The Detroit times., 1911-06-05
BRICK BILLS Hell D
UP BY MAYOR
THOMPSON
Paving Product Furnished Detroit
Fails To Stand "Rattler' Test
Which Executive Has Made by
Ohio Expert.
Commissioner Haarer Scored for
Failure To Procure Testing Ma
chinery, as Promised.

Declaring that Commissioner Haar.
or has neglected his duty by delay
Ing the purchase of q .'rattlcr" for
testing paving brick, and tnat tile
brick now being used fails to come
Lp 10 the test of the American faving
pirck Manufacturers association,
watch Is used as standard. Mayor
Thompson, on Monday, vetoed the ac-
ton OF the council In Its last meeting
lii approving six bills 70, brick. and
SAYS that he will veto all such bills
Till suitable test was established.
The bills vetoed Monday are;
Bessemer Limestone Co.. $4,091.8S
DecKman Duty Brick Co... 667.68
Massilon Stone & Fire Brick
co. 5OS.oo
N1isonvIile Brick CO.. 4,306.7S
Novelty Brick & Coal Co.,. $50 SO
Detroit Vitrified Brick Co.. ). 5000 90
In explaining his veto, the mayor
refers 10 communication which hs
sent to the council when the bids
for brick were under considerable II
last January, urging the purchase OF
proper machinery for the "rattler
;est, and declaring that these tests,
as well as the absorption test, should
be made not only before the bids are
opened, hut at frequent stages dur
ing the delivery Of brick under con
tract. In the communication, he stat
ed that Commissioner Haarer had
agreed 10 the tests being made. The
test Is, that the bricks shall not lose
more thar 20 per cent from abrasion
by being run through the ''rattler."
After the paving season commerc'
cd, the mayor states, he found that
no machinery for the test had been
pun chased, and he commissioned Sec
retaIy Ernest w. KurZ TO have tests
made. Mr.. Kurz, according to conf
mdnica;lon to the mayor, went out
and picked up IL bricks of each Job.
three In q spot, at random, the bricks
being selected by the taxicab driver.
a stranger to Kurz The bricks were
sent to Prof. Edward Orton, Jr., o!
the OHIO State university Mr.. Kurz
went to Columbus and inspected the
tests, which resulted as follows:
Townsend block, loss by abrasion,
rs az; Bessemer block, 20.40: Novelty
Block, 27.53; Wassall block, BIB;
Wooster block, 1924; Medal block,
1892
Queries to other cities showed that
tie following abrasion tests were re-
CURED: Mansfield, Ohio maximum Is
Is per cent; Cleveland, 20; Cincin-
nad, 90: Ohio State highway com
pany, 20; New York State Highway
commission, 10; Indianapolis, IL; Ak.
rca, Ohio, 20; Boston, 20, Baltimore,
22.
A later collection of bricks was
made, and sent to Prof. Orton, and
these tests resulted: Wessaii block.
2G.0z per cent loss by abrasion; Medd
block, 27.S; novelty block, 27I6;
Bessemer block, 1917; Wooster
block, 22.4. Townsend block, 1928.
In a letter to the mayor, Prof Or
ton says that the test to which the
bricks were subjected, Is the one
adopted by the National Paving
Brick Manufacturers association, and
accepted by the Association OF City
Engineers, in a recent meeting. he
says that the rattler test Is the only
satisfactory one. In Columbus, ne
says, 2l per cent loss is allowed.
The mayor draws the conclusion
from these communications that the
brick laid thus far during the present
season has not been subjected to The
pioper tests, to which, he says, the
commissioner agreed, and that the
BRICK used does not conform to the
requirements Of other cities. He adds
that he will veto all bills for brick,
until proper tests are instituted.
Commissioner Haarer has ordered
q rattler within a few days.
II have subjected all makes OF
brick to the chisel test, which Is the
best gauge we have had to date" the
commissioner said, Monday noon.
They stood that test. | am willing
TO do all In my power to give the
city the best brick It's possible 70
get"