The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1892-02-21

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street nave torn up the top dressing to
sum an extent that should q hard rain
i rail the surface would all be washed OF.
iheh' again, when rain falls and the
! water stands In the low places on tho
surface. vehicles will quickly grind
IL en- deeper, ar hole thus formed
whiSn gradually wears through 10 the
soil beneath.
ABOVE THE AVERAGE
The work which is being done by
/ Didier, Fuller Il Grifl,h on Paqe
street anu Nimball and Seventh nv.
enues, is above the average. The put.
tiers are very good, and most of the
raacadam is acceptable. In spots, bow.
ever, IL very soft ana can 90 kicked up
with the foot.
of the way, but just az it was ready no
be macadamized the Gas and Water
Company tore the whole street up TO
put down large gas main. When this
is completed the work Will DO resumed.
JEFFSaeoN STREET. WORKS RErARpEp.
The work on Jefferson street has been
greatly retarded by the work of laying
the Crystal Spring railway track This,
however, has been completed, and Mr.
Patterson Is now at work on this street.
The guttering, like that on Robertson
street, Is inferior and composed largely
of soft sandstone. 1t has already been
noticed when heavy wagon is allowed
to run in the gutter the stones have
been crushed. The macadam on this,
street is OF two grades. That, between.
the tracks, is a. white Potsdam limestone
stone, furnished by the street railway
company.
DIFFERENCE OF OPINION.
Engineer Houston did not consider it
good quality, but Mr.. Dunlap differed
with him and accepted it. On this
point they are still at variance and the
matter has not been settled. The other
maeauam as furnished by Mr.. Patterson
Is somewhat better than that on Robert
son street 1t has been rolled, but there
are still many uneven places.
POORLY ROLLED.
The greai trouble seems to DO in the
rolling. When the sub grade is made
this Is supposed to be rolled hard and
1rm before any macadam Is put on.
This is not always the case, and very
frequently the street receives only n
few ticks and \ promise before the lime
stone is put on. Then comes tho spread
ing'of the metal. When the first layer
Is spread 1t is supposed to be about six
inches thick; then, after sufficient roll
ing, is reduced to four inches. The
second layer is next spread about four
inches, and after rolling reduces to less
than two. The top dressing is supposed
to be fner than that which was used on
Robertson street. This is rolled until
perfectly smooth, water being used to
form compact mass.
FEW WORKING DAYS.
y
days since Mr.. Patterson began his con-
tract. During November there was
some good weather. but this was not
taken advantage of. December con-
tanned about eighteen working DAYS and
January five and u halt
The city pays all warrants direct to
Mr.. Patterson. 70 date the amount
drawn is Sd, l99.43. This was paid out
on estimates made by Mr.. Patterson
with 10 per cent Off The November
estimate was S9s5.37; December, 81
1864, and January. S63S.O2.
PROGRESSING VERY WELL.
There seems to be less friction be.
tween the city and the contractor than
when the work began. Mr.. Patterson
said yestesday that the street work was
was progressing very we'll. All diff.
cultles had been overcome, and he was
now prepared to push the work. He
intended to see that the contract was
carried through, and to the satisfaction
of all parties concerned.
During the past week the work has
progressed moro favorably than for
time. West Campbell street has been
graded for several blocks and the first
layer has boon spread. The cutters
have been laid about 1000 feet. This
work is under Mr. Patterson's immo-
date control.
COMPLAINT OF THE CONTRACTORS.
1t is rumored that the contractors are
very much dissatisfied over the enpi-
neering work-such as designating
grades and gutter lines. Didier, Fuller
u Griffith seem to have suffered most on
account of this inefiicicncy. On one oc.
casion they had to remove gutter ON
account OF an inaccurate survey. Sow
eral other mistakes have been reported,
and it is said that Mr.. Patterson has
writton letter to the street committee
inclosing letter from one OF his con.
tractors making the complaint. The
matter is now before tho street commit
toe for consideration.
1t is also stated that several mistakes
have been made in the engineer's esti-
mates, and that last month ono OF the
contractors was paid $500 more than he
should have been. The contrac tors,
while not denying this statement, re-
fuse to say anything in regard TO the
matter.
Safe Robbery at Stuunton.
SrAUNToN, Va, Feb. 20 Il Special l.
Two masked burglars blew open tho
safes of the Staunton Milling Company
and M. Kirli chan, commission mer.
chant, last night, but got only SO. John
Dinnio, a miller, was gagged and tied