THE DUST PROBLEM.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1943, 29 December 1913, Page 5

THE DUST PROBLEM.

AS SOBVED' ! IN- , 'Bi\G'I>AKD. r 'V r,

The advent of motor-cars has effected a revolution 'in 'provincial and rural England which can scarcely yet be estimated fully. The dust nuisance though seemingly a small matter, was rapidly creating a deep-rooted hostility that was seriously menacing development, and even calling for reactionary legislation.

The problem, remarks a London jour-, nal has been' solved in two ways. First-ly!-where'the traffic is extremely heavy, tho roads have been relaid with tarred macadam, hut this method is too expensive for general extension both in first cost and upkeep..The other method is watering or spraying. Watering is prohibitive in cost because of tho rapid evaporation. Spraying with tar is effective, but very objectionable in hot weather.

But a method ,is_ in' use to a rapidlygrowing extent which combines the advantages of watering' with that of tarsnraving at a reasonablo cost, and eliminates tho disadvantages of tar. It has long been known'that calcitirn chloride attracts the moisture, which is present in tho ' driest atmosphero and retains that moisture tenaciously. A few years ago it was descovered that if a road was watered with a solution of calcium chloride the dust becamo impregnated with the calcium chloride, and the whole, instead of drying up., remained damp for from two to threo weeks. A modification of the process is to sprinkle the road with calcium chloride as a nowder, the result being the same as the most perfect watering, without tho expenses of watering, except once in three or four weeks, : Calcium chloride is a well-known .article of commerce-used largely^in. cold stores, and sells for .about £51, per ton. Tho niixturo-for.'.iWatering: isf-about 1 to C of- water, iwhilo r,tho powder entails no expense, except lithe coat of sprinkling every fow weeks.- Calcium chloride is odourless, - and harmless to both man and beast.