In 1838, there was a flurry of entrepreneurial activity involving bitumen, which had uses beyond paving.
ɪn wˈʌn θˈaʊzənd ˈeɪthˈʌndɹɪd θˈɜːɾi ˈeɪt, ðɛɹwˌʌz ɐ flˈɜːɹi ʌv ˌɑːntɹɪpɹənˈʊɹɹɪəl æktˈɪvᵻɾi ɪnvˈɑːlvɪŋ bɪtˈuːmɛn, wˌɪtʃ hæd jˈuːsᵻz bᵻjˌɔnd pˈeɪvɪŋ.