The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1892-03-24
PECULIAR STREET WORK.
How Basalt Blocks Are Being
Laid On Broadway.
Contractors Intimate That an Effort Is Bein g
Made TO Force the "Poultice"
Pavement In.

Out on Broadway. between Leavenworth
and Hyde streets. the Street Department is
putting down new pavement of basalt
blocks, and the charge is made that there is
a large-sized Job back of the methods en-
ployed in performing the work. 1t is
claimed, in fact. that the blocks are being
laid purrosely wrong in order to make the
street failure and replace the basalt with
biluminous rock, or what is generally known
as the "poultice." so say the contractors,
at least. and they are developing good
sized growl in consequence.
The work is being done under an ordin-
ance recently passed by the Board of Super
visors, which provides for ''the blocks to be
laid so that the widest part of each block
shall be imbedded in the sand. After the
blocks have been set and light coat of fine
beach gravel or hard rock finely broken and
screened and free from dirt or earth put
thereon,
GOOD FOR GRAVEL-DEALERS.
The gravel is an expensive factor in the
making Of the pavement, and nearly all
used in streetwoIk in this city is bought
from George W. Elder, the contractor and
politician, at cost of IS per wagOG-load.
BY laying the blocks with the widest part
down about double the amount OF gravel is
required, md as result the man who FUR
niShes the material is enabled to do thTly-
ing business.
it is necessary to explain the nature OF
basalt block. They are split out with
wedges as nearly uniform in size, but one
side is universally from Il TO "a of an inch
wider than the other. The narrow side also
has rough surface, which, when exposed,
as in a street pavement. gives it an uneven
appearance and renders It hard for
horses feet. This is not, however. the
main Obj ctlon, but is merely incidental
HARD ON HORSES.
The fact is that according TO the general
belief Of experts street so paved Is COM
paratiyely u eless. When the gravel which
fills the nterstices at first begins TO wear
away and is swept out as ii will TO a greater
or less extent the street bears something OF
tile appearance Of a gridir0n-the blocks
representing the bars the gaping spaces the
intervals between the bars The street be-
comes rough aud difficult TO travel upon. and
horses hOofs suffer IN a great extent.
Notwithstanding this and the constant
complaints which have been made against
this class of work the present Board OF Su-
peryisorS insist upon ordering it done in
that way for reasons already suggested. The
contractors make no bones of saying that the
real purpose Is to cause the baSali blocks TO
be condemned so that an excuse may be
found for discontlnulDg their use in favor OF
the "p0ultice.' The reason for this, If true
looks very much as If some one were look
ing out for a chance 10 get IN on the deal.
WHY Is IT DONE?
a CALL reporter yesterday inspected the
work which Is being done, and found gang
Of men at work laying the blocks aS stated.
\ deputy OF the Street Department lounged
against the side Of a building in the sun.
looking quietly on at what as being done.
well, there is a difference of opinion,
he said, about the way in which the blocks
should be laid, but the contractors and eX-
perts say * sp0lIs the street TO put the
broad side of the block down. The prop
erty-owners object 10 ii very strongly, and
even threaten 10 refuse 10 pay for the work,
but then the Street Department has no dis
erection. The work is done under the OTdi-
nance passed by the Supervisors, and that
of course makes it compulsory to have it
done a certain way. The reason for doing it
as 1t is being done of course is known only
to the board, but some of the contractors
have views Of their own which do not care
to discuss