The record-union., 1891-04-07
DUSTY STREETS.
They are Likely to Become Thing Of
the Past.
Trustee Mclaughlin Favors Yearly
Improvement Associa-
ton to the Rescue.

There is now a very encouraging pros
pect of the people having relief hence
forth from the clouds of dust caused by
unreasonable spells of dry weather in the
spring and autumn. Great annoyance
and discomfort have resulted in the past
from this cause, and the public-who
have been willing at all times to vote the
necessary taxes to have the streets
sprinkled whenever their condition re-
quired it-haye for years wondered why
the old system of letting sprinkling con-
tracts for only portion Of the year was
adhered to so strenuously.
THE BOARD PETITIoNED.
Persistent agitation of the subject by
the press and individuals has, however
succeeded i'll arousing a public sentiment
which the City Trustees could no longer
ignore. AT yesterdays meeting of the
board the following petition was pre-
scented:
'We, the undersigned members of the
Sacramento Improvement Association,
would respectfully represent that the
best interest Of all classes of citizens, and
of the city itself, will be conserved ii
your honorable body WILL at the regular
! time for letting contracts for sprinlling
! the streets of Sacramento, contract forthe
sprlnkling Of the streets Of said city tor
the entire year, at such times as Sprink-
ling may be needed, instead of contract
ing for such work to be done during the
summer months only.
Past experience has demonstrated
that d great deal of sprinkling is required
during the period not covered by the
former contracts for the summer season
only, and the cost of sprinkling the busi-
| ness streets only for said period is almost
as great as would be the extra expense
!
Tor the entire year.
The majority of the residents of the
city heartily favor the letting Of contracts
for the entire year. We, therefore, earn
estly petition your honorable board to let
the contracts for sprinkling the streets of
our city for one year.
The memorial was signed by C. A.
Luhrs, President; j. w. Hughes, Secre-
tary; D. 4. Lindley, Il. y. Stephens. DR..
| Huntington, l.. l.. Lewis & Co. j. O.
Coleman. c. w. Baker, Weinstock, Lubin
d Co., +. r. Dray, j. 3. Gilbert, NJ. Miller,
s. Tryon, +. E. irvine, NJ. J. Dillman, j.
Fl. Parkinson, S. E. Darlington.
PROPOSED BASIS OF FUTURE CONTRACTS.
Reference is made in the report of the
proceedings of the Trustees, in another
column, to specifications presented by
Street Commissioner Mclaughlin. on
which it is proposed TO hereafter base all
contracts for sprinkling the streets. Mr..
/ McLaughlin's plan provides for first
| dividing the city into nine districts. All
travelled streets and alleys in the districts
/ are to be Kept free from dust at all times,
and care must be taken that no more
water is used than is necessary for that
| purpose.
Care must also be taken that street
crossings shall be kept free from mud.
| caused by sprinkling. All streets are re-
/ quired to be sprinkled from curb to curb,
| except where grass IS grown on outside
! streets, and all the specified streets and
! alleys must be Sprinkied at least once in
| twenty-four hours, and all streets from
| the river TO the east side of Fifteenth
! street, X street to the railway track on
/ the north, must be sprinkled before A.
! II. of each day.
! The hours of sprinkiing shall be from
T. NJ. to A. NJ, and contractors sprink-
| ling outside Of those hours shall be liable
! to a fine OF 81.
If contractor shall fail to keep a street
/ Tree from dust another party may be en-
| ployed to do the work at the expense of
! the contractor. Repeated complaints
| from any street shall be deemed sufficient
reason for withholding portion of the
contract price.
PROTECTION To NEW STREETS.
| Besides preventing clouds of dust from
! flying about during high winds and un-
! looked-for spells of dry weather. com
pacts of this kind will greatly aid in pre-
serving the newly-graveled streets.
! When these are kept moderately we'll
watered the material packs very closely
and the surface becomes hard and
! smooth; but when allowed to remain dry
| for several days or few weeks, it is pull
veriZed into fine powder, which is
raised and swept away by high winds thus
causing holes and hollows, and, when it
rains, pools of water, which soften the
| streets and result in damage thereto.
| The proposition will be considered at
! the next session of the Board of Trustees,
/ and it is believed there will he no troubIe