The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1892-11-27
OF GREAT INTEREST.
The Polytechnic Society Discusses
Timely Topics.
Utah Has a Greater Variety of Asphalt Than
Any Other Country-FoIiage In the
Streets Preserved.

The smart set who see progress in deci-
mnting foliage in the business quarter can
peruse with profit the proceedings of the
Polytechnic society, the highest scientific
authority in the territory.
It IS also of great Importance that this
distinguished set Of inquirers has brought
10 public notice that Utah has more varie-
ties OF asphalt than any country in the
world, many of which are new TO "the
books" and unclassifed, and that there is
here in these mountains asphalt superior
70 that of the famous S Hiss mines and
equal, il not better, than the celebrated
Trinidad product
The Pclytechnics discussed many sub
Jects OF great moment and with that thor
oughaess of research FOR which they are SO
Wei qualified.
The monthly meeting Of the Polytechnic
society was held at the rooms Friday even
ing, President Stevenson in the chair
The meeting was one of more than usual
1n1erest, as was also the attendance, a
number Of distinguished visitors being
present.
As was expected, the topic of principal
interest was the paper presented by
Admiral Selwyn, of the Royal navy, on
the Relations Between Solid Liquid and
Fluid Fuels" which excited q very full
discussion among tue UEaluGQ members
and the visitors.
Admiral Sewyn has made practically
life study Of these matters, and from a
practical standpoint shows how. to q very
great degree at least, our smoke nuisance
can be eliminated with great saving Of
fuel.
Professor Rirsching. Mr.. H. L. A. Gull
mer and Captain Whittal also contributed
TO the fund of information supplied by the
admiral on this timely topic.
The matter which excited the most
thorough attention was that of Utah build
ing materials and their application In con-
structiOn.
The magnificent specimens which were
displayed on the societys tables of mar
bic, onyx, the asphalts and building stones,
were such as TO bring out a more varied
discussion of the utility Of Utahs produc-
ucas than has ever before occurred before
any scientific body. The history of the
discovery of the onyx at Pelican Point by
Professor Cederstrom was extremely in
terestIng. and the statements by the presi-
dent that none OF ''the bnoksn defined the
materials exhibited called out similar
statement from other scientists present.
The great number Of unclassiied asphRlts
which were presented showed that while
fhere Sre no less than forty different kinds
Of asphalts in this territory, SONS ten or
twelve more are yet to be analysed.
The discussion concerning these and
other hydro carbons was extremely inter
estiDg. Captain Whittal OF the Sixteenth
infantry, y. S. A., read carefully pre-
pared and instructive paper bringing to no.
ice not only his ex perience in regard TO
the asphalts and ozocerites of this terri
tory. but also illustrated the same by q lot
OF new and unclassified specimens from
the Book mountains, emphasizirg the
great variety and enormous extent of our
territorial hydrocarbons.
hn III sci, ~
Parks OF New York, the great value of the
Cosmos compauy's deposit of asphalt aad
also the utilization of the eiaterites, which
last are the only substances yet found that
combine with India rubber to make the
best insulat0rs known to the world.
The question cane up in regard to the
paving Of our streets and Mr.. Harry Gull
mer VINO has evidently been Studying of
lase all the matters appertaining TO the
Asphalts and bitumers whether in sand or
lime, gave q very clear calculation of their
constituency and further made the state
ment OF his recent correspondence with
Professor Wurtz as TO the better methods
Of the treatment OF the different qualities
OF sspnelts for paving purposes and showed
complete analogy which exists between
the Utah lime asphalts and those which
come from Neuchatel and Syssel in Swift
srland, and which for hfty years have been
81 use on the streets Of Paris, Berlin and
London.
The next matter that was brought up
was the better maintenance of street pave
ments. A short paper by Colonel Stevenson
in which he demonstrated from measure
ments made by MIR. Hsrdesty, civil en-
gineer Of this city, that If our streets are
10 De laid with asphalt there must be
broadening OF the width OF tires of all We
hicies carrying excessively heavy loads
and further and showed that the extreme
width Of our heaviest dray tires, carrying
from one TO one and half tons wheel DO
not exceed ~ inches, while the English
rule, fer like weight, is inches.
The broadening of our tires will, of
course, have a tendency to preserve rather
than destroy any kind of pavement.
10 the discussion OF this subject Admiral
Selwyn gave some interesting data as the
lo1don custom.
The utility of foliage in our city streets.
was ably discussed by Lieut.. Salisbury, of
the weather bureau, in connection with
southern cities. and by Captain Whittsl
from his own experience and by others
showing how the beautiful cities of Hart
ford, New Haven and Worcester kept up a
magnificent foliage right in the business
streets to the admiration OF the whole
world; cities having much larger popula-
tion than Salt Lake.
The large interest by all present IS
convinced ty the fact that the scientists re-
manned in session until a quarter to y
o'clock barely catching the Last trip by the
elevator.