The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1898-03-02
Proposition to be Considered
by the Aldermen.
THE COST WILL BE SMALL
NEEDED FOR TRANSPORTATION
OF PAVING STONE.
WORK NOW GOING ON AT THE QUARRY
Force There Will Be Doubled Within Next
Two Weeks--Mr. H. H. Croker viii
Probably be Chosen to Succeed Al
derman Riddle.-tog Question,

derman Riddle--fog Question.
The meeting of the Board of Aldermen
next Friday night will he n most impor-
tant one.
The construction OF a tram-way TO the
rock quarry for bringing paving stone
into the city is the he discussed.
A new alderman for the Tr1ird ward
is 10 be chosen to succeed Alderman
Riddle. resigned.
And the proposition to extend the hog
limit is to be acted upon.
Certain OF the aldermen are in favor
of prohibiting the maintenance of hog
lots anywhere within the city limits;
other members of the board bitterly op-
pose any change whatever in the pres
emit bounds, while still others are in IA
yor OF a compromise between these two
extremes. These latter viii probably
win. The necessity for some extension
is generally recognized. but it is likely
that an ordinance fixing the limit at the
city bounds will work a hardship ola
many poor people.
As to the new alderman q caucus has
been called for Thursday night to
determine who it shall be. Though a
number of names has been suggested
it is probable that either Mr. II. III.
Crocker or Mr.. NJ. Rosenthal will he cho-
sen. The odds are in favor of Mr..
Croker. A strong effort has been made
to induce Mr.. L. b. CrowJler to accept
the place, but he has positively declined
to allow his name to go before the eau
Gus or to serve if elected.
But the question of greatest interest
and Importance to come before the board
is to devise some economical method
for rhe transportation of paving stone
from the quarry to the city. The streets
must be paved; the bonds have been
voted. the money is in hand, the stone
is being taken out of the quarry. How
best and most cheaply to get it TO the
spot where it is needed is the question
that now confronts the city government.
To bring it here in wagons would cost
from $4,000 to $4,000, at the lowest
calculation. The street car company has
not seen fit to accept the proposition re-
Gently made to it by the city, and pub
lished exclusively in this paper, in re-
gard to building a line on Hargett
street. So now it is proposed for the
city to take the whole matter in hand
and build tram-way from the quarry
to the Victor fire building, intersection of
Blount and Hargett streets. This point
is about one and one-eighth miles from
the quarry. A temporary track is then
10 be laid to any part of the city where
paving stone or macadam IS needed.
BY this arrangement two miles of track
will transport the paving material from
the quarry TO any point in the city.
The fixtures at the quarry have been
put up especially with "a view to this
arrangement. Cars can be loaded easily
and with very little handling of the ma
terial. 1t is proposed also to purchase
cars from which the load can be dumped
where ever desired.
Mayor Russ has been making investi-
cations as to the cost of carrying
through this scheme. He finds that the
tram-way can be built for some $1,000,
possibly less. To operate it will take
eight or ten good horses and three or
four drivers. The grade from the quarry
TO Blount street is such that two horses
can easily bring in two loaded cars, the
cars holding 1900 pounds of paving
material each, or $4,000 pounds each
trip. This would mean not less than
10000 pounds a day, taken from the
quarry and put down at the very spot
where it is needed by the street force.
And this could be done at cost
of not more than $40 a day at the most
liberal estimate. To do the same amount
of work by wagons would cost not less
than $40. Add to this the fact thar
wagons are hindered greatly by the
weather and cannot always be secured
when most needed, and it will be seen
what a vast saving could be secured the
city by the construction Of the tramway.
The line can be constructed very
cheaply. Scarcely any grading is need
ed Rails can be purchased for S21 a
ton, and 80 tons will be all that will be
necessary. The best ears can he bought
at 500 each; not more than six, pr0ba-
bly, not so many, will be required.
THE quarry is now q scene of activity.
Twenty men are at work in it, five new
conyicts have been sent out from the
penitentiary Monday Though much
good stone is now being taken out, there
is vast amount of waste. When the
quarry was worked many years ago
dynamite was used in blasting and as
result all the stone for several feet
down was shiyered and cracked. Since
then the surface stone has been hardened
by exposure. This is all being cleared
away and the quarry shaped up for ac-
tive work. As soon as tais is done. about
the middle of this month, the present
force will be doubled
Mr.. Johnston the foreman, is man
of long experience in quarry work.
He says that the stone he is preparing
10 take out for the city is as fine for
paving and CURLING purposes as any
he has ever seen. 1t will be remembered
that the granite from which the State
capitol was built was taken from this
quarry.
"A force of forty men can turn out a
vast amount of stone in a day. Two
steam drills are in use. One cuts
through so feet of solid stone day and
the otheT through go feet. Two FORCES
are kept busy sharpening drills and tools
The rock crusher has a capacity Of 1T
tons a day.
Belgian block Of the finest description
is now being quarried at a cost of &c
cents per square foot: tae city has here.
tofore been paying 50 cents for stuff