True American. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1835-18??, 1838-07-28
THE TRUE AMERICAN.
EDITED nv JOHN GGBsON.
FAITHFUL AND BOLD.
NEW OR LEANS:
SATURDAYS, JULY IS, 1888

The subject of paving has been already tres
our municipal councils, yet cannot it be 80 con-
stanty spoken Of, debated until the best and
cheapest plan is generally adopted. We have
hitherto often adveited to the OF asphultum for
this purpose, and have stated that in Cuba and
many of the West India Islands to be found an
almost boundless supply of the article, and we
wonder much why some Of our enterprizing citi-
zens have not set to work to anvil, and benefit
themselves and neghbors, by its application to our
streets, especially stone pavement, from
variety Of causes is both expensive and inappro-
pirate in our city. This consideration comes more
closely home to now that we find thar foreigners
are about to advantage themselves by what ous
own citizens have had both time and opportunity
10 appropriate to themselves. On this subject we
find some remarks in London letter, published in
the Courier and Enquirer, which beth interest.
ing and valuable.
A company has lately been formed in London,
called the {. United States Asphalum C'ompanv,''
for the purpose of supplying the Mastc OF Sessel
pany are parties of great respectablity. and the
shares al preniu OF ! 3.4 to 2 per cent
They assert that the erents in the average Of
the American cities c.s, less than So Cd per
| foot, whilst the asphallic pnvxment can be laid
down at Is Al per foot, aud thence that great
profits mnst result to the company from contracts
which they propose to obtain Tor the paving of the
| cities in the United States. Undoubtedly this
| substance is valuable as substitute for stone, fol
experience Of five years has proved it to be i'm.
pelvlous heat, cold or rain, and to be chea p
er only hut ten times more durable pave
| ment for the streets-roofing, as substitute tpl
| tiles, states or shne es-oement for hydra ul'r
works, and numerous other uses to which il has
been very extensively applied in Paris and othel
| cities in France. The maslic of Sessel is procur
| ed from the district OF Piedmont in Switzerland
| and is a biunlnous limestone of rare occurrence
| in geolo9v-the product apparently of suhterra.
mean volcanic fire, by which the hitumen has been
driven upwards through stratum of limestone
into which it enters in the proportion of about lC
per cent. So perfect is the satnration of the lime
stone, that no artificial composition of mastc, com.
parable to the natural substance has yet been
accomplished by the numerous chymists who have
lately been attempting its suppression both in
England and France. The mining people in Eng
land and Scotland are atten,vely searching Ter n
| natural mastc in the various coal fields here, nd
| probably n similar attention 10 the subject may
be worthy of notice by tbs parties connected with
the bruminous coal fields of Penns, lvania snd tbs
| Western States Should no ma ural mastic be
| discovered in Am erica, the company la civ form.
ed here vii! probably he profitable onr for the
have secured the exclusive ri ght ot supplying the
| mastic Sesse to every part ot the United States,
be which they will ''do the ata.e some service