The evening light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1881-1883, 1882-11-07
SUPT. ISAAC MORLEY
Makes Some Suggestions About Public I'm
prOVements
SAN ANTONIO, Nov. 9th, lSS2.

SAN ANTONIO, Nov. 9TH, lSS!.
To Honorable J. II. French, Mayor of San An
tonic:
DEAR SIR-In the matter of the proposed
grading, paving, curbing and the construction
| OF the necessary sewers, upon San Pedro av-
enue, in order to dispose of the rainfall which
may occur during the prOgrcss of the work,
| the first thing required will be construction of
the necessary sewers. Then, at the very out
SET, the Important question arises "Of what ma
terml ana ana OF what form shall they be con-
structei! The high price of brick and stone
| precludes their use for sewer purposes. will
here consider but two other kinds of sewer, viz:
the cement pipe, and the biton or concrete
sewer. Many miles of the former have been
laid in different parts of the United States, US
well as in Europe, and, when carefully
| constructed OF good materials, with good
results, still, the necessary joints and the want
| or suitable form to secure the best securing
| effect for variable supply of water must al
ways be considered objectionable. On the
other hand these objections have no force when
applied TO the 6iton or concrete sewer. from
| the fact that such a sewer can be made to take
such forms as both theory and practice have
shown to be the best; whilst the sewer itself is
absolutely mOnOlith without seam or joint
Since constructions in bitOn are not COM
mon as those of other materials, and in order
that an Intelligent Judgment may be formed
| of this material for building purposes, permit
me to refer You to the statements Of Gen. Gil
| more, perhaps the highest authority in the
United States upon this subject, in his cclebra-
tfcal Stones"
1.-THE most important and costly work vet
undertaken in this material (bitOnj il n section
| thrty-sevon miles in length. of the bunne
aqueduct, for supplying water for the city Ol
Paris This auuetiilct. which trverses the
forest of Fontainbau through its entire length
comprises two and Ont-hulf to three miles of
arches, some of them as much as fifty feet in
height and eleven miles of tunnels
Again, lover thirty one miles of sewer had
been laid in this material prior to June 1869 ut
| IL saving of 10 per cent on their lowest ,.sf i
mated cost, in any other kind of masonry"
In the case of the banne acuue,iuct it is thus
seen, that modern engineering has virtually
cut from the solid rock Il sewer Oversix feet in
diameter and thirty-seven miles in length with
its supporting arches and piers, without a Joint
| and without seam The lght house at Port
Said, Egypt, built of bitOn Is one hundred and
eighty feet in height, without Joint, and rest
| ing nearly four hundred cubic yards
| have been thus minute in this matter in
order that my reasons for recommending mon
Olithic bitOn sewers may be understood.
Since my last report to the council I have
made plans prOfcS ard grades of the streets
lying between and including North Flores
street and Main Avenne, from Romano street
| to San PcurO Springs, and have entered the
GRADES, upon a reduced scale in the "Grade
| Book" have also made the surveys and taken
| the level in that portion of the city lying be-
tween Fifth and Austin streets on the north
and east, Commerce street on the SOUTH Live
Oak street Oh the east, and Bonham street
| on the west and am now fixing the grades
| upon these streets. Portions of this district
are almost entirely level, and it is desirable