The herald., 1897-03-06


jected to physical tests at different tenn
peratures with the following results:
At temperature ranging from 40 de-
grees to 65 degrees, Fahrenheit, the ma
terial is brittle, non-cohesive. and can
be easily pulverized to an almost i'm
palpable dust.
When heated to 70 degrees, Fahrenheit,
ii commences to soften but remains brit
tie and non-elastic.
Heated to so degrees, Fahrenheit, the
softening continues. but the material is
only slightly cohesive.
Heated to 100 degrees, Fahrenheit, the
mass is reduced to a soft, non-elasti tic,
non cohesive material.
Heated above this temperature and
up to 200 degrees, Fahrenheit, the sub
stance was but slightly cohesive unless
submitted to great pressure.
When heated after cooling, to so de-
grees, Fahrenheit. II forms hard, COM
pact and brittle substance which can be
readily pulverized.
The material continues in this state
until heated above 75 degrees, Fahren-
heit. when it softens slightly and disin-
tegrates easily.
AS a result of our chemical and ply
steal tests, we have no hesitation in pro-
nouncing the material as represented
by our samples Nos. / and 2, as being
utterly worthless for paving and road
way purposes.
THOMAS PRICE & SON.
The sweeping character of the report
was evidently a surprise, but Mr.. Nick
ell and Mr.. Dockweiler declined to be in
terviewed on the subject in advance of
the meeting of the committee, which will
be held today. Mr.. Dockweiler stated
that the samples had been taken from
the west side of Main street, between
Thirtieth and Jefferson streets, that
portion of the pavement laid with as
phalt mixed in open kettles by hand. The
ed asphalt, and were from the west side
ed asphalt, and weref rom the west side
of Main street south of Washington,
and the east side of the street north Of
Washington. Mr.. Dockweiler said that
he could not give an intelligent explana-
tion of the analysis until he had care
fully compared the specifications, be-
yond saying that the analysis showed
that the asphalt was within the specif-
cation requirements as regards the per-
centage of bitumen.
AFTER MR.. NICKELL
In this connection the Investor pub
lished Thursday had the following:
THE special committee having charge
OF the investigation of the work done
under the Main street paving contract
is composed of Councilmen Nickel
(chairman), Toll and Blanchard, the
superintendent of streets and the city
engineer. The last named officer has
checked the grade and levels of the
street under orders from the committee
and has found the work practically cor
rect. The concrete will no doubt be sat-
isfactorily passed upon. But the fight
appears to be upon the work done by a
sub-contractor In the quality and thick
ness of the asphalt surfacing. The city
has expended about $3.50 in having anal
yses of this asphalt covering made, and
some of the results so obtained were not
satisfactory. For some reason these
certificates were not used by the COM
mittee, but the city engineer was order
ed to send samples to Thos. Price & Son,
assayers of San Francisco, firm having
q national reputation, for theib analysis
and opinion. These samples were for
warded on the 25th of February, hut II
appears that Councilman Nickel on
finding that they had been forwarded
ordered the city engineer to stop the
analysis, upon which the following dis
patch was sent:
LOS ANGELES Feb. 2s. 1897.
'Thomas rrice & Son, assayers, San
man of the special committee on the Main
street paving to countermand the order
which l gave you in regard to analysis OF
samples of asphalt and report which L sent
~. II. DoCKwEILER,
"City Engineer.
ITO which Price & Son responded as
"sAN FRANCISCO. Feb. 2s. 1897.
letter sent to express for samples and put
work In hand at once ahead Of everything
else. Are we to understand you desire work
asphalt samples stoppeq entirely.
When this answer was received q