The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-09-04
THE TRACK TORN UP.
Work Begun on the Front
Street Brick Pavement.
CARS TAKE OTHER ROUTES.
Solid Foundation First 20 Be Lafd-A
Park TO Occupy Pioneer Place
The Poles TO Be Moved.

The work Of paving Front street began
in earnest yesterday az the intersection OF
James street and YesIer avenue, where
Spur & Wilmot. the contractors, mad
force of twenty men busy taking up the
track OF the Consolidated Street Railway
Company and digging clear down 20 the old
street bed below II viii be two weeks be-
fore anything can be done toward laying
brick. and in the meantime provision VIII
have TO be made for two sewers One or
them viii be 2ix3s inches, and Will run loJ
feet from the property line on 1esler ave
nue. TO Commercial street, and the other
viii be in one section 20x3e and then ks.
and viii also run 80 feet to Commercial
street, the two sewers 10 be united al A
manhola and connected with the main
sewer running down Front street. The
force will be increased this morning 10
thirty men.
The excavation made by the workmen
gives an idea of the rise in the street made
by the new grade established after the
great fire. In several places the old street
was laid bare several feet below the new,
and the hollow space intervening was a
surprise 10 the newcomer. who never ques-
toned but that portion of the planking
was on solid ground In this part OF the
paving a firm foundation will have to be
put in before anything substantial can be
done toward laying the brick.
The irregular tract known as Pioneer
Place will be left unpaved. and in time IL
will probably be utilized as parking strip.
It's sides east and west are each 125 feet.
the south end is 20 feet and the north 10
feet. II will be inclosed by granite curb
ing rising AZ inches above the surface OF
the pavement. The brick TO he used in
paving Front street will be supplied by the
Seattle Brick and Tile Company at a cost
of SIS per thousand. The brick furnished by
this company was used in paving the north
great deal of discussion as TO its imper-
viousness and durability An allowance
of per cent. will be made for absorption
in the brick 10 be used on Front street,
while on Pike street only ~ per cent. was
allowed. The brick for paving Second street
will probably be furnished by the Denny
Clay Company. so the two different makes
will be given an excellent test
BY reason of the blockade, the Consoli-
dated company yesterday ran its cars only
as far south as South Third street, and
abandoned that portion of the line extend
ing from South Third street around by
Washington and Front street TO an inter
section with Second and James.
When the paving of Second street is be-
gun the Consolidated will run its cars over
the Third street line to the terminus in front
of the city hall. Connections will be made
on Fifth and Eighth streets. and the
schedules Will be rearranged to prevent in
tefIerence OF the cars OF the TWO COM
panies.
The electric light. telephone and telegraph
companies will have to move the great
bulk of their poles on Front and Second
streets. Secretary Meacham was yester-
day instructed by the board of public
works to notify them that their poles will
have TO be placed inside the curbing. This
order is preliminary TO the paving of these
streets.
o. d. Colvfn. receiver OF the Front Street
Cable Company. has petitoned the city
council TO be allowed to put in a plank
pavement between the tracks OF that COM
pany TO be used for eighteen months. He
says that to put in the pavement required
by ordinance would make necessary re-
construction Of the road between Yesler
avenue and Madison street: that IL would
cost $50, 000. and that the line would have to
be shut down for sixty days The com
pany has not. he says. the money to do
this now, and receivers certificates could
not be negotiated. even if ordered by the
court. Mr.. Colvin thinks he can put in n
plank pavement out Of the earnings of the
road. and asks to be allowed TO do this for
the present.
The petition came IN for action before
both houses of the city council at the
meeting last evening. and was in each in
stance rejected. In the house of delegates
Crichton voted in favor of granting it,
Mr.. Colvin appeared soon afterward and
stated that his intention was TO have the
petition first Introduced in the board Of
aldermen and he asked that the vote he
reconsidered. Kisler objected 10 the pro-
ceeding on the ground that ii would delay
the work Of paving Front street. as the
petition would probably slumber in the
hands Of a committee for six or eight
weeks.