The Vinita daily chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1902-1913, 1911-11-24
Rock ASPHALT TO
| Be BEST MATERIAL
his Statement is Result of Investisa-
ton BY State And Federal Geo.
logical Departments.

ton BY State And Federal Geo.
logical Departments.
That the native rock asphalt of Ok
Iahoma will eventually become the
4eneral paving material for the thor
onghfares of the new industrial south
aest. is the recent statement of the
lew director of the Oklahoma geologi-
|hl survey, DIR. d. w. Ohern.
y Although Mr.. Ohern has only recent
b taken up active work as head of the
Nate survey, he has for several years
Been in ose touch with ex-Director
chas. n. Gould and his methods, as
@ell as having a complete knowledge
il the field problems Of Oklahoma geo.
pgy. Consequently Mr. Ohern is per-
aaps the best informed man along such
Ines in the state. Personally he is a
strong progressive" in matters con-
eerning the development Of the states
'esources, yet at the same time his
natural conservatism creates a sense
d absolute veracity in all his work.
The remark cited about is but the
result of a detailed investigation car
led on by the federal and state sur
Veys. Through this research it has
Deen found that deposits of asphaltic
1Dck, known as gilsonite, grahamite,
md maltha together with other rock
,itumens, occur in practically an in
sxhaustible amount throughout the
sDuthern area of Oklahoma In gen.
aral these deposits are found impreg
Eating limestones, sandstones and
shales. Many instances have been
bund where outcrops of rock asphalt
sxtend over an area of several acres.
b other cases borings have been put
iown several hundred feet in exposures
u this nature without going through
his deposit. In view of these facts
l is safe to say there is enough as
ohalt in this state alone to answer the
6orld's demand for several generations
b come.
8 Neither is the fact of it's advisability
s paving material in any sense fiction.
zlready it has proven highly satisfac-
Dry in various cities of Texas, Okla
.oma, Missouri and Kansas. For ex-
sInple r. L. McAlpine, city engineer
or Kansas City, states;
Some of the streets Of Kansas City.
No., have been paved with this ma
|erial (Oklahoma asphalt) and they
ire in better condition than some sheet
lsphalt streets that have been paved
|ater, after being down fifteen years,
). F. Peckham, chemist to the depart
nent of finance of New York City, in
bis book on solid bitumens says in ref
srence to the native rock asphalt paved
streets of Ardmore, Okla. "They are
|he product of the intelligent applica-
Iion of sound principles of technology
10 the manipulation of the best ma
Ierials for the construction of solid
pitlrainous streets yet found on the
american continents"
By actual experiment streets paved
With Oklahoma rock asphalt prove in
Every way superior to those paved with
pil asphalt, at the same time costing
less to lay down tha nthe refined BIZ
|umen import United States shipped
b from other countries 1851 short
lens Of asphalt, incidently 1882 short
ions of which came from the Isle of
Trinidad. On the other hand this coun-
Try only marketed 1O0,656 tons Of as
Dhaltic rock during the same year. Ok
ahoma contributing but 1889 short
sons Of that amount. With the publica-
jon of these facts there has been con
siderable public comment as to the
-easo1 for such condition Of affairs.
n view of tn eimmense deposits of
material in this state. To date
he answer has been simple enough
acis of capital and demand. Through
he efforts Of the state survey these
ire both being aroused. with the result
If an already increased output. 1t is
low only-a question of time before the
people see the advantage of superior
home product-when they do Okla