The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-05-06

The preservation OF the timber TO be
vsesl in paving is a subject in which the
people OF Seattle are especially interested
Every time an ordinance IS passed by the
city council for the repIankins Of a street
there is a general discussion OF the need
OF system by which the life of the tim
Der may be prolonged People who have
given the matter thought look forward to
me time when all timber used In street
and building work viii De treated in such
a manner that the time OF its usefulness
will be extended and the danger of COM
bustion reduced to the minimum.
City Engineer Thomson is fully alive to
the situation and has been considering a
plan by which series OF experiments
will be concluded Throughout the United
States TO determine the value OF a process
known as "oornettizing." This system
has been developed principally by John
u. Isaacs. the chemist OF the Southern
Pacific railroad. and has the appearance
of being just what is needed. as il costs
not more than 81 a thousand feet and
meets the requirements.
AT the present time the Southern Pacific
Railroad Company, the Atchison. Topeka
Il Santa Fe Company and many other
large railroad systems are using the bur
nettizing system for the preservation of
ties. tunnel and other timbers Burnett
fixing consists in drying the timber hy
steam and then saturatlng IL with chlor-
ide of zinc This process hardens timber
considerably and prevents rotting and
dry rot IL lengtheaS the life of the tim
Der two or three times at least; how much
longer is not known.
The process also renders timber much
less combustible. The affinity of zine
chloride for mixture is sucn that it will
keep timber damp in the dryest china te
and resist ignition until long after appil-
cation of high temperature. The follow
ing experiments illustrate its effect: Two
boards. each one inch by six inches and
two feet long, exactly alike, except that
one was burnettized ana the other UNI
treated. were placed side By side closely
under the CRATES in the ash pit of a boiler
At the end OF forty minutes the untreatcd
stick was entirely consumed the treated
stick was charred one-quarter Of an inch
deep. Two pieces of eurnettized timber
one pine, the other red fir, each four inch
es square, and two pieces of the same
timber, the same size, bur untreated, were
placed on hot, blazing fire simultaneous
ly. The untreated pieces blazed up at once
and were consumed; the burnettized pieces
smouldered an hour before they could be
ignited.
II am corresponding" said City En-
Gineer Thomson, with many prominent
engineers Of the country about conducting
u uniform series OF experiments with TIM
Der treated in this manner. IL the results
of these experiments are favorable I be-
lieyo the question OF materia, to be used
for pavement VIII have been solved. and
that the building ordinances of all cities
will soon require al structural timber to
h.s tod tive or 1et fire
and TO prolong the life and usefulness of
timber. The credit of developing this sys-
tenn of treatment belongs principally to
John ID. Isaacs, chemist Of the Southern
Pacific
The board of public works met late yes
terday afternoon aud adopted a resolution
asking the city council TO pass an ordi-
nance for the repiankng and repiIing of
the Grant street bridge. This important
act came up as routine matter and was
disposed of without the slightest approach
TO heated discussion.
Street Superintendent Little, when seen
10y a reporter last evening. said that the
bridge was In bad condition and that the
work OF putting 1t in proper shape would
have been attended to before, only that
there was question as TO the power of
the city TO make an assessment. Things
nave Sndptu lntIuSelfSst nc Sdiu, 80 mat
this point could be taken care of and it
was time to proceed.
The bridge originally cost S2i,0 GOO and City
Engineer Thomson, ON being asked for a
rough estimate of the expenditure neces-
sary to put Ii In good condition, said
ST. coo to sl49oo. The length of the struet-
ure is one and three-quarter miles, but
bicycle riders who have gone over II re-
Gently think il is about ten times that dis
lance.
Mayor Wood announced himself as being
in favor of the resolution.
1t is probable that when the city council
meets again il will be called upon to con-
slider an ordinance having for its object
a change in the established grade OF First
avenue from Pike street north to Depot
street In North Seattle. If this ordinance
passes another ordinance win undoubtedly
be introduced 10 have the hill that stands
as a barrier between the down town
part of the city and North Seattle cut
down. The matter has been discussed for
several years and has made its appear
ance before the city council In the past.
but has always been killed. One of the
strong objections has come from people
who own property on the east side OF First
avenue, because in addition to the cost
imposed upon them they would be up in
the air. without any romance thrown in.
Councilman ellison appears 70 be the one
who has resurrected the project from the
grave. Yesterday morning he asked Cor
poration Counsel Brown about IT, and Mr..
Brown said the first thing 10 be done was
to have the grade Of the street changed.
Following out this theory. City Engineer
Thomson was requested to furnish figures
OH which to base an ordinance.
Mayor Wood signed two ordinances yes
terday afternoon. one relating TO obstruc-
lions in the hav and the other to the I'm
provement of street crossings. When an
obstruction exists in the harbor or on the
water front IL Is the duty Of the port war
den 70 notify the person or corporation
causing the obstruction TO remove il. and
IL there il a failure TO do so. then the port
warden is empowered 10 do the work and
the city NAV recover by civil action. IL a
wharf or any portion of II falls into the
bay the port warden is required TO notify
the owner. and In case there is n failure
10 comply. the port warden will remove
the debris and the city will recover by
civil action Violation OF the provisions
~ this ordinance are punishable by fine
Of so. or thirty days Imprisonment, or
both.
II is the intention Of the city 90 make
all focal srnnrox arnsnts. the cost of which