Daily union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1865-1866, 1866-03-09
Progress OF Fmprovement---The New
Era fn Municipal Affairs.

Secretary OF the company, were actively en-
listed in the enterprise Through the
urgent representations Of the latter the nee
essary stock was subscribed, and contracts
Immediately entered into for the construc-
ton Of the road. Messrs. Samuel Jones and
T. NJ Brennan, undertook the work late
in the past fall, and notwithstanding
the bad weather Of winter, have made COM
mendable progress, aand are now near the
completion of ytheir labor. The road
courses, from the Public Square, Cedar
street to Cherry, out Cherry, south to Frank
lin, about mile and a quarter, through
Franklin to College. and through the latter
back to the beginning on the Public Square,
making an aggregate length of about three
miles. By reason of certain street i'm
provements in progress, the course Of the
road is changed in front Of this Office for the
present, and the connection between College
and Cherry is made through Church street.
Only remnant remains to be completed on
College, between Broad and Church streets.
This will be very speedily done. A con-
tract was made in good time for the con-
struction of the cars at Louisville, and the
company has received notice that the first
shipment Of them was made day or two
ago. The harness is all ready, and we shall
have the tinkling bells of the Street Rail-
road before the first of April.
SURFACE DRAINAGE, being one of the
elementary works in street-making, the au-
thorities have contracted for such a system
throughout the principal streets as will an
swer the demand for many years. OF course,
it cannot be extended over the whole city,
embracing all streets and alleys, within the
space Of one season; but If persisted in from
year to year, within very few years we
shall have a complete system of surface
drainage that will be altogether perfect. The
underground sewerage will of course not be
neglected. Our foundation ION the rock''
makes this an arduous and expensive work.
But as the city grows, and at no distant day,
il will become absolutely necessary to ex-
tend the system commenced several years
ago. These underestimate sewers are the
true disinfectants and purifiers of cities.
They take into their keeping all often
sive and noxious matter and dispose of
it 80 that it will be harmless. We
only regret that in the present street
renovation which is so thorough and
admirable, that our means are not suffi-
cient to justify the carrying forward a
thorough and extended plan Of sewerage.
This will come in due course oftime-but
should never, for a moment be lost sight of
by the city authorities or the people.
THE NICHOLSON PAVEMENT.
In addition to the improvements above
mentioned, we have to notice the introduce
ton of new article of street paving so far
as this city is concerned. 1t is of wood, and
known as the Nicholson pavement" 1t
was invented several years ago, and has
been successfully tried in Chicago About
eight years ago it was introduced in that
city, and has been since adopted for all the
streets Of the city. Our authorities, to
test It's quality and to arrive at
fair comparison between it and the system
of macadamization heretofore used, have
contracted for the building of about one
thousand and fifty feet on Cherry street, ex-
tending from Church to Cedar The whole
cost of this work, including the preparation,
building and completion in all its parts, will
be about fifteen thousand dollars. The curb
ing guttering, etc. are so well known that
no special reference is necessary. As to the
construction of the street pavement the fol-
lowing particulars will give the reader an
accurate notion of what il is and what it is
to be in this city:
LIST. A bed of ballasting or fine gravel,
three inches in thickness is to be laid upon
the top of the prepared roadway, and its sp-
per surface carefully shaped TO form the
proposed street. In this bed no stone wall
exceed one-half inch in diameter. All dirt
or other impurities will likewise be thrown
out by screening or otherwise.
I'd. A close flooring of sound yellow pop
lar, white oak, yellow pine or white pine
plank, running in courses lengthhwise of the
street, thoroughly swabbed on both edges
and bottom with boiling coal tar, the ends
resting uron stringers of the same material,
placed tansversely, the whole evenly laid
TO such crown and grade as may be desig-
mated by the city authorities. The upper
surface Of this floor will then receive a coat
ing OF boiling coal tar before the blocks are
placed
Sd. Rows of sound three-inch yellow pop
lar, white oak, chestnut post oak, black
locust or red cedar blocks, free from sap,
loose knots or other defects, six inches long
will be placed on end upon the flooring, the
rows running across the street and being
kept an inch apart; In the interval thus
left there will be placed strips or pickets of
the same material, not more than one inch
thick, nor more than three inches wide, nor
inOTt lldn lOuE lcel lOisB, hAdCcu oil tuBe
between the rows Every strip will be
nailed to the bottom of each block by one
l0-penny nail to prevent their working up.
The blocks are to be fitted so as to
make close joints, and be uniformly laid, not
varying more than a quarter of an inch in
the some row. All rot and detects to be
trimmed off, and the rows Of blocks and
strips to be laid closely together. The
spaces or joints between the rows or blocks,
and above the strips, will be filledwith clean
gravel and boiling coal tar and pitch, thor.
oughly mixed and compactly rammed down
by means Of PAYERS rammer, and an iron
blade prepared to fit the joints. The whole
surface will then be covered over with a
coating of boiling coal tar, and Immediately
covered with layer of gravel at least one
inch thick.
Such is a brief description of the "Nich-
olson pavement" which is to be Immediately
laid down in this city As far as tested else
where, il has proved more desirable than
any other kind, with the addition of free
dom from dust, mud and noise.