The herald., 1897-04-13

sumption. The steamer Harding, 2b0-
ton boat, built on Puget Sound. has
been secured for $4,000. A large market
building is to be erected at the Adams
Prather wharf, where the Harding will
land, and here wholesale and retail busi-
ness in fruit and produce will be carried
on.
The directors OF the Merchants asso-
citation of San Francisco held confer"
ence the other evening with a number
of teamsters and draymen, for the pur-
pose of collecting the opinions as to what
paving materials and pavements are best
suited to the streets Of the city. Many
of the teamsters thought basalt made the
best pavement, when properly laid. En-
gineer Mccullough suggested that the
specifications for basalt block paving in
the street superintendent's office, under
which nearly all the paving of that char
acter had been laid in the city, should be
so changed that a foundation Of at least
six inches Of concrete should be first
laid. Then a layer OF sand and then
the blocks. The cracks between the
blocks should be filled with pliable ce-
ment. Resolutions were adopted urging
the supervisors to pass ordinances al
lowing the streets to be paved with pre-
pared wooden blocks. and with asphalt
where the property owners desire it.
The growth of the street railway sys-
tenn in Massachusetts, has brought about
the introduction OF a number Of amend
ments proposed to be made Of existing
laws.
The number of passengers carried since
the introduction of the electric system
has increased from 130, ,000, 900 to 290, 000.-
900; the amount of capital from $12,000,
900 to $50, O,000, ,000 The street railways of
the commonwealth now carry twice as
many passengers as the steam roads.
The commissioners feel that the horse
railway code requires adaptation to the
present system Of electric operation.
The first bill submitted relates to the
abolition of grade crossings where steam
roads are crossed by electric lines. 1t Is
proposed to give the street railway COM
panies power to petition for the appoint
ment of a commission for that purpose,
just as railroad companies may do now.
About Is per cent of the cost of such
change is considered fair proportion
for the electric roads to bear. The pres
ent law divides the expense for the abo-
lition of grade crossings as follows: The
steam roads pay 65 per cent. the common
wealth rs per cent and the cities and
towns 10 per cent.
The second bill presented authorizes
street railway companies to acquire land
either by purchase or the right of emf
nent domain. If these companies en-
joyed the right to purchase land, great
many of the grade crossings might be OBJ
waited. The bill would permit them to
ACQUIRE five feet of land outside of the
public way. thus conveying the right to
construct tracks upon private property.
The third bill provides that the author
ity now vested in the railroad inspectors
may be extended to the inspection OF
street railways.
American Investments says that "the
Brazilian government paid per cent on
it's last s5,OO0, 900, 900 loan." We fear that
the Brazilian government has not, and
never had, the credit to raise nor the
ability to pay the interest on so vast
sum. The deadly compositor and the
unerring proof reader will have to d.
vide the responsibility for this great
BRAZILIAN loan.