284 rocuksier academy ok science. [may 1 4, 



Asphalts and Asphaltic Rocks. 



There has been much discussion as to the use of the word 

 "asphalt." Ill this paper it has been used as a S3'nonym for 

 asphaltum. in which sense it is used in the Encyclopedias. The word 

 asphalt is also applied popularly to the mixture of asphaltum, mineral 

 tar and sand used for pavements, and this use is recognized by 

 Webster and The Century in their second definition. In Europe the 

 word asphalt is applied to the bituminous limestones or asphaltic 

 rocks there used for asphaltic pavements, and foreign writers have 

 assumed to correct our use of the word and say that there are few 

 "asphalt pavements " in America, and that nearly all so-called are an 

 imitation mixture. Their use of it is referred to by the Century 

 Dictionary but is not recognized as a definition, while our use is 

 sustained by nearly all authorities. 



The most noted supplies of asphaltum and asphaltic rocks may 

 be arranged in the order of their hardness as follows : — 



f . . . , \ Hit, Asiatic Turkey, 

 I I Coast Counties of California. 



Asphaltum, -{ [ Cuba, 



. , J California, 

 l^bolid, j ry^.^.^^^^ "Lake Asphalt," 



[ " "Land Asphalt." 



r^ , I California, Utah and Kentucky, 



Sandstones, \ .j , , rj. c v i ^ 



( Val-de-Travers, Switzerland. 



Asphaltic Rocks, -{ f Val-de-Travers, Switzerland, 



^ . Ragusa, Sicily, 



I Limestones, <^ *» ^ 



^ 1 Vorwohle, Germany, 



Seyssel, France. 



The bitumen used by the Babylonians to cement together the 

 bricks in their public and private buildings is supposed to have been 

 a semi-liquid, similar to the mineral tar, the oil being absorbed by the 

 bricks, leaving a perfect and imperishable cement of asphalt. It is 

 stated by Herodotus (I, 179) that in the walls of Babylon were used 

 bricks baked in kilns, and that hot asphalt was used as cement. From 

 this use as a cement is possibly the derivation of "asphaltum" from 

 a, not, and s/>/ia/o, to cause to slip. The source of this ancient 

 supply was the fountains of Is, (modern Hit, on the right bank of the 

 Euphrates), which still flow abundantly. 



