New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1868-07-10
WOODEN PAVEMENETS.

WOODEN PAVEMENETS.
From the data which we CLEAN in our
exchanges we are led to the belief that all
classes of wooden pavements in the streets
of cities where there is much travel fail to
meet the necessary requirements as com
pared with the various kinds Of stone pave
ments which have been used in all ages
and all countries. The New York press
complains of the rapid decay of the Nicol-
son paving in that city Milwaukee writers
declare it falls far below the estimates for
endurance therein New Orleans the soil
is much more paludal, and consequently
less conducive TO the preservation of the
wood than in either of the localities named.
AS an attempt is being made to introduce
the Nicolson pavement into general use
in this city it is highly i'm
portant that all these statements
be carefully examined, in order that the
money of our already overburdened tax
payers may not be expended uselessly and
unproftably. Before any more contracts
are made by our municipal officials, we
hope they will communicate with the
proper parties in the cities which have
tested thoroughly this system, in order that
we may benefit by their experience.
If the alleged facts in the newspapers
can be depended upon, they will find that
in seven or eight years, the street not being
much Travelled, SO rapid has been the de-
cay and rot of the Nicolson pavement that
the street is now nearly impossible and
dangerous to ride over deep holes every
few feetn On the main business street
EAST Water) of Milwaukee, fve-year
old Nicolson pavement begins to
settle, sag, and get into holes
very rapidly" If this is the case in
Milwaukee, these pavements would
never do in New Orleans, particularly on
the many streets where huge laden cotton
floats and other heavy vehicles peculiar to
this city pass and repass.
The much boosted hygienic properties of
the Nicolson pavement are also declared
in great measure delusion. The anti
septic quality of the coal tar is soon lost
by evaporation, leaving only dry debris
on the blocks. In certain parts Of London,
some years ago, wooden pavements re-
eeived a thorough test, and at first were
very popular. But from the hour wood
is placed in the earth it begins to rot, and
the decay Of the material used in the street
paving was soon found to greatly increase
typhus, typhoid, and other low grades of
fever. These feVers disappeared only after
wooden pavements had been removed. Of
course no such objection can be raised
against stone.
Another objection appears to be that
where wooden paving is once destroyed it
can never be properly relaid. The plank
bed upon which the blocks are placed
has to be cut and disconnected, and in
such places the paving sinks. water settles
in the holes, and very rapid decay follows.
When water or gaspipes or railroad tracks
have to be laid, such are the results-to SO
great an extent, in fact, that the authorities
of Chicago are matchmaking many OF their
streets.
The above are the principal objections
urged against Ncolson paving, If they
are well founded it would be superhuous
to recount the minor ones. The credit of
the members of the City Council demands
that they investigate them thoroughly be-
fore pledging more of the funds Of the city
for what may prove an inadequate re-
turn.