The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1869-08-15
PRESENT CONDITION AID STATISTICS.
Belgian, Russ NirO'son, Stafford and Concrete
ROadways Relatively Considered
THE PARIS ASPHALTIC ROADS.
Defects OF the New York System
and Their Remedy.

criticism OF practical engineers to an extent that
seems likely to result In considerable benefit to the
interested public. The fact however, remains, and
is but too obvious. In none OF the several metro
poises OF the world is so large an amount yearly
squandered in construction and repairs, and to so
little purpose III this leading mart AMI metropolis
OF the Western Continent Various causes have
operated TO produce this result; and various re-
forms. therefore, must OF necessity be adopted be-
fore the effect eventnang IN the worst paved city
Of It's extent within the circle OF indo- European
civilization, can be obvlated.
Legislative attention must be directed TO the
foundation OF a bureau OF construction and repairs
consisting OF competent engineers. whose powers,
within certain limits shah be ARBITRARY, and not sub
ject TO the interference OF the Common Coun-
Gil, except possibly in the matter OF expenditure.
This commission should be invested with the power
10 perfect and apply thorough comprehensive and
scientific system OF sewerage and drainage; and, |
with a board Of tins kind in operation New YORK
might expect and anticipate that within i've years
after It's organization the triple problem OF sewer
age drainage ana pavement would be solved and
applied with just regard to the health, convenience
and necessities OF Its million OF inhabitants. The
sewerage system is particularly detective and unset
entdc. Were six weeks to occur in succession with
out appreciate fail OF rama contingency liable to
happen any summer-this city would be little more
than pest hole, the carrying OF OF the
sewage being in so great degree dependent upon
the rain ial Ia fact, there are points at which
three weeks OF drought would a similar effect;
as for instance a the OF Eleventh street and
Sixth avenue; and 1t is, with the ordinary mete
Oroogy OF summer 1t may be remarked that the
great prevalence OF SIMMER epidemics in this me-
tropolls, which by virtue of advantageous situation
ought to be more heathul than either London or
Darts lv Iafun thu
and drainage system. The reports Of the Croton
Board, which ought to be packed with the sugges-
tons OF practical engineers TO these important
subjects. AFFORD only meagre details Of receipt and
expenditure very necessary in their way to be sure,
but by no means so valuable that they ought to he
permitted TO crowd out other and equally impOr-
tant matters.
The failure to adopt practical and SUFFICIENT sys
tenn OF sewerage had the effect to complicate the
pavement problem to a considerable extent No
pavement In use IN the city is susceptible OF being
taken up and put down in bsters Of a tew hundred
square feet without injury 10 the whole adjoining
fabric and yet this pecemeal process necessiated
from year to year by the present system of sewer
age. The laying down Of a new gas main or OF o
new sewerage pipe necessitates a disturbance OF
hundreds OF square feet hundreds OF square yards
OF pavement, and for no other reason than that no
sufficient plan for carrying or the sewage OF city
has been yet put in operation. That the sewers Of
the city should be large enough to ad.
mt OF underground repair, without disturb
ing the surface Is the abstract conceded but the
concession Is qualified with SO many OBJECTIONS that
practical adoption Is indefinitely postponed and In
the meantime the old and inadequate system pre-
walls, at an expense OF quarter OF million or more
per year. The truth is no reason can be quoted why
sewers should be constructed sufficiently large
to admit OF the passage OF gas mains. DC, by the
half dozen, and yet preserve all the efficiency in
carrying on refuse matter claimed for the pipes in
nnf nJ0 Xnr
mas no more unremtting student in the application
OF engineering to this purpose, has In fact, digesed
plan 10 effect combination OF the good qualities
claimed for both systems, the application Of which
would ObvlaLe the necessity for disturbing
ting down oil new gas mains. The effect Of its IN
PRODUCTION would be to enable the gas companies
pass their mains along within the periphery OF the
sewer by half dozen II necessary thus wing
companies OF a large expense and laying the
foundation for more active competition, by which
the cost OF gas to the city might be materially lessen
ed; and that some more adequate plan must event
ually supersede that In present use Is quite unques-
tionabe. Inc creation Of board of construction
and repairs upon the plan hitherto specified would
no doubt, result In the adoption OF this draining or
something similar, and until that desideratum Is
attained New York VIII probably blunder on at an
expense OF half million year Tor the repair and
extension Of system OF sewerage which must be
the success wncn has attended the limited indie.
pendence Of the PARK commissioners In man.
aging the details OF the work committed 10 them
Is proof Of the poiicy and economy OF eliminating
the question OF politics from the conduct OF pubic
WORKS N as a NJ as may ee ana OF Wnat
ly independent OF political considerations. The want
or success which has attended the subsection OF the
appropriation for the removal Of the Hell Cate OBJ.
structlOns to political influence Is another proof by
reductto dd dosurdunU OF the same principle,
and both point to the necessity for the
structiOn and repairs for the evolution and
carrying out OF an adequate system OF drainage,
sewerage and street pavement, neither Of which
can be separated from the other two without H.
voving certain want OF unity IN tue application
nj IN tntnrn Mo
cation OF the pavement question Is mostly due TO
three causes:-frst. the necessity for frequent
taxing up and relaying OF the roadbed 0ccasioned
by the laying repair OF sewerage pipes the laying
Or repair OF gas mains and the laying or repair OF
city railroad tracks; secondly, the contract system
resulting In detective and unsclenthc construction,
ana equally unsclentidc and defective repair; and
thirdly the speculative and experimental element,
eventuatinG in the testing OF new inventions at
q considerable yearly expense TO the city. A
board OF construction and repairs, consisting
these Objections ana put the city in 'r possession
OF the best attanabe pavement at far less expense
per year than is now disbursed In behalf Of the
piecemeal OF construction and repair winch has
been going on for the past thirty years.
STATISTICS OF THE SUBJECT.
The new pavement which has been put down on
Broadway. 10 sections exceedingly well done, forms
Q notable exception 10 the general workings OF the
contract system, for witch the public Is indebted,
NOT 70 any adequacy OF the system ITSELF but to the
honesty ana enthusiasm IN mis- work OF MIR. Guidet,
tue 1e roIa ce OF Docx
ana a43l feet some OF which 400 neal feet on the
BOweryJ was put down In 1852; ana IN only small
portion or this amount, few thousand hnea feet IN
ali has che Russ patent been infrnged upon. The sta
tlstics OF the several kinds OF pavement laid down
within twenty years, presented by survey OF the
''' "'N~ square yards.
Stone block ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. 1913, 342
NlCOls0D. "c'ous
Fsk concrete testimatedj. ................ 1900
Stanord testlmatedl .......,............. 700
l,Obble stone lestlmatetiI a000 900
since 1850 the aisuse Of the cobbie stone pavement
hss become q feature Of street Improvement Dur
ing that year Il, 254 square yards were put down
under contract TO- 222 and at private expense 03Z-
but one ordinance looking to the laying OF II 10 any
part OF the city beng passed while the previously
mentioned work was going on. This ordinance pro-
vided for coDple stone pavement on Bank street
from West street TO the river. The career OF the
Nicoson pavement began with the disuse OF
the cobbie stone, In the putting down
uf 400 square yards on Nassau street
An 1aaa OF 20OOl In 1867 and Of 2QO73