The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1859-09-20
Main street Bouldsrin,

poSterous inSinuatlouS about those human
mechanical constructions aforesaid, that
the remarks which are being daily made to
the disparaSement of the Main street boul-
dering now in progress, are entitled to his
sovereign contempt, rs coming from those
"who never saw boulder laid" yet
must ask leave to put one or two of those
remarks in print even at the hazard of see
ing that contempt grow to be ,cithering.
And would say, by way of apology for
saying anything, that if don't know much
about an "Askew bridge" | do know a
good deal-(indeed might u-e the other
degree of comparison and say a d-n sight
about an "Askew" street, this being the
third time have taken lessons upon that
subject at the hands Of our city fathers,
and at heavy charges too. Now what
know ! know as good as the man that
makes 'em. know hawk from hand
saw when the wind is southerly. know
that Main street has been aske,o several
3imes in the last several years, and | know
at whose expense.
] know the soft side Of brick from
tother side; and reasoning by analogy, af-
ter the manner OF the man who stopped the
power Of the gentlemans fist with the
bridge OF his nose, think can form some
opinion Of the result of bordering Main
street with soap-stone boulders. There's
more ways nor one of judging of the power
of cohesion that lies in boulder stone.-
The man that's laid out by one may have
an idea upon the subject equal to the man
that's laid never 80 many. And il there's
"sernons in stones as writ by my name
sake, Billy Shakespeare, for close applica-
ton of the text commend me to the former.
Then again, there ale some of these re-
marks which are being made "from day to
day by those who never saw boul-
der laid, that ought to be put in print just
now, when the contractor is beginning TO
lay a second lot, which, to say the least, is
no improvement on the first; and, Ms Mr.
Saunders keeps you so busy exposing his
various featS of bridge and abutment engi-
neering, it is no moie than right that some
one should tell you about this job.
And to begin: One Of the remarks
have heard made from day to day (of course
by those who never saw boulder laid1 and
which think ought TO be put in print, is
that the contract between the city and the
gentleman who proposes to mend our ways,
provides that the boulders be" good, sub
sfantiai, permanent granite boulders, . not
less than b inches in depth, nor with an ex-
posture of more than 8 inches in diameter,
anu shall lie laid in gravel not less than IL
inches thick and that it reserves to the
city the right To have every stone inspected
by the city engineer, and every one that is
not good, substantial permanent granite
boulder, full 81 inches and not more than
inches, in diameter, rejected, and carted
away at the expense Of the contractor.
Another Of these remarks that | hear
made, and quite az frequently, is that these
provisions are not being complied with in a
single particular. Whose flult this is |
have not heard said but there seems to be a
general suspicion that it lies at the door
either of the city engineer or City Council.
One thing is universally remarked, aud
is too, very remarkable. There has BEEN
no inspection Of boulders. The contractor
has been permitted to lay down anything
he chose, from gravel stones no bigger than
childrens marbles To huge slabs two feet in
diameter, and of every character of stone
soap-stoue, sandstone, limestone, and, &C.
caSionslly, granite boulder and to law
them, too, in sand or gravel, according to
| his convenience, from four to twelve inches
thick.
! True, these are the remarks of persons
who never SAW boulder laid; but are thew
of any the less force on that account /,
requires no great experience i'm the laying
of boulders to prove whether a stone is three
and u half or less than two inches long, or
] eight or eighteen inches across the face, or
of granite or chalk, or laid in twelve or four
inches of gravel.
The question is very simple one. Is
the contract, as stated, and are those who
ought to enforce it, permitting it to be vol
lated rs stated? My object in putting the
remarks so frequently made upon this sub
ject on the street, in print, is that those in
terestcd may settle this question for them
selves, now while the work is in progress
SO that hereafter when the work is found 10
be worthless, the responsibility may rest up
on the proper shoulders.
! Mr.. Saunders evidently thinks there
is no danger of the success of the work.
But he may he mistakeR, he has hereto
fore been mistaken. In Cincinnati they
have not only seen boulders laid, but they
have had great experience that way; aud
they are just now discovering that they have
paid out their money for nothing. The
| Commercial of last week says: