Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1890-01-14

will be seen by the engineers last report,
that out of total of about / $50, 600 square
yards of stree. pavement laid during the
year. 250000 was of granite blocks. 50 coo
gravel, $50 600 macadam, and 5000 co5ble
and blue rock, making about 92j, 600 square
yards of aSph8lt Or concrete laid, as
against oaly about 322 600 sqnare yards Of
all other kinds added together.
Experience has established there that the
asphalt and concrete, or coal-tar dIsillste
pGvements, are the most desirable aud will
be principally laid hereafter. The cost was
formerly 81 % per square yard, but Con-
gress, which pays for half for all imprnve-
ments made in the District, recently lin
tied the price TO 81 per yard, with the pro-
visO that it should be as good in all re-
spects as that formerly laid for 81 25
The asphalt pavement as laid there con-
sists of a hydraulic cement concrete base
six inches in thickness, with an asphalt
wearing surface of two and half inches.
The cutters are generally laid with granite
blocks or hard burnt brick, as it is found
that wherever the water stands upon the
asphalt it tends to ROT it.
The concrete of coal-tar dlstillate pave
ment is sill more extendedly used and in
greater favor than the asphalt. This pave
ment consists of a base OF fourinches COM
posed of clean broken stone and coal-tar
paving cement, in the proportion of one
gallon Of the cement TO square yard of
base; upon this base is spread binder
coat of fine stone and cement, one hall
inch in thickness, and wearing surface of
one and half inches, composed of sharp
sand fine broken stone paving cement,
hydraulic cement, slaked lime and -four Of
sulphur.
These pGvements stand well in Washing
ton climate, which is far more intense in
summer than that of Sacramento, and with
tae unlimited supply of asphalt which is
found in this Stale there is no reason why,
with our streets reduced in width, we
should not have the noiseless and mudless
asphalt or concrete pavement, and enjoy
the pleasure they would afford and the in
crease Of value that would be given thereby
to city property.
With our streets thus paved and parked,
together with our present requirements for
stone sidewalks and due attention paid to
the planting aud care Of shade and orna-
| mental trees, Sacramento can in from six
to eight years be as beautiful and attractive
in its streets and lawns as Washington, and
when this is accomplished cur property
will be far more than doubled in value and
our city will be eagerly sough. By the
wealthy and refined for investments and
homes.
ENGINEER GRUNsKY's VIEWS.
c. E. Grunsky, the well-known civil en-
gineer, took up the subject and said
Commenting on the streets in Sacramento,
and in making suggestions for their improve
ment shall be very brief, and touch at this
time only upon few. points which seem 10 de-
n q
You are all aware of the peculiar shape of our
streets well rounded up, rising fully two feet in
the center, with cutters upon either side gener-
ally lined with cobble stones-in many cases to
the width of five feet out from the curb. and
never less than three feet wide. The bottom OF
the gutter lies eighteen inches below the top of
the curb. The sidewalk slopes one-half foot
down from the property lines to the euro. Very
rarely do we hear any objection raised to a
street having well-rounded surface, while as
matter of fact the street would be better for all
purposes il it were fstter, and the only excuse
Tor our excessive side slopes lies in the necessity
OF making the street shed rainwateT to the right
and left, The question at once arises does the
well-rounded street do this better than one but
SLIGHTLY rounded? And the answer is that there
is practically no difference. Let US see. sup
pose good pavement be in use-granite blocks
OF bituminous rock-but little inclination is then
required TO turn water at times when it is rain
ing, into the cutters. Again, if the pavement
be of some very poor material-natuTai earth or
gravel such as we have in use on our streets
then even on well-rounded streets the material
becomes soft to the depth of one-halt inch to
two inches on gravel, and l might sly without
limit On natural earth streets; the ridges of ms
terial forced up at the edges of the wagon ruts
hold the rainwater to some extent on the roads
on a high grade as well as on those of a fiat
grade, and hut little difference will be found in
roads of the two types, if they be composed of
the same kind OF material, equally well or
badly under-drained
In a climate such as that which we enjoy 0he
present winter excepted, where we have but
few rainy days, it would certainly seem best to
make the surfaces of our streets very fiat, there
by making the cost of grading as small as posi-
bic.
The form of gutter peculiar to Sacramento no
doubt originated down town, where the street
filling is for the most part supported by retain
ing walls, along and in immediate contact with
fTon hsTeets ihrt mt deslrahie carry the ainage
ter was therefore pushed out into the street from
one to two feet, aud the form of street which
was deemed necessary down town was extended
throughout the residence part OF the city as
well, yet every one who has given the subject
any thought knows that the gutter should ad
join the curb, should be made with horizontal
bottom of fiat granite or trap blocks, two rows
of which with another two rows rising 10 con-
form to the slope of the street, would meet every
requirement AID would be much less expensive
than the cobble cutters now in use.
The granite crossWalks when in use on
gravelled streets, are flush with the surface OF
the street only 50 long as the street is new and
in perfect repair. As soon as the surface is at
dll WOiu or DGCOIneS SOU TeSSOu OF IslllS. tne
wheels of all conveyances strike the large pro-
jecting granite blocks with considerable force
and unload upon them more or less OF the mud
picked up elsewhere in the street. Such cross
ings need continual attention during rainy
weather to keep them in u passable condition.
do not know OF any style of crossing which
could be recommended as an Improvement for
streets covered with our ordinary gravel but If
q good macadam were used, or when streets are
well paved with granite blocks, bituminOus
rock crosswalk on good foundation ought TO be
substituted for the granite.
The gravel at present in general use for our
street work is not of the best quality; it con-
tains too much earthly matter Yet every one
Knows that our graveled streets are some better
than those merely graded Mixture OF clean
gravel and sharp coarse sand would he tar
bett material and ought not to cost more in
Sacramento than is now paid for the material
OF poorer quality.
The price paid for the gravel now in use,
when taken in consideration with its quality, is
exc essive. This is no: due to large contractors
profits merely, but also to the fact that Work on
the streets is done piecemeal, and that 10 con-
tractor has made adequate arrangements for
cheap TRANSPORTATION OF gravel from the pits 10
the city. This is true i'll measure also of the
prices raid for filling to grade.
S Crushed stons-granite or limestone-should
by ali means supelsede the use of gravel in our
treets. Prepare toundation OF coarse broken
rock and place upon it a wearing surface three
or four inches thick of hne broken rock, and at
q cGst but little in excess of what is now paid, q
good generally acceptable and ssrviceable sub
urban street viii have been secured.
Such city as our own can, however, well
afford to improve e large proportion of its streets
with better pavement even than macadGm.
Nature has provided California with an abun-
daut supply OF material which is very nearly
the same as the most approved artificial mixture
used for the wearing surface of pavements in
Eastern cities. / refer to bitumilous rock,
which on good concrete foundation ought to
be laid at price not exceeding 70 cents per
square foot There is no doubt that this mate
rial c good and that il will stand climate.
II has been tried snd is success in Los Angeles
and Stockton. 1t has recently been put down
in the railroad depot and in the Iear and at
both sides OF the Capitol in an exposed position.
The driveway put down at the Capitol has been
guaranteed for five years There will be moth
ing to expend for repairs in this time. and
even when the wearing surface needs repaif the
foundation viii be intact.