The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-09-15
OILED STREETS ARE
 BEING GIVEN TRIAL
Glen Iris Section to Be In-
 spected Today
J. R. STAGGS IS HERE
the Results for the Benefit of the City Commis-
 sioners
sioners

The test of road oil on the streets of Birmingham with standard asphaltic road oil, made by the Standard Oil company under the direction of Com missioner James Weatherly, will be of fcially looked over this morning by the commissioners.
 The city has caused 15 city blocks to be treated with road oil near Glen Iris park. on St. Charles street. on vir- ginia avenue and on other streets in that immediate territory. The work men concluded the task yesterday and J. R. Staggs of Covington, Ky, of the Standard oil company road oil de- partment. looked over the work.
 The purpose of the commissioners in pla cling oil upon the macadam noad ana chert roadways of the city is to en- deavor to reduce the dust evil and to eliminate as far as possible noise and other objections which accompany un- treated streets.
 MT. Staggs said yesterday that the treatment of streets with the oil used in the test was a most progressive step on the part of Birmingham. He said that no city ever yet abandoned the plans of oiling streets once the system had been started.
 The oil placed on that street." said MT. Staggs, pointing down St. Charles street yesterday morning. Ifs 30 per cent asphaltic contents with other in gredients that render it most eff oiu streets a long life.
 The treatment absolutely lays all the dust as you may see, kills all veg etable matter and germ life. and makes the roadway absolutely noseless. We have known germ of the most az gressiye character to be thrown upon the oiled roadways which was instant ly killed by the conditions caused by the oil.
 The oiled roadway kills all vege- table matter and germ life by reason of the chemical composition. As for dust the oil lays it for an indefinite time. The most constant wear and tear w4.4 not take from the surface the oil which holds the dust to the roadway. in this treatment is the maintenance of in this traeatment is the maintenance of the streets By placing this oil upon them the streets may be maintained for almost nothing. The treatment costs about cents per yard, and never more than cents per square yard That initial oil- ing will last for eight months or per haps little less time. A renewal will cost about half the initial amount. It renders a chert or macadam roadway al most equivalent to a permanent pave ment of the best character, although fre- quent renewals are needed in the oil treatment.
 The city of Birmingham could reduce it's cost phenomenally if this treatment were carried on over the city, and there would be little need for the costly up- keep when this treatment is applied.
 ''rhe oil will not under any circum- stances burn and the odor that is found upon the freshly oiled streets soon goes away. Excessively hot days will cause this 10 be more pronounced. The color finally becomes light brown or grayish hue. and is not at all displeasing to the eye"
 The tests made In the region of Glen Iris are said to be very satisfactory to the residents of that community. Yes terday 1t was impossible to stir up any dust on the oiled streets, however fast an automobile was driven. The roadway is somewhat black now, but MT. Staggs said the color would Tighten very rapidly after it had dried out. He said rain upon the oiled streets does not cause any deteriora- ton, and that the virtues of the oil were not to be overrated
 The commissioners intend to make a most thorough test of road oil, and to that end the roadway to the State Fair grounds will be oiled today.