Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1907-08-10
RESULT is VERY POOR WORK.
Hard LIMERICK Best-city Has
Plenty, But Officials Do
Not Use 1t. Why?
Comparison With Chicago's Methods
And Materials Shows What is
Wrong With Local Street Work.

The Tribune made a second gasp yes
terday In at attempt to Justify the Sec
ond avenue laundering. After the
News" In n half score Of articles had
thoroughly exposed the weakness of tho
macadamizing there, the American"
organ whispered with bated breath"
in few paltry insinuations that the
attacks on the street work had some
thing to do with tithing. Now ii has
found its voice again, and says decent
ly. at least, though still brazenly, that
lone OF the best pieces of improvement
work now being done by the "Ameri-
can" city administration is the macad-
amlzing Of Second avenue from Canyon
road to the military reservation. When
completed II Will be one of the most
beautiful drives in Salt Lake. A splen-
did macadam is being laid. giving a
fine roadway. The thoroughfare is
beautifully shaded on both sides and Is
most attractive in every way. Oppo-
siticn newspapers are carping that the
job is a poor one but the taxpayers who
are paying for it are satisfied"
CONNECTS THE AMERICANS.
Accepting as true that this is one of
the best pieces of improvement work
now being done by the American" city
| administration" II follows that
| that administration Is worse than Its
most pronounced enemies have ever de-
clared il to be. Because:
J. The fnacadamlzing of Second av-
enue Is already showing It's true nature
by wearing out, raveling, and requir-
ing patching at one end before the 9TH
er end Is finished
9 The street pavement will not last
20 t. No, aAv.to az fe,lr
ing the time limit to pay for this inn
provement. but before it is half paid
for they will be assessed for the laying
of another.
8. These facts have been repeatedly
demonstrated in the News" and not
even the Tribune has even ventured to
dispute them. Hundreds of observers
win confirm them IL necessary.
4. The people are not satisfied with
this work now, and win grow less SO
with every month of service to which
the new road is subjected. Through
their councilmen they have protested IN
vain to the city council and some are
now ready to do more than protest.
THE SPECIFICATIONS.
To put the matter In new light. it is
Interesting to know that the city en-
gineer. the board of public works and
4 all others concerned in the road build
a INHt IUuSl Dt hWdfc VI Tie NlOittlOti VI
the specifications that goes on daily In
all this work,
Salt Lake Coty has adopted, upon the
recommendation of the city engineer,
d and with the assent of the hoard OF
n public works. some of the most admira-
4 BILE of specifications for street work.
x No fault need be found with the speci-
4 fications. They are good enough. The
4 trouble is that they are not enforced.
They are left to enforce themselves,
n and this they cannot do. For instance
z Two OF the first among them read as
follows.
AS TO THE SUB-GRADE.
4 Second 2. when mud or soft ma
terial is encountered, it shall be taken
a out below the sub-grade IL the city en-
A sineer shall so direct. and not other
wise, If so directed and taken out,
the space shall be re-filled with good,
q clean gravel, by and at the expense
4 Of the contractor"
Section 6. "Such portions of the
ID street or sidewalk as cannot be
reached by the roller, and all places
excavated below the sub-grade and re-
filled. and all pipe trenches and other
4 places that cannot be properly conf
paeted by the roller. shall be tamped
solidly by and at tho expense Of the
contractor. And this refers to all
that may be hereafter excavated prior
a to the completion OF the work under
this contract"
No attention Is paid to these ar
II ficles. The work goes on with nobody
N 10 see that they are compiled with.
H The elaborate specifications are ridicu-
"A lous In that they do not have any in
supposed to govern. That these para
graphs deserve to be operative is
shown by comparing them with those
enforced by the city OF Chicago.
i cHICAGo's LOWER STRATUM.
n The Chicago specifications provide
4 that on the sub-grade "shall be
spread a layer OF blast furnace Stag
OF the best quality and broken so as
to pass through ring 6 inchcs In
diameter. This layer shall he covered
with fine Stag. limestone screenings,
clnders. mill ashes, or foundry sand
In such quantities as TO completely I'LL
all interstices. then flooded and rolled
with ten ton steam roller until
thoroughly compacted. This layer shall
measure not less than eight inches in
depth We prepare no lower stratum,
and OF course save that expense which
Is not always necessary, Chicago's
lower stratum Is put In to resist tho
very heavy trafric which those streets
bear.
IMPORTANT FEATURES.
Other specifications for our street
work, embodying very important fea-
lures, are the following:
a. The broken stone shall be sup
pied In three Sizes. Nos /. 2 and o.
no. ] shall contain no fragments more
man four (D inches nor less than
Two and one-half (2M) inches In any
direction. No. 2 shall contain no frag-
lnents more than two and ono-half
eh) inches nor less than one "a
nch In any direction. No. 3 shall
contain no fragments which will not
pass one-half az } inch circular ring
and shell include all the dust OF frac-
nre All broken stone fragments
nall have rough surfaces such as are
Obtained by fracture and must be as
nearly regular as practicable. Flat or
wedge shaped stones and water-worn
used,
The pavement shall be laid In
I'VE courses and the bottom course
sIall DO thoroughly sprinkied and roll
n q a.. 49,.