The New York herald., 1870-01-30
H5W SHALL WE PAYER
m Enrrop IN THE urp.rn.

To THE EDITOR OF THE HERALD
The attention OF the municipal authorities Of this
city is at the present tlme largely directed to the
subject Of paving; necessarily so from the numerous
streets and constantly being opened and the
importance which the public are more and more
attaching to the material Of which pavements shall
hereafter be made. The common, but quite err0-
neOus notion Ia, that the wooden pavement Is Q
peculiarly American invention and >as yet, an ex-
pertinent; whereas 1t has for long period been in
successful in Russia, has for several years been
steadily and successfully fighting It's way 10 England,
Scotland and France, and is rapidly sweeping away
the old fogy idea 80 long prevalent In this country,
that stone s the only material fit for tnat purpose.
The fact s and Is the duty Of the press to spread
1t broadcast that In every practical aspect In which
1t can be viewed wood is the best possible material
for paving. The highest scientific authorities, after
exhaustive examination and experiment have EN-
pnatcay endorsed It's superiority. DR.. Ure. IN his
Mechanical Dictionary estimates the saving In tho
lite OF horses used upon wood and stone to be IN
favor OF wood IN the proportion OF hve to two; the
naif and the economy In the wear ana tear OF
vehlCles incalculabe.
Another eminent scientific authority, Mr.. T. r.
Hope q civil engineer OF the highest position at
Liverpool IN an elaborate article on pavements con-
trlbuted to the Glasgow Practical Mechanics ana
periments, that the weight which horse can draw,
with the same exernon and at the same rate or
speed, m0CadamlZeu TOaO on gTdulLe, auO On
q wooden pavement, Is as f0llOws:--
On a granite pavement. ........................ ~
On macadamized road ..................... "a 5-7
On wood pavement. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. 30
Hitherto large proportion OF the wooden pave.
ment put down in this city Is the NicoSon; Du: Il
may be questioned II 1t s much longer to enjoy that
pre-eminence. fresh competitor appears IN the
stow pavement which, although lad only lew
hundred feet IN Maiden lane has, nevertheless, for
four years been In In San Francisco where 1t IL
the best that has peea tested In that CITY, We have
before US documents signed BY the Mayor, by every
member OF the Board OF Supervisors by the super
lutendent and Deputy superintendent Of Stree!s,
City Surveyors and several presidents OF city rails
roads IN San Francisco, which certify that alter
four years. use they have come to the CONCLUSION
that f0r durability and adaptaDillty the stow Is tbs
superior pavement But were the two equal In every
OCncr respect the facility with which the Stow can
be taken up ana reiaid whenever 1t becomes neces-
sary to displace 1t for the purpose OF laying down
gas or water pipes should entite 1t to preference
and public favor"
The Stow, unlike other wooden pavementS Is lalG
upon substratum or sand by which IT gains all tho
advantages of moisture from beneath, Whine It's
covering OF tar and ne gravel prevents atmospheric
action on the surface, and secures the moisture
below, even In dry weather, ana meets the RUSSIAN
mode or providing against frost. 1t presents uni
form even surface which does not settle or become
uneven like other wooden pavementS thus giving
iulI scope 10 the morse exercise powers TO the
greatest advantage with the least EFFORT
The Common Council OF New YORK owe Il 10 tne
people, and especially to taxpayers to give tnls
new asprant Tor public favor the consideration 70
which It's intrinsic merit and It's Thoroughly te5tea
excellence elsewhere fairly entities It.