The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-09-05
AFTER THE RATHER TEST,
The improvement Clubs to De-
mand Its Unconditional
Repeal.
IF the Supervisors Refuse Action the
Matter VIII Be Taken to
the Courts.

Ordinance number $780, commonly
known as the "blue-rock ordinance, must
go. This much was decided on at meet
ing of all the improvement clubs OF the
City, held under the auspices of the Point
Lobos improvement Club at B'nai B'rith
Hall last night. 1t was not the blue or
gray rock against which the assembled
representatives rebelled, but the 'rattler
test'' to which all rock must be subjected
before it can be accepted by the Street
Superintendent for paving purposes.
1t was decided at the meeting last night
that the time for severe meas ures had
arrived. All requests of the past had been
ignored, and they now propo sed to test
the legality of the ordinance in the courts,
provided one more appeal to the Super
visors proved futile. I. g. Parker, presi-
dent of the Point Lobos Club, acted as
chairman, and, after briefly outlining the
objects which they hoped to attain, said:
A great many blocks of bituminous-rock
pavement, with foundations of red-rock con-
crete, have been down Oh the streets OF this
City for many years, and most OF them are as
good to-day as they were on the day they were
laid Whenever any defective blocks are found
it can readily be seen that the defects if there
are any in the foundations, are caused by i'm
proper mixing of the material and by poor
workmanship on the part of the contractors
The block of bituminous-rock pavement on
Front street, between California and Sacra-
mento, has q red-rock foundation, and, al
though it has been laid for about seven years,
it is as good to-day it was the first year, and
there is as much heavy traffic upon that block
as there is upon any block in the City. The
block on Van Ness avenue, between Hayes and
Market streets, has also the red-rock concrete
foundation and has been down for several
years, and no better block can be found in this
City.
In an alley situated in the rear of Ninth
street, on which the stables of c. A. Warren
are situated, bituminous-rock pavement was
laid about five or six years ago upon founda
ton of red-rock macadam, and, although
there is great deal of traffic in that alley,
many OF Mr.. Warren's teams passing over it
daily number of times. the pavement is re-
ported to be as good to-day as it was five years
ago, and as good as any that can be found in
this City.
Many other blocks can be cited in a similar
manner, but these three, being situated in
different parts of the City and being subjected
to great deal of travel, will suffice to show
that q concrete foundation made OF red rock
is equal, if not superior, to any other.
For every defective block of pavement with
red-rock foundation two defective ones can be
shown with foundations made of blue or gray
rock concrete.
At the same hearing and subsequently, on
several occasions the superintendent of Streets,
Thomas Ashworth, man OF large experience
in matters pertaining to street work, having
served two full terms as superintendent OF
Streets before this present tern, emphatically
declared that red rock is in all respects as good
spects it is better.
Thiswas followed by several enthusiastic
speeches, in which the Solid Eight Super
visors came in for little more than their
share of aDuse. Byron Diggins showed
samples of gray rock, taken from Lombard
and Pierce streets, that had only been
down thirty days. The rock exhibited
was partly pulverized and that was the
condition of the entire street. Gray
Bros, he said, "select their own rock, and
put it through a private test before it is
placed on the RATHER machine. By this
means the edges and corners were worn
off, and consequently the rock lost practi-
cally nothing when subjected to ordinance
27e0"
T. J. Hegerty, r. G. Newberry, Charles
Alpers, Daniel Sullivan and Joseph Figel
also spoke at length against the ordinance,
declaring in strong language, that it was
unconstitutional, because it gave monop-
oily to one man. Mr.. Figel introduced
resolution, to the effect that committee
of seven be appointed to wait on the Super
visors and respectfully, but positively, de-
mand the repeal of an ordinance that COM
PEELED the people to pay 81 so a load for
what could be had for IS cents. If the
Supervisors then refused to take any action,
the fight would be carried to the courts.
The following committee was appointed.
after which the meeting adjourned: Joseph
Figel, Charles Alpers, F. G. Newberry,
Luke Battles, Charles Lane, T. T. Hegerty
and T. G. Parker.