The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-08-21


Judge James G. Swan, OF Port Townsend,
does me the honor of taking notice Of some
remarks made upon brick paving in these col
umna The judge goes much deeper into the
question than did. In fact, he has greater
theoretical knowledge of the subject than i.
Yet confess TO feeling of pride in having such
authority corroborate my views. Readers will
remember that not long since the judge had the
courage to differ with the entire coterie OF So
called scientific experts upon the pup seal ques-
ton, and recent Investigations substantiate that
the judge was right and the experts wrong
make no mention OF this, however, with any
desire to laud the judge or toot my own horn.
Ny object is to afford myself opportunity to
lodge complaint. On July II l suggested in
THESE columns that the city council should in
struct the engineer to make an investigation
into the subject of street-paving, and so far
nothing has been done in the premises. Think
as hard as may, can find no possible excuse
upon which the council can base its willful neg
lect.
surely the council will not claim that our
streets do not need paving. Certainly they
must admit that labor and capital would both
prohe by the work. They cannot possibly deny
the justice OF my demand that a thorough in
vestigation should be made into the qualitica-
lions OF the various paving materials before de-
gliding which Is the most adapted 10 our cli-
matte. grade aud traffic conditions. Yet they
refuse to act.
admit that there are no Democratic votes to
De made In this investigation. l further admit
tnat IL Is hard for a Democratic council TO act
upon suggestion made in the columns OF
Republican paper. Still, the interest of the city
ought not to suffer because of this obstacle, and
TO show my willingness 70 facilitate matters I
hereoy promise to raise no objection IL soma
member OF the council appropriates the sug
gestion here made entirely his own, intro
duces 1t into the council and sees to 1t that the
AZ r,a1n
/ am indebted to Mr. Henry Van ASSET for
further Information upon brick roads in Hol-
land. To pioneers Mr.. Van ASSET needs no in.
PRODUCTION. He was the first white settler in
this county He arrived here forty-fve years
ago. 1t 10, however, well to bear in mind that
MI Van ASSET was 80 years OF age when he left
his native country. lie has yet, though 10 years
old, vivid recollection of the conditions and
makeup OF the roads in his native country, over
which he drove daily until he lett home.
II see," said the old gentleman, "that Judge
Swan IN his letter to the OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES,
relating to brick roads, makes special mention
OF one road from Urecht to Gonnighem, twenty
seven miles long, and also that some brick
roads In Holland are fifty years old. The full
facts in the case are that in Holland brick roads
are as plentiful as railroads in this country, and
as 70 their age, there are some roads that even
my grandparents could not remember when
built, and the roads are in good condition to-
day. do not know of a single city of say eco
inhabitants In Holland that has not got a per-
feet network of brick roads leading to all outly-
ing agricultural districts that are feeders to the
great towns. The seven provinces of Holland
are interconnected by brick roads our
states by railroads. Some of these roads lead
into Belgium. ! used to haul bark to the tan
neries over this road, aud always could double
my load after reached the brick pavemeuts.
70 Iaid {v~e and ND
are inexpensive. The system is simple and
easy OF repair. The middle OF the highway is
exeavated for about twenty feet, so that wagons
can pass each other conveniently, to such q
depth 50 that the top OF the pavement will lie
about six inches below the surface of the road
proper. Thus We have on each side of the brick
solid curb that keeps the brick In position.
The brick are set in sand in a rolling manner
about ten inches higher in the middle. This
prevents the water from accommodating on the
pavement Every 100 feet we have lateral
ditch running through the width of the road
into draining ditch that carries the water into
the sea and rivers. Every three miles 10 Sec
ton. One man takes care of 1t. II brick be.
comes dislocated 1t 10 his duty to properly re-
place It Piles of sand are kept all along the
road, and after q rain where the water has
washed out the sand from between the brick,
the section man takes his wheelbarrow aud re.
Ellis the holes with new sand. Thus the roads
are community kept In gOOd repair ana are In q
sense practically everlasting"
Certainly such . system OF pavement would
not do for the busy streets OF an American city.
But for country roads that lead into the COM
mercial centers and the intended bouievards
the method Of pavement described by Mr.. Van
ASSET is worthy of being taken into considers.
ton Especially is that true of our county,
whore plenty of brick clay is easily obtainable,
fuel to burn the brick plenty and cheap, and
sand OF the best quality to be had within near
hauling distance. The same 10 true of coun-
try brick road as 10 Of city brick street. The
material can be made right here, the money re-
tanned at home. employment given to labor and
capital. and general impetuous to commerce
by affording the producer an opportunity to
bring his products to the door of the consumer
at the least possible cost
Few who pass the corner Of Third and Cherry
streets and admiriugly gaze at the handsome
cream colored pressed brick front that Is being
put in the new opera-house are aware that those
brick are made in Seattle, and that notwithstaud-
ing the fact that these brick equal any repressed
brick made in the United States they are sold
for so per thousand less than imported brick.
With view OF ascertaining the facts and condi-
tions that enable our manufacturers to sell SO
good an article at such a low figure, visited
the Hill brick yard, where the brick used at the
operahouse are made. As you enter the yard
Seattle may be proud of having such a
complete manufacturing plant in her very
midst. The yard occupies about twenty-five
acres of ground, provided with the very best
machinery for the making of q good
common brick, a first class repressed brick and
all kinds of fancy terra Gotta work, also drain
and roof filing There il over $lo0000 invested
in machinery and buildings alone, not figuring
the value of the land.
In speaking 80 Mr.. Tripkle, the manager OF
the yard, one learns the advantages nature gives
our manufacturers in making all kinds of brick
of better quality and ut a lesser cost than il
possible either in the East or in California
First, fuel 10 much cheaper here than anywhere
else in the United States. Though IL is true
that, owing to the moisture OF our climate our
clay needs burning from three to four days
longer than Eastern clay, yet kiln OF brick can
be burned on Puget sound cheaper than any
where else. Second, our clay has a crushing
strength TO such high degree that many
Eastern and European engineers have sent
here for samples of out clay in order TO ascer.
tain the truthiulness Of our claims.
All over the world a brick Is considered the
very best when Ii can resist from 5000 to $500
pounds of pressure to the square inch. Our
clay made into brick in the most sovenly man
ner has resisting strength of at the lowest
1900 pounds to the square inch and often goes
as high as 5000 pounds. II is due to the super
iority of our clay that no attempt has been made
until recently to max really Inc brick in this
city, The clay 10 so very good that, m sde in ths
poorest manner possible, 1t always beats any
other made
tits gratifying to know that finally our mann.
facturers have learned that strength is NOT the
only qualification required of first-class brick.