volving brush, which thorough!
spreads the tar over the macadam
Before the tar has had time to cool
sand is sprinkled upon it, and this il
rolled and is Immediately ready fol
traffic. The surface of such road re-
sembles first class macadam.
At the International Road Congress
held recently in Brussels, the water
proofing of macadam streets was the
subject of an able paper by Col r. e
r. Compton, of London. In this re-
spect the choice of surfacing mater
ials is considered, and the statements
made thereon are worthy of the most
careful consideration by the officers in
charge of the construction of our
city highways. 1t is possible that in
a little experimenting along this line,
Dallas might find relief from unde-
sirable conditions now connected with
it's method of matchmaking the
streets of the city. The full text of
Colonel Compton's report is here print
ed for the benefit of our readers:
'It will be found convenient to di-
vide the roadways of our towns into
three classes, the first being the widely
used macadamized road which forms
the chief part of the roadways of viii
lagos and small towns; and very
large proportion of the roadways of
the larger towns, the second class be-
ing the improved roadways usually
covered with wood or asphalt pave
ment which has been so largely adopt
ed in all the large cities and in many
of those of moderate size and thirdly,
the granite set pavement that is used
wherever the traffic Is exceptionally
heavy, such as that on the roadways in
the immediate vicinity of docks,
a.i,x al
where heavy goods have to be contin-
ously handled. and where traffic tom
mage per square metre is consequently
exceptionally heavy
Taking these in order, at the pres
ent time we find in England that the
improvement of the first class, namely,
of macadamized roadways, is of para
mount Importance. These roads are
chiefly found in the residential dis
tricts, whether these be old or new, in
which the residents live, in order to
obtain comparative quietness and free
dom from the nuisance caused by traf-
fic. The roadways should be formed
so as to possess certain characteristics,
the principal ones being that they
should allow the traffic to pass over
them as nolseless as possible; they
should be free from dust in summer
and from mud in winter. should be
easily cleansed. and should be econ
omical in the cost of maintenance.
up to a few years ago these con-
ditions could not be satisfactorily met
by any existing form of macadamized
road, but since the advent OF water
proofing the road surface by tar treat
ment has become general, at any rate
I'm England, the author thinks that this
problem OF treating town roads can be
solved in a satisfactory manner, for
the development OF tar treatment, the
practical commencement of which
dates only three years ago, has been
so great that In the residential districts /
of London I'm which these roads have
been already so treated il has proved |
to be OF exceptional benefit and COM
fort TO the inhabitants who live in the
houses adjoining these roads. The sue
cess OF the treatment depends on
thorough study OF the materials used.
the selection OF the tar on a bitumln-
Gus binder being OF great Importance 4
This selection is again dependent on
the nature of the stone used. and on
the extent to which this can be dried
previous to impregnation. This didicul-
ty is accentuated in England on ac-
count Of the great uncertainty OF our
Another matter requiring much Fkil
and experience r. the correct choice OF
the available GRANTEES. basalts. and
other roadway materials the tar-im-
bibing properties OF which differ con-
among themselves Again. II
Is important that attention should be
paid TO the heat-radiating properties
OF these materials as otherwise there
II a tendency for hoar frost TO be de-
posted on the tarred surfaces. which /
render them slippery and likely to
give bad footing to horses or insum-
cient adhesion TO the rubber-covered
driving wheels Of mechanically pro-
PEELED vehicles.
Another secret OF success "a that
lhe tar or bituminous binder should be
applied IN minimum quantity. only
Just SUFFICIENT 20 render the road wa
ierproof FOR any excess OF tar which
-emalns fluid within the road after the
.raflc is turned on 70 it o. liable 20
-emain in this condition for a long
ime 90 that the individual stones
ormlng the road surface. Instead Of =
,eing held frmly IN position. are al
owed ~ the lubricating action Of the ;
an nuid tar 10 move among them-
elves and hence are ground up by
mutual affrition and destroyed. a. vas
he case with water-bound macadam q
oads during ne ven wet weather or S
ner frost
There are two distinct methods Of