The record-union., 1891-08-14
BASALT OR GRAVEL?
Property-0wners on M Street Have a
Lively Meeting.
They Sign a Petition 10 the Trustees
for Grayel-Some Heated
Arguments.

There was quite large gathering of
| persons owning property on M street,
from Fifteenth to Twenty eighth, last
night at the new Pavilion, the object be-
ing to decide whether they wanted the
| street graveled or macadamized. A ma
Jorlty OF them have already signed for
basalt macadam, but they now declare
that they did so under misapprehen-
sion, and while they cannot withdraw
their signatures, they desire to put in
another petition for gravel and leave the
matter to the Trustees to decide.
MR.. WHITE EXPLAINS.
Lincoln White called the meeting to
order and said that the object was to de-
eide how NJ street should be improved.
The Trustees had passed resolution or
derlng up the street, or rather portion of
II: and leaving the Improvement for either
basalt, rock orgrayel. There was no pro-
VISION, however, for crossings, grading
ctrGlng, etc. y protest had been filed by
residents on Nj street, and under the
! FFoonlan Street Act the Trustees were
/ poWerless TO do anything until six
! months after the protest had been filed.
The objection Of the propelty-o was
that the street should not be improved in
patches. In order TO overcome the pro-
! test, Mr. Lambert, the basalt contractor,
had gone among the M-street property
/ owners and obtained majority OF sigma
| lures of those who were in favor Of D9saIt
rocil. N.Y. Lambert, he said, was the only
| contractor in Sacramento who could fur
nlsh DaSait rock, and the property Wners
! were, therefore, in i rather dangerous DO
sitlon. be said the object Of the meeting
was to decide whether they wanted gravel
| or macadaln.
-. ~ f1C.,
| organize permanently, and by unani-
NOUS vote he was elected permanent
| Chairman.
John Kerwin stated that he had sigma
lures for ITO feet on both sides of NJ street,
between Twenty-third and Twenty
fourth, who We're in favor OF gravel.
Another gentleman handed in Il peti-
ton he had prepared for the Trustees,
showing a majority Of signatures of prop
/ erty-OWGerS on NJ street from Fifteenth
to Thirty-tirSt, eli desiring gravel and
being opposed to basalt macadam.
HAD TO DO SOMETHING.
Chairman White said he had had talk
with Trustee Mclaughlin and the latter
said that unless the M-street DeopIn
would act on the petition and signatures
obtained by Air. Lambert, the basaIt man
Continuing, Mr.. White said he had also
talked with Mr.. Lambert. The latter
said the basait would not cost over 81 90
per front foot. But this was only his
promise. He being the only person hav-
ing basalt to furnish, when it came to
putting in his bid there was nothing to
prevent him from demanding 50 per front
foot. In fact he had the property-owner
at his mercy, and they had to act ilnme-
diately if they wanted to get out of his
grasp.
r. P. Burr took the floor and said that
as he was probably the only person pres
ent who had basalt in front Of his proD-
erty, he felt it his duty to speak. He had
found that this style Of macadam was far
superior to gravel. In Oakland it was
used almost exclusively either for ma
cadam or Tor foundation for bituninOuS
rock pavements. He did not seem to think
that Mr.. Whites fears Of Lambert trick
cry were well founded. The Trustees
would not let the contract TO Lambert if
he played any tricks Of that kind. The
speaker said be knew Mr.. Lambert to be
an honorable man, and considered his
word as good as his bond. Mr. Burr
said he was not opposed to gravel, pro-
vIded good gravel was furnished, but he
had seen very little gravel, except that
which came from Folsom, on the streets
lately: Ihe Improvement Company was
organized for the purpose of giving the
people good streets, but it had been laying
poor gravel. In was now engaged on Z
street, and was not doing well. The peo-
pie on that street wanted Folsom gravel,
bat for some reason or other they could
not get 1t. Probably it was because
THERE WAS A "JoB"
Such as Mr. White was afraid Lambert
would engage in. RevGrting to basalt.
the speaker said he was confident that
this style of macadam would be of more
service and make better streets than the
best Of gravel. While more expensive it
would outlast gravel and property
owners would gain in the end.
Mr.. White asked Mr.. Burr what he had
to pay per front foot for the basalt ma
cadam.
Mr.. Burr replied that it amounted to
81 10 per front loot, but the city paid one
quarter of that.
That's twice as much as we would
have to pay for gravel" said Mr.
White.
"And it's worth it," replied Mr.. Burr.
After some further talk, Mr.. White
called upon Mr.. Lambert, the basaIt man,
for an explanation of what he proposed to
do.
Mr.. Lambert responded willingly. He
first gave an analysis of the rock his
macadam was composed of, and declared
that 1t was without doubt the best mac
adam known. 1t had been pronounced
so by the State Geol0gist. It was the
basalt block crushed, and when put on
the streets and rolled would last forever.
, There was one street in Oakland which
had been lald In 1868, was q fine street
yet, and there had never been a dollar ex-
pended upon it. Mr.. Lambert corrected
Mr.. Burr in regard to the cost of macad-
! amizing the block in front of Mr. Burr's
property. That work had cost the
property-ownersj just 81 81 per front foot.
Mr.. Lambert said he had promised the
property-owners on the proposed new
improvement that they would not have
to pay more than 81 50 per front foot
The intersections would cost St31 So each
this, of course, to be divided among all
the property-owners
y DISPUTE OVER FIGURES
Mr.. White took down Mr.. Lambert's
figures, and when the latter had con-
cluded, the Chairman declared that they
were misleading. According to his (Mr.
White'sl figures, the property-owners
would have to pay total cost of 81 73
per front foot for basslt macadam.
Mr.. Lambert accused the Chairman of
misrepresenting him, and asserted that
the total cost TO the property-owners
would only be 81 943 per front foot in
Guiding intersections.
Both gentlemen then waXed warm, and
heated debate ensued Each insisted
that his figures were right, and that the
other twas trying TO hoodwinll the prom
erty-owners. They could reach no
agreement at all, and Mr.. Lambert took
his seat in disgust.
But his troubles were not over vet.
One of the property-owners, a Mr.,
Butler, asked for plain statement from
Mr.. Lambert as to what the macadam
would cost.
Just 81 81 per front foot not including
the intersections" replied Mr. Lambert
''Well,' said Mr.. Butler, according to
the figures you and Mr.. White have