The national Republican. [volume] (Washington City [D.C.]) 1866-1870, 1868-05-11

wooden Pavsments.
During the past week an experiment was
made in laying down sample OF new page |
ment on Pennsylvania avenue, near the west |
Capitol gate, In order to test q patent Issued |
to Robt. l.. Rssm, In October, 1867. The area
covered BY the new pavement, though small, |
wa, sufieient to fully demonstrate the practi- |
cal operations OF the patent, and resulted to
the entire satisfsction OF the patsntee and all
who witpessed the operation, among the num-
Der Hon. E. @. Insersoli, chairman Of the Com
mittee on the District Of Columbia, Hon. Fer
nando Wood, and several other NJ. C's. The
Improvement consists Of laying down planks
lengthwsys Of the street, and where the ends
Of the planks meet "stringers" are placed un.
derneath transversely for the ends Of the
planks to rest upon. The stringers and planks
are covered over with tar and asphaltum on
both sides and firmly bedded In dry sand, (which
has already been spread over the regularly
graded street,) thus forming q arm and even
base for the pavement to rest upon.
The pavement consists Of blocks cut from
three-inch. thick joist and six inches In length,
which arc Afterwards fastened together by
wooden pins and banda into sections IS by 80
inches In size. Grooves are formed In the
surface Of the sections, and when they are
placed together on the street exhibit the same
appearance as the most solid, compsct pave
nent.
The sections are kept In place by square
wooden keys being placed between them, and
exactly atting q groove cut from the side Of
the section. tho shape Of . half diamond, or
half Of . right-angie triangle, with the hypoth.
snuse to the surface OF the section, so that
when the sections are laid together the two
grooves form square holes for the keys, which
are so cut and placed as to interloek with each
other At the Joining OF every section, so that
there 10 no possibility Of the sections beoom-
Ing displaced or getting out OF shape.
In laying down the pavement the sections
| ~ well IS the keys are thoroughly covered
| with tar and asph altum. The grooves on the
surface are then filled with hot gravel and
| pitch, tightly rammed down; the whole sur
face OF the pavement is then covered with tar
and asphaitum and coated with sand, which
completes the work.
In laying down this pavement calculation is
made TO place . section over any joints connect
ing the supply water or gas pipes with the
main pipes In. the street, which sections are
not held by the keys, and which can be lifted
out or withdrawn at any time 1t may become
necessary to got to the pipes, and when these
sections arc withdrawn any adjoining Sec
ton may be removed, and after the repairs are
made As readily replaced back, and as firmly
as they were before taking them up.
To comprehend this pavement fully, 1t must
be understood that the whole IL . movable
structure, put down In sections, which, when
properly laid and interlocked with the keys,
Is as substantially and firmly fixed to Its foun'
dalton as 1t IL for matter to rest on matter
and yet 1t can be taken up entirely and laid
down elsewhere as readily As q brick walk
The grain Of the wood being exposed to the
surface, tho wear 10 almost imperceptible, ant
will last much longer without repairs than AM
stone pavement In use.
The pavement, when finished, presents I
corrugated appearance, giving the horse goot
foothold for every step he takes, and 10 ye
sufficiently smooth and even to prevent tn,
gathering Of the horse shoe, or rattling Of tn,
wagon tire, As 10 constantly heard on the stone
paved street. No mud or dirt works up through
this pavement, and therefore none is produced
except that which 10 permitted to accumulate
on the surface, and very slight sweepingi
keep It entirely clean.
Tho durability OF wooden pavements hal
been tested in Chicago, Milwaukee, st. Louis
and many other Western cities, and found
when properly put down. to last twelve to
fftsen years.
In the city Of St. Louis, Walnut street Wal
paved with wooden blocks In 1858, and In ls6'
J the pavement WAS taken up, the flooring OF
which the blocks rested was found to be good
and a large portion OF the blocks A. SCUM
a. when originally put down; and In that cit!
all the streets are being paved with wood
, stone is abundant, but has been condemned
, and there wood has been thoroughly tested
, Walnut street runs at right angles from tn,
{ river, and 10 one of the principal streets fo