The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1867-06-23
THE BROADWAY PAVEMENT.


Tho subject Of the repavsmen OF Broadway has long
been subject Of discussion by those interested IN the
good keeping Of the great thOroghare Of the metropo
lis and natural consequence various theories have
been propounded the best system OF pavement 10
pave this and other Of tho city The Russ and
Belgian pavements have tried and TO some extent
found deficient The cobble stone system he's no rends
Tho newest system which has come or rather boon
forced into public notice. the Nicholson wooden pave
ment The Russ pavement tried Broadway for the
last fifteen years fully understood BY many, and
as this thoroughfaro to bs repaved with il on an i'm
proved principle short sketch Of the two plans will DO
read with interest.
The old pavement was nrst stripped the soil covered
with gravel and then graded with . crown OF seyen
inches Granite chips then spread over this and
ramned nush with the earsA concrete foundation
six inches deep then laid In sections, and % Il
paving blocks Of enitic granite eight inches Deep ten
to eighteen long and from ave to twelve wide wore
placed at angie a degrees with the axis Of
tho street. The work commenced In 1849 and tert
mated In 1854 the contract price being S. SO yard
This has been severely tested and has proved
T. be both durable and economical but. owing 70 the
substitution Of trap rock Tor granite, the iargeness
It rapidly became polished, anording no foothoid
for horses. and whom ooaled with mud being almost
resalsres IN It's surface occassoned by fs.qnsn, re-
movals OF portions Of 1t order TO lay down gas and
water pipes rendered new pavement ndis pom sable.
and consequently Tho Legislature N 1865, apponted
commission for the purpose CONSISTING OF the Croon
Board and Messrs Guy X. Pe.ton and VIM. 7. Black.
Two OF the Commissioners Messrs Craven and Black:
engineers, the former having been the able Chief
Engineer Of the Croton Board for the last eighteen
years. under all administrations and the latter being
City Surveyor Of long experience Messrs Stephens and
Darragh, from their long connection with the Croon
Board charged with this duty in eli the other streets OF
the city have become thoroughly convesant with the
requisite OF good city pavement Mr. Pelt0n brings TO
has position as President OF tho Commission, energy
70 his control executed in the most tho
rough manner In September last tho Board organized
ment suitable for the great thoroughfare for which it
intended Strong advocates for the Nicholson pave
ment urging its adoption the Board directed General
Green graduate or West Point and a highly distin-
gulshed engineer TO visit the cities Of Chicago and st.
Louis. where that pavement was in extensive use. 70
examine thoroughly and 20 report the result OF his
observations in writing. After the submission Of Gene
raj Green's report and the fullest interchange Of
opinion the Board concluded to adopt stone pavement
20 be formed OF granite blocks from eight TO twelve
inches In length. three and half inches wide and
nine nh, inches deep TO b. placed a. night angles with
directed b. retained where perfect, and
newed and replaced where had been damaged In laying
ordered 70 be changed to four inches in order TO
avoid the unpleasant inclination occasioned vehicles
serious oss OF power produced by the friction Of the
axles upon the wheels nearest the curb Granite
nsrs BEING 81 xare decrees Of SsrSnes
would not wear smooth, but crumble snequaly and the
size Of tho blocks was roguai ed N obedience 70 the
opinion of eminent engineers, who believed that they
would afford the foothod for horsss, and would
obviato the defects Of the present pavement The pre-
limnary surveys ON which 20 base the estimates were
made BY General Charles K Graham late constructing
engineer Of the Brooklyn Navy Yard In December last
ana the engineering work is being directed by that
gentleman, assisted By Mr.. ). T. Kane, graduate
Of the Free College and city surveyor On
the 30tn utmo Messrs Gardet Kingsley and Kinney,
contractors commenced operations BY tearing up the
old pavement the west side q Broadway, near Bat
esy Place. and will prosecute the work with tho utmost
yigor. Cargess OF stoas ere daily arriving from the
Eastern S&ateA H|
Thus far but little concrete has been removed. the
street having rarely been disturbed 10 thai nsshbor
hood since the pavement was laid. Il has been thor
oughlY upped and examined, however ana proves TO
have been OF very superior quality. being Of an ada
mantine hardness. Many Of the old pavement blocks
determine the effect OF fifteen years wear Of the i'm
mense number Of omnbuses carriages and heavy carts
and wagons which have passed them, and the
e average " found 70 be about three sghths Of an
inch