Elizabeth daily monitor. [volume] (Elizabeth, N.J.) 1868-1880, 1869-04-12
WOOD PAVEMENTS.

WOOD HAf LINEN Id.
Ten or twelve years ago wood for
street pavements, was being tried III
our prairie cities. The scarcity of stone,
led to numerous experiments with wood
for pavement-although not entirely
new for that particular purpose, yet
heretofore it had beens comparatively a
failure The old way consisted i'll lay
ing the grain of the wood in horizon
tai position; and being SO laid, it soon
became destroyed from two influences
working in harmony with each other,
viz, heavy loads passing over it soon
caused it to broom up, as they term
it, that is separating the fibres of wood,
and thus rapidly prepared the way for
the admission alternately Of sun and
rain, causing rapid decay; besides tracks
were only laid some eight feetwide, and
where the wheels bore upon it, soon cut
it through, and brought it into disre-
pute for permanent pavement; but after
q series of experiments and failures,
nicholson succeeded i'll bringing be-
fore the public new method of paving;
with which most of our readers are IA
miliar. The question to-day is not
will it last" or will it stand heavy
teaming? These questions are positively
answered in the affirmative, and what
is more they will stand as heavy team
ngas coble OF Belgian pavement. Streets
in Pittsburg Pa, and in Cincinnati are
paved with wood; and the heaviest cast
ings and machinery are constantly pass
ing over them without any perceptible
wear, besides the same team can haul
twenty per cent. more weight over the
same grade on wood payements, than
they can overs Stone. Transfers in the
west, where it has been longest in use,
will tell you that visible difference can
be seen in the confidence of their teams,
as to their secure footing, when they
strike the wood pavemen& and then
again, the value of property where the
streets are paved with wood is greatly
enhanced, over and above streets, with
equal advantages, paved with stone
they are as noiseless to drive over as the
mother earth, and besides are KEEP
cleaner at half the expense Of stone. Ii
Chicago where the streets are paved
with wood, they are rapidly improved
and built up, and lots command
much higher prices than they
do on the line of their best McAdamiz
ed streets; no better McAdamized roads
can be found in any city or town in the
cApntry than in st, Louis. Missouri ;
yet, where wood has superseded Mead
amized, or stone paved streets, proper
ty rapidly enhances in value, and bust
ness moves there, because the people
seek those streets for comfort if oul
property owners were to take tle hint
and knowing the advantages OF Eliza
beth as a great commercial centre, they
would improve their property in the di
rection that makes it desirable. Ask the
owners of property on the line of Eliza.
beth avenue, to-day, why with theil
wide and leading avenue, do they moi
improve more, and the answer will bt
made, "cobble stone is the cause =
Were that avenue paved with wood in.
stead, the price of land alone ON the
avenue would be doubled, say nothing
of property on the various streets par
allel with it. Every one knows tina
wood, when presented endwise of The
grain or fibre, offers a stout, and at The
same time, an elastic resistance to what
ever comes in contact with it; and when
used in the form of pavement, the sur
face soon becomes impregnated witt
particles OF sand, which protects it to :
great extent from wear the first cost i,
perhaps trihe more than Belgian; but
the comfort of a wood pavement is not
to be compared at all with stone We
have seen miles of it in several of oul
western cities, and also here in the east
and have yet to hear the first man say
"change to stone once" We hope oul
city authorities will yield to the wishes
of those who apply to have wood pave
ment and we also notice that shrewd
real estate dealers, taking the hint AND
facts from other cities, are anxious to
have their property take the chances q
wood instead of stone. Once let it be
known that Elizabeth paves with wood
and houses cannot be built fast enough
to supply the demand. But more anon
OBSERVER.
A large meeting was held in Phila
delphia on Saturday for the purpose o.