Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1876-03-10
LETTERS FROM THE PEOPLE.


I6GOr kf0vc-Our excellent concrete nave
~ snts Are rapidly golng 70 destruction tDr
II may be a gratifying sight % the contrac-
tors, II u not pleasing one 10 the taxpayer
or " ne citizen who drives. In Paris aud
the very beginnings OF sbrasions or wear
ings OF the surface are carefully looked for
and the necessary repairs are made without
delay. In washington, where, from motives
of economy, certain proportions OF coal tar
have been mixed with the asphalt maklns
IL more brittle and liable % disintegrste, The
necessity for constant vigilance and repair
n SIN more imT ortsnt, and no ahraided or
worn SPOT. however small, should be lei for
a day after it Is discovered. 1.-THE surface il
once broken and repair IL delayed. ~ IL IN
The observation OF every citizen how rapidly
the disintegrstion goes on, and In no case II
me old adsge. :. A stitch In time saves nine"
more applicable.
Repairs 10 ssphalts psvemenis are simply
ahd cheaply made. II they are MAZE pr0asp'.
". Ihere are needed only little asphalt.
WIN arrangements FOR melting 10 on the
spot In portable kettle, which can To-
wheeled about by two men, a chiSel ana
s ps,let iSr cutting INC lad places, and a
faithful aud Intelligent laboreas, with such
an outnt. would keep a large number OF
streets In order. and two such gangs. at an
expense OF, say s300 year Tor labor ana
material, would probably keep y n our streets
In thorough repair. and - We ug the hundreds
81 thousands OF collars which we mast pay
IN few years for rev psvemeuts. ID these
repairs are not made At once. be>ifes a good
deRl Of tad temper Z ON being obliged
To Jolt over such pavcmeuts 81 We can see
low on 18Th street. between peuusvlVanta
avenue AID X street, and In many other p arts
OF WASHINGTON.
OureNcellent engineer. Lieut. HoNie. wouli
no doubt take pride I'm keeping I'm thorough
repair TIE aSThalted streets. which were made
before he come in Office. and some OF which
he has recently resurfacei 80 wei, ~ he
should b authorized 10 do 80 by the Com
miSSiouerS. II rhcU are restricted On this re-
gard. ~ recent legislation, A. Is 20 he hoped
that Congress viii quickly come % our relief,
and give them the required authority. NJ.
Spontaneous Combustion.
w fffor SIR-ln n lac number Of THF
STAR 1 TCas au article ON spontaneous com
busuou. IN which the writer makes the state
n;eut 70 the eject, that no one had ever Wit
messed The phenomenon. although DO L. Fan ac-
cepied fact among scientific men. that such
combustion really takes place. l. has been
asserted many times. aud generally con-
Cedtd. that linSsed oil. on cotton waste.
would produce combustion. 4 believe this Ia
be Tact. IL i a fact that a mixture 81 llnseed
oil ana naphtha thrown on sawiust. and
placed IN The sun I'm summer time viii burn.
whether there are other conditions in
which THIS mixture would produce the
same effect the writer cannot saw
There is an article Of oil. extensively nse,l In
the furniture and carriage shops. Tar more
dangerous than the above refer % the OH
called Permanent Wool Filling. III any
person wishes 10 investigate spontaneous
combustion all he need do Il % Safuata cof-
l'u Ndsle OF cDitOn rags with This oil aud rOl
IL together. one hour 10 one hour aud a
quarter f. sufficient time for the experiment
Fire y first generated IN the center and ex-
tends outward until the whole Is a glowing
mass. do not know for . fact but believe that
wood shaviugs and sawduSt Will be affected
IN the same way n this OIL is turned upo1
them.
IL j. an article that should he handled with
care, aud the utmost caution exercised 10
prevent rags or waste which have In any
way become smcsred with 10 from being
tbrOWu ON wood floors, or with anything
mat VIII burn. A printed caution ought, In
my opinion. To be placed on every package,
30 that persons using n might kuoE It's dan
gerOus character. H. Il q