The herald., 1897-02-10
THE MAIN STREET PAVING
Property Owners Enter
Their Protests
HEARING BEFORE THE COMMITTEE
All Agree That the Work Is Not
Satisfactory
OBJECTIONS IN DETAIL
The Claim Made That the Concrete Work
Is Defective
The Asphalt Covering Not Up to Speeifea'
tions Ia Many Places
Ths Cutters Not on Grade and the "Grout-
Ing" ls Not What It Should Be.
The Contractors viii Be
Heard Today
The Claim Made That the Concrete Work
Is Defective
The Asphalt Covering Not Up to Specifica.
tions 10 Many Places

The hearing Of protests against the
acceptance of the Main street pavement
was commenced yesterday afternoon in
the council chamber before the special
committee of the council appointed for
this purpose. The members of the COM
mittee, Messrs. Nickel, Toll and Blan-
chard, with Street Superintendent Drain,
were promptly on hand, as were also
q number of the protestants Contractor
Long, with several of his associates.
we're in attendance, and there was
quite a number of interested spectators
In the lobby. The property owners
were represented by Messrs. Barclay
and Arthur, while the interests OF the
contractors were looked after by John
]. Jones and Judge Mckinley.
There was quite a discussion as to
whether the testimony should be taken
down in shorthand, but the councilmen
declining to pay for the same, on the
ground that they could get enough for
their purpose without this the services
of the stenographer were dispensed with,
the attorneys for the contractors say
ing that it was useless to them. There
were a number of exhibits in the shape
of rocks, specimens of the concrete and
asphalt, most of the witnesses having
evidently prepared themselves for the
occasion
1t was almost o'clock before the COM
mittee finally got down to business, and
w. A. Field, who lives at No. 112 West
Twenty fourth street, took the stand.
Mr.. Field is large property owner on
Main street, between Thirty first and
jefferson streets and from his testimony
devoted considerable time during the
progress of the work to inspecting the
same. According to Mr.. Field. the gut
ters at no place, except the intersec-
tions, comply with the specifications.
The cutters are not three feet wide, as
required. and the stone blocks used are
larger than are called for. Not only
this, but they are not properly laid, be-
ing grouted in many instances instead
of asphaltum, as required. Then the
asphaltum used in grouting was not
of the proper consistency, being like
molasses candy and easily pulled out
of the crevices between the rocks. The
concrete was not properly mixed in
water-tight boxes, as required by the
specifications, but on rough planks laid
on the street; much of the cement un-
doubtedly escaped through the cracks
and was lost. Then too, the specifica-
tions called for crushed rock, but not
more than one third of this material had
been used, the remainder being round
rocks and boulders. The asphalt cover
ing was also defective, there being thouS-
ands of feet which was not over one ard
q half inches in thickness. This as
phalt had been mixed in open kettles and
laid on the wet concrete. the result being
1DI 1s1, I a.sT
was possible to pry up the asphalt COW
ering with a pocket knife. Mr. Field
said that he had called the, attention of
Street Superin tendent Howard :" the
points complained of, but that official
paid no attention to his protests, saying
that the work was the best job on the
coast Mr.. Field was of the opinion
that the work was at least 100 per cent
better above Washington street than
below it.
Mr.. Field exhibited a number of rocks
that he had taken from the concrete.
one of which was almost as big as his
head, and also specimens Of the asphalt
covering, to the under side of which
was still adhering earth, horse manure
and other substances which should not
have been there. Hot rollers had not
been used, and in consequence the as
phalt had not been properly laid Mr
Field said that he could show the mem
bers of the committee where the defec-
tive work was, and would take pleasure
In pointing it out The witness was
briefly crosS-eXamined, and said i'm an
swer to questions that there were mum
erous places where the concrete could
he kicked up With his foot. He also
claimed that the curb was defective.
w. a. BOsqui, one of the inspectors on
the work, was next called. Mr.. Bosqui
frankly stated that he had no practical
1nH H.rA !,
He had charge of the laying of the gut
ters from Sixteenth to Thirty-seventh
streets. Part of the work was we'll done
and part of ii was poor In some cases
he had condemned the work ard in some
cases this had been torn out and relaid
perhaps a third altogether. The grout-
irg material he considered good, and
as far as he could judge the concrete
work was properly done He had a
breezy scene with Contractor Sherer on
a:s occasion, and mad himself .Oin ~
portion of the work. He had on sev-
eral occasions called the attention of
Contractor Long to the defective work.
He had never been furnished with
thermometer to test the temperature Of
the asphalt. but gauged the heat by the
way in which the mixture ran.
w. G. Story. property owner al No.
1109 South Main street, was the next
witness He did not think the gutter
was on the proper grade as water stood
Almost constantly in front Of his prem
ises. He did not know much about con-
crete, but he did not think it was a
good job when it was full Of loose rocks
There were numerous soft spots, which
he thought he could point out to the
members Of the committee Mr. Story
also objected to the using Of coal oil OH
the roller, ana he showed a specimen of
the concrete which ho had treated with
coal oil to show that it caused dfsinte-
grafton. He considered the work south
of washington street very inferior job
There were too many large rocks to make
a satisfactory piece of work. HI consid-
cred that the contractors had rushed
the work in utter disregard for the good
of the street.
Mr.. Dague, another property owner
thought that the work had not been
done according to contract. The specin-
cations called for crushed rock for the
concrete. but, in his opinion, very ln-
tie of the material used had ever been
through a crusher. Then the concrete