Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1869-04-27
OUR STREETS.

provemrnts for Washincton-Drscrip.
ton OF the PRINCIPAL Pavemeuts Now in
Use-Interesting Report OF the SuperIn.
tendent of streets. &c.
The following very Interesting report o. the
Superintendent OF Streets, *, was transmit.
ted 10 the Board Fl Common Council, last evan.
ing by tie Mayor:
Proposed System cf Street Improvement for the
cay Of Washington, rtth a DISRUPTION Of N,
Printil Ie Pdrements nos an Use.
Much u the prosperity Of q city depends
upon It's having good streets. They are its
veins and arteries. Through them flows its
The poor and rich alike nave a conmon inter.
est in and ENJOY the advantages resulting from
well paved and clesn streets.
The streets Of this city are PERTAINS worse
paved and worse kept thsn those OF any other
large city In the United States, although the
whole nation has a common interest in them,
ana IN tne general improvement OF the capital
Inere are several reasons which may be as
signed for this, one of the principal being the
great area OF stree'age compared with the tax
able property.
Several plans have been proposed to meet the
difficulty and improve the wide streets and
avenues. an in favor of having the large
space formed by the intersection Of the prin-
pal avenues with the streets, enclosed and laid
out as pleasure grounds.
There are nineteen OF the avenues from loot
80 feet wide, and twenty lone of the streets
from 100 to 100 feet wide. All Of these should be
parked in the centre, leaving only sufficient
space for travel A carriage way from ~ TO 20
feet wIde, according TO the an ticipated amount
o: travel is sufficient for all purposes Broad-
way, New York, is 80 feet WIDE Oct weeu the
building lines, with 10 fee, on each side occu-
pied as foot pavemen,s, leaving a. feet for the
carTIageway. The Sd Avenue of New York
hiss a Carrageway 81 feet Vide.
Plans similar 10 that proposed have been
adopted III several OF the large cities of Europe
under like circumstances, with beneficial
results The change could b. effected at q
small cost, and would eventually be 4 saving
by reducing the future expense OF paving aud
repairing, ard much of the Inconvenience aris-
ING from oceans OF mud In winter, clouds OfGust
III summer averted, the value OF properly in-
creased. the city benefited generally. and TO the
reputation which is now enjoyed on account
OF buildings would soon be added that Of pos
sessinG the most beautiful avenues and streets.
The expense OF Masking the proposed altera-
ton should be divided equitably between the
General Government" tue Corpora ton, and
the property-owners; such a change would not
only increase the value of the property in the
immediate vicinity of the streets and avenues
beautified, but II would enhance the value of
property generally by inducing the wealthy
from all parts of the country to come here and
invest their capital.
Ii will be admitted that the most indispensa.
bic feature OF public streets is that of good
pavements. j will therefore proceed to make
few remarks IN reference to them:
The first and one of the most important OBJ.
jects 10 be attained In laying payements is to
secure foundation of suffi cie.lt depth, and of
some incompressible material, which will cut
of all connection BET wesn the pavement and the
suosoil. II this Is not properly attended to. the
sorface OF the pavement will soon become une-
ven, the street almost impossible, and a NUS.
ance, instead Of public good.
Several methods have been employed TO
form foundations for pavements; sand, broken
stone, pebbles and concrete being the principal
material used.
Sand;-aood sand, free from clay. makes one
of The best foundations; it is incompressible to
great degree, readily assumes a new equi-
hbrium when distIred, and communicates
pressure over very large area, hence its pc.
IN lar fnrf nnn naft asafv
Broken MOne.-The best foundation of this
material Is made by putting down a layer of
four inches ON the street, when this has become
nrm. another layer 10 added and worked in as
before, and then third. After the whole has
been properly worked down and assumes a
uniform surface, layer of fine gravel or coarse
sand Is added, II Is then ready for the pave.
ment. The time required TO lay this founda.
ton is a serious objection to its use.
COncrete.-Common concrete Is mix ture of
quicklIme, sand, and gravel; this kind of foun.
dation Is very good. but il is too expensiyet TO
admit of being recommended for general use
10 make concrete foundation thoroughly EN-
Gent and lasting, il must be SO strong that il
will not break under heavy pressure, but 10
effect this such a thickness Of The material is
required as TO render the expense enormous
The practice OF laying the new pavement on
top OF the old has been tried extensively in
Paris, and found TO work well; bat in order to
obtain uniform surface IL Is necessary to
relay the old pavement. and when this has
been done, coating of sand and gravel is
added, then the foundation is complete. The
expense OF this also is too great.
Taking into consideration the comparative
merits o. the various kinds of foundations, /
feel no hesitation IN recommending sand a
that which Is best adapted 70 the req uIrements
OF this city; such foundation should be put
down In layers, each inches thick, the sand
we'll moistened and thorough iy rammed with
heavy hammer. The number OF layers will be
determined by the nature OF the substratum,
and the contemplated amount OF wear aud
tear.
Perensnts.-The object of paving is ID give
10 the street sOlld and even surface. which
Will not easily wear out. The Indispensable
requisites OF a goo1 pavement are q fat sur
face, hrm foothold for horses, durability.
cleanliness, freedom from noise, facility for
taxing up and relaylng, &c. The materials
now IN use tor pavements are principally
stone, wood, iron, brick and concrete. Iron
has never been successfully used, and brick
is only suitable for foOtways. l VIII there
fore confine myself 10 the consideration OF
stone, concrete and wood.
The stone best adapted 10 this purpose is
one OF the hard kinds, which is least liable to
become smooth from wear, such as granite,
whnstone. hard limestone, hard freestone, or
some of the kindred formations. Cobole stones
nave been much used, but they make a very
inferior, and In every way disagreeable pave
ment The greatest objection to cobb,e stone
pavenents, and in fact TO all pavements IN 4de
OF irregular blocks or pieces of stone, is that
TOO small surface OF the stones come In con-
taet with each other when laid to give the
necessary mutual support They are
supported only by the friction OF the small
space where they come in contact with each
other literally; hence the stones are easily
pressed down by loads; and ruts aud
holes are formed. Other objections 10 such
pavement> are that friction, collision
and the force OF traction is very great. These
facts have been aoundantly verified by expert
encs IN connection with the pavemenis in our
own CITY. Good pavements have been laid in
Philadelphia, of dressed cubes of stone eight
inches IN every direction, slightly taperIrg to-
wards the lower ends. at a cost OF 1926 per
square yard. foundation of sand included The
stone payeTnentS now in general use in the
principal commercial cities of Europe and in
come OF our own large cities may he described
as follows They are laid OF dressed blocks of
stone, which vary IN size according 10 the ua-
lure OF travel. These blocks are OF a re.t,n
cUlar shape. the largest being L. inches long, .
inches wide, ahd 10 inches thick. Those used
o. the same work are always uniform in size,
anu arranged 20 As 10 break POINTS These
paVements are usually laid with hydraulic
lime, on a sand foundation a. least II INCHES
deep.
The Russ Pavement is LAID as follows
The stree. having been graded, granite chips
are placed over II and rammed down ush
with the earth; q concrete foundation q Inches
thick Is placed thereon, 10 which Is added the
pavement proper. This consists OF re,tangu.
lar blocks Of granite. 10 to Is inches Ions. 5 10
IL inches wide, and 10 inches deep. The blocks
are laid dIagonally. al an angle of Is degrees
with me line of the street. The cost OF having
this KIND OF pavement in New York city ten
ago from =