Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1888-03-24
IMPROVING STREETS.
Interesting and Novel Suggestions-Hov
the Work Can be Done Cheaply.


the Work Can be Done Cheaply.
Pardon me. Messrs. Editors, if seem t.
persist somewhat beyond propriety in ad
vocacy of desirable measures. proposed
| some time ago that shallow, but wide
ditch be dug in the center of the street:
and filled with gravel; the sides OF The
bitches to serve as bulkheads to preven
the spread of the gravel.
never read any special answer to this
but good livery stable man said it would
not do unless pretty wide, because buggie:
and wagons would drive over the sides anG
cut the bulkhead away and spoil the street
l have since written an article proposing te
drain our streets in the center, but finding
that the crossings would be made angular
and the rises and falls too steep, did moi
present it for publication, thought have
heard of several successful cities graded in
that way.
PERSIST in this direction because no way
has yet been invented that will answer
the purpose, unless indeed Mrs. Burns
plan is to be a success.
Sacramento has tried the gravel plan,
that is, certain forms; the Nicholson pave
ment plan, cobbling clipped cobbling, and
granite block paving.
The three last are successful. Rough
cobbles, of course, are very noisy and un-
comfortable by joltings. The clipped cob
BILE ION X, between Seventh and Tenth) and
the granite blocks are both quite successful
but too costly for many localities.
Gravel is tolerably successful, while il
succeeds, but at the very best it is not per-
feet in our city. NJ street, from Fourth to
Tenth, is boosted of as first-rate, but res
ident on NJ street, who paid heavily for
grading and graveling-borrowing money
to pay for it-said: 1t makes nay heart
ache to sit on my porch and see the big
drays pass and descend into the holes al
ready started, though there are only few
As the wheels come out the gravel sticks
to them and is carried away" This is I'M
questionably the trouble with gravel as we
use it.
Now, let no one be discouraged, because
our troubles are plainly pointed out "a
disease known is a disease half cured. u
Our friend above referred to said he "just
ached for single wheelbarrow of gravel
He would willingly wheel it to the spot
and dump it in, if there were few loads
of gravel deposited anywhere on his block.
If the cutting was allowed to go on short
IlIlle, II WOulu lake NdSUU-lOdu instead
of the wheelbarrow load" He would even
give room enough on his ground for the
gravel deposit, although he had not much
to spare.
l am very sure that there are very many
willing hands in every block in the city
that would, if thoughtful arrangements
were made, gladly fill chuck hole as soon
as begun, when a wheelbarrowful would
serve better than wagon-load, and could
be paid for with Is cents instead of 81 SO,
and we should have no gravel displaced on
any street in the city. The success of gravel
requires this, i. e., large number of per-
sons who shall early discover and quickly
remedy these troubles. This is great deal
of trouble but not so much as we now
have, and only 1.-THE of the expense; but
we have big dividend in our method, VIZ
streets always in perfect order, and never
totally failing. The minimum cost method
would be to give so much for each wheel
barrow-load, or if the damage should
reach such large proportions, each wagon
load. Of course, many such occurrences
of large holes should subject the repairer
to blame. Such an Office should be one of
honor, and such it would be.
1t is a matter of some doubt if the mud
below the gravel does not in some degree
work up through it, and in some degree
causes the gravel to sink, or at least to be-
come less cohesive. There is a kind of
fine gravel near the city resembling, to a
casual look, disintegrated granite. 1t is
used in many cases as a sidewalk, and is
firm to the tread of footmeu, and if used
as basis for gravel would undoubtedly resist
the rising or setting moisture. But if this
should not be the case, there is no doubt
at all that very thin coat of coal ashes
xr-o,,I1 onoan1plisb tho anj Thoua ooboc
are sold at very low price at the furnace
and increased consumption of coal is in
creasing the supply every year.
These ashes are well known to have
been used for walks in our yards and some
what for sidewalks, and also in some cases
in front of our gates where wheels cut upon
them. 1t is true that the wheels ultimately
cut them away, but it is also true that they
are shown to resist the effects of that or
of moisture. Whether these ashes have
not some cement properties, like Portland
cement, and whether if necessary to re-
enforced these with homeopathic dose of
Benicia cement it would not pay for the
prescription, would best be answered, prob
ably, By an artificial stone workman, of
whom we have many and intelligent in
our city.
presume many will say, you are get
ting things down 20 point" Well, We
must get thus far if the truth requires it.
No first-class street is made without labor
and expense. Oakland has beautiful ard
solid streess. Bus plan, more elaborate
than ours. is drafted into service. Wood
land and Winters have solid streets
and roads, but method is used to produce
them
AT Oakland coarse gravel, almost cobbles,
is placed on the bottom; then layer some
what finer is added, and finally layer Of
quite fine semi. cohesive sand is added, and
the whole is rolled and packed, and when
finished is durable.
In Woodland whole loads Of gravel are
dumped into the middle of the street or
road. This is never spread out even. but