The Detroit times., 1911-06-20
GUT OUT STAG, IS
MAYORS ADVICE
Use Of Inferior Brand In Founda-
tions Partly Responsible for Poo-
Paving, He Tells Council.

Concluding that the use OF poor
Stag in concrete paving foundations
is responsible for much OF the poor
paving In the city, Mayor Thompson
sent a communication TO the COM
mon council, Tuesday, recommending
that this material be eliminated from
the specifications for paving founda-
tons in future,
The mayors action Is based on
examination by an engineer, Capt. J.
II. Poole, Of specimens OF the STAG
used In the foundation OF the pave
ment on Sprucest., from Twelfth-st'
to Wabash-ave. The first specimens
were taken TO the mayors ONCE py
Aid. Patrick O'Brien of the Tenth
ward. Secretary Kurz was then sent
To gather further samples. 1t is stated
that the samples crumble in the hand
easily, because they are pitted and
honey-combed.
In replying to the mayors request
for an expert opinion, Capt. Poole
enumerates the other materials which
may be used under the paving spect
fications. They are broken boulders,
granite, and hard limestone. he
states that with only a sixinch foun-
dation, high grade concrete Is re-
ouired, which could best be obtained
with broken stone. Such founda-
ton Is especially to be desired with
a brick pavement, because OF the
small size OF the units and their lia-
bility to get out OF place.
Crushed slag from blast furnaces.
saws the captains letter, If OF a
proper chemical composition, ana not
too honeycombed, makes gooo
coarse aggregate for concrete. Ine
Stag should be compact, homogeneous
and of gray or slightly blush color.
The acid constituents should not ex-
ceed AZ per cent, approximately. A
series of strength tests reported re-
Gently give Stag, presumably OF good
character, sixth place. being inferior
TO trap, granite, gravel, marble and
limestone. The Stag In the samples
submitted by you, seems to be OF the
proper chemical composition, but IT
Ia practically all very badly pitted
and honeycombed The holes and
pits are many OF them one-quarter OF
an inch and larger in diameter. Sam
ple was broken and showed honey
combs throughout.
Everything considered, l am or the
opinion that concrete made accord
ing to the specifications with crushed
Stag similar to the samples, would
not be as high grade as that produced
by using any of the other alternative
materials; and, further. that the use
of the material submitted. as a coarse
aggregate I'm the concrete foundation
for brick street pavements In Detroit,
Is not advisable"
The mayor adds that railroad
company which was offered some OF
the same kind of Stag for construction
work. refused to accept II until labor
atory tests had been made. The
mayor says that a laboratory Tor this
work is I'm existence In Detroit. but
adds that even under favorable re-
port. Stag 10 not as good as the other
materials. and should be eliminated.
The mayor vetoes three brick bills,
and I'm referring to the action OF the
common council In overriding previ'
Gus vetoes. says:
THE committee report on which
these were vetoed. laws stress only
on the claims OF the brick manufae-
turers and their paid agents. while
II ignores In toto the undlsputed
facts contained in my veto. II one
official sees ft, not TO have material
properly tested. 81 members Of the
common council. sworn TO discharge
their duty, should not be found sim
ilarly wanting. II IL strange to me
that there are a n'.mber of these en-;
tIrely ignorant on the varioue points
of the controversy. which involves
$3.50. 900 of the citizens money"