43

It therefore seems safe to say that petroleum residuum, spread
on a gravelled or macadamized street, at the rate of one barrel per
1100 square feet or say eights to nine barrells per block of ordinary
width street, will remedy the dust nuisance for one month, at a cost of
$8.00 to $9.00.

In my judgment a second application will last much longer, pro-
bably twice as long as the first.

There was considerable complaint at the time the oil was laid
both from owners of vehicles, and from pedestrians, as to injuries to carriage
varnish and clothing, by reason of contact with the puddles of oil ly-
ing in depressions of the streets.

Were the depressions filled, the surface dust and dirt removed,
the oil put on thinner and more evenly, (as it could be were a sprinkl-
ing cart specially prepared for the purpose used), and the street
blocked to travel for say forty eight hours after the sprinkling, so as
to allow the oil to sink into the ground, the above named objections
would be obviated.

The only remaining objections that have been urged, towit: injury
to rubber tires by reason of the corrosive action of the oil, and
injury to carpets by ¨oily mud" tracked in upon them, I deem to be
baseless and untenable, if streets are left unused for a short time
after sprinkling.

On the whole, I am quite favorably impressed with the results of
the oil sprinkling experiment, and hope to see more applied.

Respectfully,

John B Hawley
City Engineer