The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1895-09-27
A HEAP OF TROUBLE.
Property Owners on Clay Avenue Com.
plain Against Paving Methods and Arc
Waiting to Know What the City Is Going
TO 10 About H.

There seems to be big trouble ahead
for somebody in connection with the
asphalt pavement being laid on Clay
avenue between Olive and Pine streets,
and for the sake of better explanation
the prospective trouble can be put un-
der two heads
First, the most serious difficulty Is
involved in a letter to the mayor from
Lemuel zimmerman. one of the prop
el'ty owners, who alleges that the work
Is not being done according to the
specifications and that the specfica-
| tions have been grossly violated: Sec
ond. all the property owners in the
block signed a remonstrance addressed
to councils and protesting against the
laying of brick cutters. for which pro-
visions We're made in the paving Ordin-
ance and contract, although the origin
al petition for the pavement called for
asphalt only. The work is being done
by the Barber Asphalt Paving COM
pany.
The gutter protest was lfavombly
considered by councils last night, al
though some members seemed disposed
to let the property owners whistle. Mr..
Sanderson, Mr.. Chittenden and Mr..
Roche. however, championed the re-
monstrance and brought about a unani-
nous assent.
What Mr.. zimmerman Says.
Mr. zimmerman maintains that in
sufficient cement. a poor quality of
sand and watery mortar have been
used I'm laying the concrete base. and
that the mass has been allowed to dry
without being protected by canvas or
boards from the action of wind and sun,
although the specifications explicitly
provide that this precaution shall be
taken. THE specifications further pro-
vide that the concrete shall be five
inches thick. but an examination of the
work already performed does not re-
veal depth of over four inches.
The allegations made In Mr.. Ammer-
mans letter addressed to'the mayor Ga
similar one was sent to the Barber
company seem ITO be borne out by an
inspection of the work last night.
The complaint made caused the SUI
perintendent in charge to have mortar
of proper quality poured over some of
the weak spots yesterday In an attempt
to stiffen the mass. This method ap-
pears to have sealed the surface where
1t was applied.
Mr. zimmerman, in his objections to
the quality of the work. has announced
his intention of refusing to pay his
assessment unless the matter Is prop
erly remedied, and either property own
ers have announced their intention Of
taking the same course. The matter
will probht;y be referred by Mayor
Connall to City Engineer Phillips and
City Solicitor Torrey.
Causc Of the Complaint.
The protest Of the property owners
against the brick cutters was not
made on the ground Of non-sta-
bilfty or through faulty construction;
in fact. the cutters have not been laid.
The remonstrance cited that the petit
ton for a pave was for asphalt and
for asphalt only: and that the property
owners did not want a pavement with
an ugly red border on each side. The
paper didn't read that way. but that Is
what 1t meant.
The property owners will, figuratfve-
ly, be lying behind 'breastworks today
and waiting to see what the city Of
ficials are going to do about Mr.. Am
merman's complaint.