Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1866-03-21

Eds AppeGi. The writer Of the arti-
Gle signed many ord citizens and tai
pagers commits so many errors and
blmders that, sbut for the apparent in
dorsement Of many old citizens" the
article would not require an nswer
His first assertion is, " that Memphis
Is syreg the best abused city in the uni
verse" He must be a very old citizen
indeed, and g great c~osmoPolite, whose
knowledge is 50 very extensive. Next,
he abuses the Council, Governor, Board
of Mayor and Aldermen, Contractors,
Supervisors. etc, but especially that rare
specimen of science, the City Engineer.
Do not all those parties, who have been
elected during the last twenty years TO
I'll thoseyarious offices, by the people and
by " old tax payers - too, feel highly
complmented by the authors Of the
articlea But, in the estimation Of said
writer, the Council propose to cap the
climax Of extravaganza and folly" by
putting down ia some Of the principal
streets" what is called "the Nicholson
pavement"
The assertions that said pavement Is
"not a whit better than a good plank
road that al such experiments have
been tried in the older cities and ADAM
doned." that nothing l. found TO supply
the place Of solid blocks Of stone" that
/" il Is better 10 have five hundred yards
Of stone pavement than five miles Of
Nicholson experiment" that eft has
heen weighed and found wanting, are
simply untrue in fact and ridiculous,
1.-THE words are not used Extensively,
which l am fully prepared TO prove if re-
guired.
In St Louis, both the block stone pave
ment, the McAdamizing and the iron
pavement are being taken up and re-
placed by the Nicholson, " a. shown the
writer by the street superintendent some
ten days since, who said: We have had
no pavement 20 compare with it." In
Cincinnati, says a paper, " the city coun-
ell and beard Of city improvements have
decided 70 adopt the Nicholson pave
meDt in that city, on all new streets and
in repairing streets already 5OJldered.n
What great asses, mutton-heads or venal
Officers, the council and improvement
board OF Cincinnati must be, in
the estimation Of many old citizens
and taxpayers OF Memphis; and
how many viii be willing, over
their own signatures, to pay such a
compliment and courtesy to two Of the
" older cities" Again: the wood pave
menJ is almost universally adopted in
Chicago, o. the writer is iuformed-is
now extensively used, and being eX-
tended almost every day. Further: the
city OF Nashville has adopted the wood
pavement Nicholson. Contracts have
been made and the work progressing.
These are four Of the solder cities, " I be-
Heve, which have tried such exper-
imsHts, and have not abandoned them
yet
But my chief object in this c0mmuni-
cation is not controversy, though it Is
sometimes necessary 70 brush away the
eoJveJs: but il g simply % bring 10 the
knowledge Of the public and the city an.
tb0r5hss whom I esteem good men and
support, even TO that rare specimen Of
science, the City Engineer, the fact
that wood, by q very simple and cheap
process, can be prepared TO resist the ac-
ZION Of water, solar heat, atmospheric
changes, mould OF dry rot for an indef-
mite period, say many tens OF years, OF
even hundreds Of years, and that the
wood pavement land street railroad
timbersl in the city Of Memphis
can be put down Of wood thus prepared
at less cost, of more practical utility and
durability, and less cost for repairs in
twenty year, than any limestone block
pavement yet made IN the United States
subject TO the same wear as the pave
ments Of Memphis. This is 3 PROPOSE
ton large enough. ] have the opinions
and even the practice and experience Of
Of the eminent civil engineers Of
Europe and America, who are using in
railroad ties, bridge timbers, piles, etc,
thus prepared. Now what "Old
Citizen and Tax Payer, % who signed or
Endorsed the aforesaid article, viii
agree 10 make n mile in lenghth
Of stone pavement in the city
q Memphis, and keep the same in
good repair for twenty years, for the same
price, that irresponsible parties will
make the wood pavement under like cir
-umstances and Of Ear better construc-
II there be any, let him speak.
DO not advocate the Nicholson pavement
particularly, though yer that j. better
than limestone, such as we use, yet ] do
advocate wood pavement a. it may be
constructed a. far Jetta than any known
in western cities, and especially for one
reason, that We have the greatest posi-
bic amount Of material at our doors.
respectfully submitted. g. / y.