, 1870-04-22
Condition or the Forty-two Miles
of Wooden Block Pave
mcnt In Chicago.
A Large Portion Badly Defective
and Rapidly Wearing
Out.
List Of the Improved SteetA When
Paved, by Whom, at What
Price, Etc.
Pavement to be Laid During 1870


To these, who have paid their
money ehee7nlly, although often Al serious In
the question OF the durability Of the
wooden block pavement Ia one Of particular mo-
ment, and the subjo1ne<i account Of the result Of
close inspection OF the forty 1.-TWO miles OF pared
streets Will therefore bc found OF considerable tn
tetest.
An examination Of the books Of the Board o
Public Works-iu which much valuable assistance
WAS cuurteo rendered by Mi. j. D. c. Whitney,
as'lag se;E.taty q the boaEd-has enabled Us s
l,..le err familiar with the circumstances con-
,"ctd With TIC tcd'ons and expensive litigation
: tt:taai Nicalscn ~ pavemcnf, aud @ e. enough @
,s known o. The Tresent system Ct paving
;k,. ,atdus o1er1ndi There lave bcca cxpendc,i
for laying wsaien block pavement, including the
r"c.s*sry CURLING. nl'inE, grading, etc, IN all
large sums are expended from year to year. This
Wtttk, however, ts tone 'thy the day" undcr the |
direction OF the Boarri VI lulAIc Works. 70 that 1t
is difficult to estimate the amount Of expenditure,
t.r its proportion TO the original cost OF conssruc-
1fon, more especially the repairs vary in cxteut
n tine ii ase +. of o a. ei
II usein the city four different Kinds Of wooden
f;r.s. Thc Nicoson, the cells or spaces In which
are hall flied with thrce-nch strip or picket, and
5. cond The pavement generally used, in which
The cells to the whole depth Of sI inches nle liei
with a conpositlon Of gravel and tar.
tnt ass u %R patent a1s tast sae
halt ol The rows Of the three-nch blocks
sre seren inches deep Ans,eaa OF s!x, as
1ata.us, while the alternate rows Of The usual
.nrth OF sx inches rest on the centre Of strips OF
thu ruorng. These strips touch against the seven
lLrh ruws, and are nailed to tho nooring. There
ar thus formed between III" ak and sevcn-incn
St~ ft7rf
tending across the street. As rc.nucts the gravel
In tlH cells, and the surface, nnh the use Of tar
tte pavement dors not dilIer from the or,llnary
Fourth The Converse wooden pavement This
differs from TIC others mainly in that the cells
which, IN The "ihcr modes, arr occupied wholy or
III lAEt with gravel and tnr, are here dtspensed
with. the space between the rows OF blocks being
occupied with stEtps Of Inch hoxrds Of the same
height ns the blocks, SET up cdgcTtse.
SOUTH D1rIs10s. ..
The list Of paved streets in the South Division.
xner. ~ ths % woos!en hIoeEs are enn1oycd, together
o S's @ tas pss
lnclade South Cla1E strcet, from Lake to Pok
rs1ee the nrt laid II the city, and the details In
Dn,ks Of the Boatsi Of Public WorkR Ii the
Cases where the total cost Is given, the work Of
eaE aas spaF 5seR s.s i q d. up
The following Ia the list:
LAKE EtTeet, Ifom Inc Central Depot to the river
contract awarded TO u. l. DcGolycr, November
1851, At 81, COZ. Parcrncnt almost useless, and
Will soon De altogether relatd
Wells street, from Madison to Van Burcn-con-
tract awarded to Stuart h Steel 3iay %, 1856 at
S-o,4o4- Pavement not much worn, uut very un-
even.
onl-contract aNardci TO Stuart i Gray, July
es. 1865. at x1lo,1+s- Pavement halllE worn and
uneven for the most part, although several con-
D.alt.orn street. bt,xetn Na,!Ison anu Monroe
contract awarded to Thoa MaeEin. August 5,
1855, at $ 800. Now In excellent condition
South Water street, from Clark TO FEnnkln-
contract AZ asied 70 Thos- Aackin, October 10,
1sss, AZ xls,14o: Uneven and much worn.
contract awarded to A,c1. + H. j. Mclean, May
2, lss6 nj sss.+00 for 1llins and paving. In tair
Van Buren, street. from State street to Michigan
oHtnus-cnntrlet awarded to Uet;nIycr i NcClcl
land, May. 1sGs, nj sa,dss. III good canditipn.
contract awarded 10 DcGoiycr i Mcctellald
May q, 1sSG, as -, +6o, for nns mud paving. Ii
Washington street, frnm STATE stree: TO aIichl-
gan xycnue-contrnct awarded to J. X. LAKE. Uc
s.'Ltr u, 1876, ut 81, 10. Ia good condition.
co'ltract awarded tn J. t. Like, Uctolcr L. 1865
3ata Icr square yard fur paving. In fair conil.
Gr;swolt, street, from Van Dueen to rolk-con.
tract awarded t. ]. X. Lake, October II, 1861 al
salo 1er square yard for paving. In fair condi.
L Sale street, from Washington to Madison
s Rss'ds' yam hss''saa isf Ssssa
South Wells street, from Lake to Randolph
c1nlsct awarded TO lleDoyer i McClel1nd, Au
Eus1 6, 1sS, ut s7,9'a, without strips In fair con
indiana avenue, from sixteen.n TO Twenty 500
Mec!ciand, August 10, 1861, ut SLGG per squar.
Yard Uneven tn s!ots, and occasionally spseaf
frn!n the rs'fsad Truck
WabGsh aveuue, fru1 South Water 70 Randolph
t:r.ct-tGntract aWan!ed to Greeley Mackin
August Is, 1es', at si.es per yard for paving. II
EttIu condition.
South C1ark street. from Polk to Twelftn-con
1rart awarded 10 Nc3lahan 4 Steel, AUGUST 81
lsG', nt s,-so per yasi for raviug. In fair conli
L1Sslle street, from Madison to Van Burcn-
contract aHar.ie1l to Stuart i Mcktchsu, Octol,e
IT, 1851, at slio per gard for paving. In fair con
Adams street, from Michigan avenue to Stat,
E,spct-ccntract awnrtied 10 j. Anderson Co.
strsemsS. 1ses, At Sit per ysrd for paving. Ii
l1snla e from South W. wsssS e Nsase5
pavement pavement. Ii il @ EXCELLENT M condttoins i '''''s vi
Twcny-sccond street., from St.te Street t
Tr0a, October i, 1855. ii .sns per yard, Boytngso
lsAve1nent In fair c1ndtrton.
% so1ta M,esan Ws1eF 2
1sss, At tIs& per 5snd forrAr1ng. In good coz
Adams street, from State to Market-contrac
awarded To ]. Anderson L Co, Marrh 81, 1863, q
<1:!2 Ter yard for paving: In guoa condition.
Monroe stTset, from Gla.k 10 Market -contrae
Sa:d fer paving In COOL condition
Twelfth street, fr"n STAG street to The river
contract awarded to Steel 4 McMahon March 81
.tlltion.
nvcnue-eentEurt awarded TO Det3olyer and M<
CelIand Aarch 81, 1869, at = per yard for paving
lii goal coEtluon.
POLK street, frpm State ttrrcs to tho r.ycr-co1
tract awarded to McMaho1i Il Steel, May i, lsGe,
sleoper yard for paving. In Eo~i condition
Eighteenth street, rrpm Wabash avenue % II
r1reI-CunttaEs awarded 10 Thos. Mack!n. Na
q, 1893. at s1s3 per yaFd for paving. 1ugeoA cot
1.trth stErct-co,!tract awaried to Thos. M,ckii
Aay g, 1eG9. At sl-ss Jrr yard for paving. In e.
tt1lent cuilIlt!ulL
Eandolrh ttrees, from Michigan nvcpue to th
b.dge-coniract AWARDED to Il. Mcclcanl, Jun
H. 1867, at sld3 per yard for paving. In fa.r COZ
Madison street, from State street to the bridge
contract awarleti to Il. stunrt, June Is, 1s6S, 8
s1-.s rer yard for paving: In good condition
Arcier avenue, from State street to the canal q
frI-cuntract swartlr.l to Tnos Mackin, AnCus
j., lsSa, =: s1.sa 1or rasine: In good condition.
hsnkssSs h;s,n arsnns. iFom Twenty
tiolycI 4 Mcclelland, September !, 100, Al III
Ter yard for paving. Ia very nnc condiuon.
wxsT p1vIsloS.
West Madison street. 1rum West Water TO ual
stctt.contraet awarded 10 D. l. Detioiyef. Anr
a nnS saSc sna ,ips s; r.
way tracks, and generally rough and uneven.
West Ra2aolpn street, tron Wes. Water to Ha
9, 1sse, At IS, ~, fur paving and mAcadamiziu,
In very bad condition game as Madison street
cansi street from Lake g AaAison-con,ra.
1sGt, q, ,7oa, paving and niling. Ii fa!r cona
uen, tn, rather uneven in spora
West Lake Ftrcet, from Water to HAlstcd-col
truet awarded In April, 1850 In shocking cond
'ion-as rough and uneven II cohhic stous pay
1hc!t- -.
E!ston road--cnui1act awarded to Mclean 1 III
sou, Aurust s, 1867, At Sl.+ per yard, for pay!n,
In baA coudtiOn-Wotn sud uneven.
C'lnst'n e1rref, from Lake to Aadison-contra,
awarded TO T. stuart August "A, 1851. Al Hiss pt
Naxh, IT having. LII fair condition
aMsFued tD neGolyer Acclell1nd, August Il
1863. u siths 1'tf yard for paving. In very ba
cendMsnn.u s. sunfen, and spread al she nj
Jefferson stree, from Randolph to Fu,top-oor
tt7ct aWasisl to DeGolye1 AcCaclland, Octobe
SH,G,s;.r a. "--4' l3t se3u iof paving. In mediu,
vi vsa1ufe9 s,Tse; e; from Canal to ns,sted.
e, 1865, at $lss per ya1.i for pairing In far np1
uiuou, but sotnewhas rough "-A 1''
lIasssed street. frusn AatT1son ssrees to The Bu
1!ustuu G cscssInE-cunttact awarded to Detaoixsr
McC1e1lard, May 2s, 1858 at sl7< per ysrd fnr =.
lIF In medium condition
ct-nart awarded TO DeGoJcr McClenand. N,
.. lses, Mt SILT per yard for paving In tair CO
Dcspla.ncs street, from v1nBurcn to Fourth
coutrsct awarded 10 J. Anderson 4 Co, Oci5o
i, 1905 At sl.eo pez Jaru for paving. In good CO
sltttop-
west Lake Htreet from Haisted to Reuhen-co
tract awarded to ]. Anderson d Co, March
1850, 1t sL7S per y.-d for paving. In excellt
condition. .. .-
West Washington strect, from West Water
Esz4bcth-contract awarded to R Stuart, Mar
q. 1863, At g. IS per ya2a for paving In good ct
1ltion Eene11lff.
trsst aWanie1 91i tn uea RasTetr - / ~ MsrcS
1s52. y s. per yard for pairing. In good conditit