Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1890-01-04

use be had by paying for the said wear and
tear and percentage for its use. So far as
new constructions must be resorted to-see
if it will not sell for as much when done
with as it cost to make it, if not. subtract
the loss.
All of this is mathematical certainty.
There is no new problem to solve. No one
knows what can be done without lnvestl-
eating H. The investigation will resultln
determining what is best-and what IS next
best and what is the best result.
A man travelling in the dark saw
phantom. Getting courage to approach
il he found a signboard pointing him on
the true road In the case before US,
demonstrations will follow the estimates
made in such general terms.
Let me repeat and emphasize the idea
that we must do nothing with any mans
property that will not render it more de-
sirable. This is rule SO important that
lighthouse in sea of hidden rocks is not
more important to the mariner. The in
slant you give any man power to require
the filing up of lot you throw the owner
into trepridation. He would sell it for
song. But demonstrate that 500 improve
ment will add S. 900 value and no people
on earth will see it so quickly as our own.
say that facilities to hasten and cheaper
the filling will be devised. That only one
| fifth of the work can be required to be
| done at once-that substitutes for filling
may be used, such as draining the lot and
| that the city will aid this by bringing the
sewers in reach, thus holding up values
and creating property that will pay in
creased taxes.
| have spoken of cutters as constituting
| practically, at least, part of the sidewalk.
| Let me say that it is my opinion if the
| gutter shall receive protection by Enclosure
as suggested, that Benecis cement
would be strong enough for this purpose
when nodded into suitable shape. That it
can be made of lengths adapted to replace
ment of parts or sections when injured.
| That factory for its manufacture and
| completion would make the process ofman-
ufscture as cheap as redwood cutters, three
| inches thick, and would have the greatest
advantage of all in the employment of 100
men in this industry. 1t will save the
weed cutting in every spring, and therefore
lessen in a small degree the rate of taxa
ton.
Ii will be "a thing of beauty, which is a
| Joy forever" 1t will be probably unlike any
| thing else in the whole Union, and thus
particularly unique.
| L
article in the new charter, and when its
merits are appreciated will insure its adop-
| ton.
! Germany has manufactures of artificial
| stone snd in some cases may make cutters
| from this article.
The best artificial stone workers in this
city say that these cutters can be made in
factory-molded-a may be light and
cheap if protected by an inclosure-say a
two-inch iron pipe or low post and rail.
Constituting part of our surface drain
age system they are perfect, as the water
will not have to stop to crawl over the
cobblestones or TO be dashed into spray by
granite curbing.
1t is worthy of restatement, that our
drainage system consists of the cutters.
Use contortions til we blacken in the face,
then turn towards the facts and the subject
and the water is still found in the cutters
till emptied into our sewers.
But the water must first get into the gut
tiers, before it can be carried away by
them!
Solve the problem of how TO do this, and
/ will show you a city without mud-s
rara avis in this State. Can the difficulty
be detected, and will language or Language
and diagrams express the difficulty sc
clearly that the people can understand it!
| ~
let me ask whether the water runs over
such gravel from the center of the street
even into the cutters? Does not nine
tenths of it run through the gravel into the
dirt beDeath-Eke a sieve? When il
reaches the dirt does not this become soft
and permit the gravel to sink in it, as il
it were water?
Asphaltum is water proof and if the sur.
face were covered with this the soil below
would be kept dry, and could not give way
and the gravel could not sink. Asphaltun
would shed the water into the cutters per
| fectly, and in five minutes after a heavy
shower the whole rainfall would be on its
way, not only off the streets, but out of the
ely.
Now don't get alarmed nor be thou
amused too much. a lady's apron dipped
in asphaltum and spread over yard square
of rolled earth, as in ordinary grading, will
shed the water over that yard of earth and
keep it dry as an umbrella. OF course forty
aprons would more than cover the street in
front of anybody's 40 by 100 feet lot
OF course, 1 do not believe this would
make street. Six inches of gravel must be
laid on top of these, snd the gravel might
crumple the delicate fabric ; but still, being
saturated with asphsitum, it would keep
the dirt dry, and shed the water and empty
it into the cutters.
The aprons would not do, because they
would soon rot but would not use cotton
aprons but asbestos aprons or cloth, which
would be imperishabe. Now we all know
that rubber cloth will do just what is pro-
posed here, and no crumpling by gravel
would ever make it let the water through,
and where crumpled it would only hold a
thimbleful or two, with would be harm
less.
Asbestos cloth is cheap, and its deposits
numerous and near, and the manufacture
easy and inexpensive, and its duration
when dipped in asphaltum, forever.
F. NJ. SHIELDS.
Sacramento Iapuayv 1900