The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-05-17
SUDDEN CHANGE OF HEART
Superintendent Ashworth Sur
priseS the Red Rock
Quarrymen.
HE WANTS THE RATHER TEST.
The New Specifications as to Rock
and Bitumen Exactly Like
the Old Ones.

the Old Ones.
People are wondering at the sudden
change of heart that has come over Thomas
Ashworth, Superintendent of Streets.
Contractors, architects, quarrymen and
those who supply material for street paving
are surprised at the very sudden and unex-
pected conversion of Superintendent Ash
worth to the blue and gray rock fetish.
They have called upon him, or tried to do
so, asking for an explanation of the mat
ter. But they have found him absent
from the City. Immediately after his
conversion to blue rock Mr.. Ashworth hied
himself away to the seashore or the noun
tains; no one appears to know whittier,
and even inquiries at his residence fail to
disclose his exact whereabouts.
There is Indignation mingled with the
surprise, and the red rock quarrymen and
contractors declare they have not been
fairly dealt with by the Street Superin-
tendent. They declare, too, that Mr.. Ash
worth, in the specifications filed by him
with the Street Committee of the Board
of Supervisors last Thursday, rescinded all
his previous statements concerning the
unfairness of the Rather test for concrete
stone, and showed beyond a question his
very recent conversion to the false dogma
that Gray Brothers should be permitted to
have an exclusive monopoly in furnishing
the foundation stone for street work.
Rock men are fully awakened on the
question, and an investigation of some
kind will certainly be asked for by those
most interested.
The ordinance that has been in force for
several years made provision for test of
the concrete rock to be used in street paw
ing, known as the Rather test. This test
has been proved unsatisfactory by expert
ence, and especially SO as it has resulted,
and always will result, in giving Gray
Brothers, dealers in blue rock, the exclu-
sive monopoly in supplying rock to be
used for this purpose. Another serious OBJ
lection to this test is in the costliness of
the material it provides for, since Gray
Brothers receive much higher price for
their rock than would have to be paid for
much of the rock excluded under the test
and which is known to be equally as good
for the purpose. Citizens whose property
is to be improved by street work, as well
as taxpayers who are interested in munich
pal economy, have made complaints of this
state of affairs.
And SO emphatic did these complaints
finally become that on the 18th of Febru-
airy last resolution (No. 11,847, third
series) was adopted by the Board of Super
visors, reciting these complaints and the
fact that the board proposed to adopt
specifications for the performance of good
street work and the furnishing of good ma
terials, and requesting persons interested
to prepare specifications and present their
views in writing relative to the material,
its character and the tests to be applied.
These were to be presented to the Street
Committee on February %, 1895. In COM
pliance with this resolution the red-rock
people, at the time specified, presented
specifications, accompanied by their views
wholly eliminated the Rather test and de-
clared that the only fair test is one that
will measure the tensile strength of the
concrete in its completed form. In full,
the report presented by the red-rock men
was as follows:
To the Street Committee Of the Honorable Board
Of Superuisors. San Francfseo; In compliance
advertised, relative to rock, concrete and
bitumen proposed to be used in the construc-
ton OF bituminous pavement, and requesting
ell parties interested to prepare specifications
and present in writing their views relative to
material etc, it's character and tests required,
and to submit the same to your committee,
we, the undersign ID, Champion & Crocker,
respectfully beg leave to submit the following
specification and views relative to the rock to
be used in such construction:
Specifcation-The rock used shall be clean,
sharp, hard and durable, free from dirt, clay
or other soapy substances and not subject to
disintegration by the action of air or water.
This rock shall be crushed or broken to an
average size, not exceeding two inches in any
direction.
Views relative to material as suggested by
the above specification, and as to its character
and the required tests-It will be observed
that the specification here presented dis
tinctly eliminates the proposed requirement
that rock to be used in the construction of
roadways must be either blue or gray in color,
and also eliminates the present test, known as
the Rather test.
First-We assert that the proposed limita.
ton as to color and the use of the Rather test
so reduces the sources of supply as to subject
purchasers to the extortionate ana unjust de-
mands and conditions OF monopoly, and will
impose upon taxpayers and owners of property
hereafter to be improved unnecessary bur-
dens of expense, and unjustly withdraw OPP
portunity for the pursuit OF fair and legitimate
business from large class of persons who
have invested large amounts of capital by pre-
venting them from entering into full, fair and
honest competition.
Seeondly-We assert that there is no rock,
blue, gray or red, in use or available for use,
which will stand the Rather test when fairly
applied, as has been demonstrated by recent
experiment, and we here call attention, in sup
port of this assertion, to the test made by the
Superintendent OF Streets on the 21st day of
February, 1895, in which all rock, gray and
red, then tested, failed to meet the require
ment and also to the tests made of similar
rock on the 23d day of February, 1895, by
your committee. While on the occasion of the
(gray In color apparently met the standard as
to loss, there is evidence which cannot be ig-
nored-that the rock submitted to the test had
been previously prepared for the purpose by
filling or otherwise removing and rounding off
the sharp edges and corners. A sample of the
rock thus prepared was placed in the possess
sion Iou OF the superintendent OF Streets by. Mr..
and is subject to Identification and examina-
ton, which is hereby requested. We assert
that the Rather test any other test of rock in
preliminary stages, is aot fair and just test,
and that the only fair test is one which will
try and measure the tensile strength of the
concrete in its completed form, after lapse of
sufficient time for hardening.
Thirdly-We assert that the rock commonly
known as red rock possesses equal merit for
use in street and foundation work with that of
blue or gray rock, and in many respects the
qualities of the first named are superior to
those of the last named. While by the tests
heretofore referred to the loss of rock from the
quarries of Diggins Brothers and the under
signed (red rocky was greater than that of gray
rock, even assuming that the test was fairly
applied, it is undeniable that the rock from the
quarries of Diggins Brothers, Champion &
Croker and other red-rock quarries has been
fNrx t.