The record-union., 1893-05-26
Gravel, or Macadam.

EDS. RECORD-UNIoN: / noticed an
article in your issue of the oath inst,
taken from the Engineering Nagazi,e, in
which Engineer w. Z. McClintock tells
what he knows about roads and streets in
the State of Massachusetts, and am
somewhat surprised at your comments
upon the subject.
His proposition to improve roads and
streets with macadam is certainly good
one, and needs no comment, where it is
not too expensive; but we should re-
member that it is streets and highways of
Sacramento City and County that we are
interested in, where the same quality of
soil and the same material do not exist
that is found in Massachusetts,
10 construct a street in this city as he
suggests, of macadam only five and one
half inches in thickness, would be spread
ing it on too thin for Sacramento as
after one winter such as the past. if Won
desired to find macadam you would have
to dig for it.
Now, as there has been so much writ
ten and said concerning the improve.
ment of streets and highways, allow me
to tell what / know, and in which | am
positive that two-thirds, at least, of the
property-owners will bear me out, as |
have had near twenty years of experience
and know something of what 1 write.
Now, my plan is first to grade the
street properly, and then roll it well;
then place eight inches of pure red
cement gravel on the center, six on the
/ quarter, and four to the curb. | mean
gravel-not dirt-and of which there is
an abundance within few miles Of the
city, and then finish with four inches of
crushed gravel or rock on the center.
! three on quarter, and two to curb. You
will then have street of which the citi-
zens may feel proud, and one that will
last for ages.
y street improved in this manner can
be done so cheap that no reasonable per
SOB can complain, as it will cost but A
trlt1e, II anything, more than Folsom
gravel.
You state that you have long believed
that Sacramento was in error in gravel
ing her streets. If you say with dirt. I
will admit that the loose and careless
manner in which the property-owners
have allowed themselves to be imposed
upon by contractors, by hauling dirt in
stead of gravel and charging for rood
material, is an outrage and unpard0na-
bic. But, after suffering the Imposition
it is wrong to condemn good material
when it is far the cheapest and most
durable of any we have when properlv
and honestly used.
But people will say that there are no
honest contractors. There is a wav to
make them do honest work. and that is
ny ndNlllS d IGIldDl6 person attend to If
and see that no inferior material is used
and they will soon learn that thew will
have to be honest.
However, l will refer you to the late
Sacramento Street Improvement Com
pany, which built some OF the finest
streets that are in the city. | will refer
you to L street. from Fifteenth to Twen-
ty-eighth, which was improved by them
three years ago, and has not at any time
since required one cent for repairs. Also.
Sixteenth street, II street and L street
all built of red cement gravel. 1t is safe
to say that L street has more than double
the travel of any street leading through
the city. l will also refer you to the
streets of Woodland and the highways
leading thereto that are built Of gravel.
And, for further proof, take ride out to
the County Hospital and take look at
road that was built fourteen years ago
and examine the condition of it, a road
that was made of our condemned gravel.
Now, there is another advantage in
using our own material-it keeps our
money at home, and gives employ
ment to our workmen and teams, where
as if we use foreign material We are send
ing our money abroad and driving our
workmen 10 other fields for support.
Again, If we use our own material and
should in the future conclude TO use any
other material, we will then have solid
foundation to build upon. However, let
us consult the taxpayers and be governed
by their wishes, as they are the sufferers.
s C.