Elizabeth daily monitor. [volume] (Elizabeth, N.J.) 1868-1880, 1869-07-24
THE PAVING OF OUR STREETS.


for if a certain kind of pavement, is, ali
things considered. the most desirable,
it is as desirable for one street as for
another, that the paving should be
done with due regard to uniformity.
Those of our citizens who have driven
over South Broad Street can sympa-
thize with the disgust felt by all who
come suddenly upon the jolting stone
pavement, after having been bowling
along deliciously over the smooth Mich
olson. What q transition We be-
lieve that our large property owners
1--WE refer to those most particularly
who are duly alive to their own inter-
ests) are daily learning the advantages
possessed in the Nicholson, and we
hope that the matter will soon be set
tied more fully to the satisfaction Of
those who have taken no especial pains
to inquire into the merits of this pop
ular wooden pavement.
When the grand boulevard between
this city and Newark is opened and
paved with the Nicholson pavement, it
will without any sort of doubt be the
most superb avenue in this county, and
afford our people the pleasantest drive
to be imagined.
We are glad that this pavement is
growing in favor in our city, for our
people enjoy the reputation of being
up to every improvement, and while
other cities are adopting the wooden
pavement, we must not be behind in the
great step which is being taken forward.
The following admirable report pre-
scented at a recent meeting of our City
Council, furnishes much information,
md it will doubtless commend itself to
the public:
The Street Committee, to whom was
referred July s, the bids for paving
Cherry street, with wooden pavement,
would report:
That the bids propose to pave the
street by what are known as the Mich
olson and McGonegal patents; to the
respective claims of which for superb
GRITTY your Committee have given their
attention and examination.
The Nicholson pavement, as propos-
ed to be laid, has been in successful
use for years, in various places, and. has
stood the test of time and trial, to the
entire satisfaction of those who have
used it, The other methods including
the McGonegal, are, in comparison
thereto, as yet untried experiments,
and, necessarily have not been subject
ed to the same tests, as to time, but,
from the testimony before your Com
mittee, go to demonstrate that they are
inferior to the Nicholson, of which
they all claim to be improvements. As
to the McGonegal, now sought to be
brought into competition your Com
mittee can ascertain of its use only in
q stable yard, in 9th street, in New
York City, and refer to the report Of
the device used by its representatives
to acquire a credit for it by refer
ence to another pavement mentioned
hereafter.
The relative merits of the different
processes for laying wooden pavements
have been carefully investigated by the
authorities of several cities, which have
at considerable expense conducted such
examinations by experienced and skill
fnl officers, and who have uniformity
reported, MS the result of their obSer-
vations and inspection, that the Nichol-
son method was the supeii or one. Such
report has recently been made by the
Mayor and Civil Engineer of Cleve-
land, Ohio, who visited several cities,
to ascertain from practical working,
the relative merits of each process;
giving as the result of their investiga-
ton, recommendation to adopt
the Nicholson plan in that city, and
which recommendation was afterwards
concurrcd in by the city authorities.
These gentlemen, in their search, were
referred by those representing the Nc
CONCEAL process, to examine the pave
ncnt in School street, Boston, as being
laid under that process. and us show.
ing its utility, but they report. that
the pavement in SAID street, instead of
being the McGonegal pavement, is a
Nicholson one.
Your Committee are informed that Il
gentleman from this city had similar
experience, in trip to examine a Nc
Gonegal pavement. The city of Louis
vile also instituted an investigate
into the matter, and Il report was made
by the President of the Board OF city
improvements, giving an account of
his inspection of the various methods,
and recommending the adoption of the
Nicholson as the best, and which re-
commentator was agreed to.
In addition to this, New York city
has recently awarded the paving of