The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1908-02-03
M'GAVOCK TO RESIGN
FROM COMMISSION?
QUESTION HAS ARISEN AS TO
WHAT ATTITUDE MEMBERS
WILL TAKE SINCE FINDING OF
THE INDICTMENTS.

What will the police commission do now?
This question is being asked on every
side. Since Commissioner McGavock has
been indicted by the grand jury on three
counts, it is said that something is up
to them.
AT the last meeting of the commission
Mr.. McGavock requested an investiga-
ton. The board decided to postpone the
matter until the grand jury had acted.
Now that the grand jury has acted will
the Investigation on the part of the COM
mission proceed? That is what has been
done by the city council on several pre-
vions occasions, and it may be expected
on the part of the commission The
meeting will be held week from next
Tuesday, and matters of interest are ex-
pected to develop.
1t was stated yesterday by an authority
that Mr.. McGavock will resign his posi-
ton on the commission this week In
case this Is done, he will relieve the
board of the embarrassment of trying
him. The question would then come up as
to the successor. The majority in the
board would still hold four men against
two, and could select it sown man.
resemble asphalt, except that they show
more gritty surface. The tar forms a
part of the surface proper, and is in per-
feet bond with the macadam Sections
cut from the streets show that the tar has
penetrated from one to two inches, and
the fine black lines seen in the interstices
between the individual stones show that
the mechanical bond has been reinforced
by the penetration of the tar. The tar is
a matrix into which the stones of the sur
face are set, forming a conglomerate or
concrete. A second coating applied a year
after the first would require much less
tar than the first, as the interstiees of the
rock would then be filed with tar.
Tarred Street DustIess.
A tarred street is dustless in the same
sense that an asphalt street is dustless,
though a fine sandy powder wears off as
in the case of asphalt. 1t can be swept or
washed clean. These streets have since
bCcii oWSpt iSb uiu lilc CITY BONSlii-
ment is in favor of treating all of the
streets with tar. The cleaning that would
soon ruin an ordinary macadam road does
not injure the tarred surface as the
stones are not torn up or disturbed. The
tar itself has antiseptic properties, hence
its use would he beneficial both as a GER
micide and asa means of securing clean
illness.
On one section of county road coating
of light crude Texas oil was first applied,
and after this had penetrated a coat of
hot tar was spread over the surface. After
allowing this to dry for IS hours, a coat
ing of sand was spread over the tar This
has given fairly good results but was no
improvement over the tar spread on the
dry road, as the oil seems to have pre-
vented the penetration of the tar to some
extent.
On some of the city streets the unbound
stone between the rails of the street car
tracks was covered with tar, and this
has resulted in a~aard waterproof surface
from rail to rail- Previously the stones
We're loose and troublesome from lack of
traffic, and heavy rains washed the track
out badly on the steep hillsides.
In driving over tarred macadam road
the lessened vibration and noise is at
once noticeable. The ordinary macadam
produces constant succession of slight
jars upon a steel-tired wheel, and there
is relief felt at once in driving upon
road treated with tar. 1t is also claimed
by the local horsemen that the surface is
better for horses feet
The endurance of the tarred roads is yet
an unsettled question, and time will be
required to determine their value in this
respect.