Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1870-09-15
PAvEMENrs.
The Especial sshsats and BsssHoencss Of
the hlcolsoH.

From a letter of DIR. Lewis A. Ssyre,
which we find in the Philadelphia Scien-
the american, we take the following in
teresting extract on the subject of paving,
which is well worth the attention of our
city authorities:
THE objects sought in paving streets
are cleanliness, health, comfort, facility
Of locomotion, The consequent saving OF
time, labor and expenses Of t~ransporta-
ton. Pavement OF stone does facilitate
transportation, but at the ex pense of horse
shoes, horse-fesh, and of great wear and
tear of vehicles. The danger to rider and
driver, on stone, Is, to say at least, un-
pleasant, while the rafting and ~clatter-
ing noise. the side-tripping and sliding of
wheels, n slipping of horses, is q posi-
tive discomfort. Besides, it has been es-
timated that the dirt from stone pave
ment exceeds that from wood by at least
one-third. Tiis dirt contains, with Other
deletrious substances, pulverizsd stone,
which enters the lungs in minute parti-
cles, and will sometimes make a lodg-
ment in the most delicate membranes of
the air-cells, and often create irritation
and even Inflammation. On the other
hand, wooden pavements are easily kept
clean, they are smooth and elastic, they
give certainty of footing, ease of draught,
and we ride, drive and haul oyer them
with little noise, with great ease, safety,
comfort and satisfaction. Indeed, they so
fully fill all the requirements,
that those who favor the stone make
but one objection to the wood, and
that is want of durability. Persons go
out OF their way to get on wooden pave
ments, n universal exclamation Is,
This is the pavement we want, If it will
only stand" II wood can only be pre-
served from decay 1t will stand" From
experiments lstely made in Europe and
America, | feel satisfied that the wood
can be preserved from decay. Coal tar
contains certain ingredients which will
preserve wood from decay, ii properly
applied. Carbolic acid, or the creOsote of
coal, is n of the finest a~ntisep5ics
known, whether applied to animal or vege-
table su~bstances-and this is one of the
ingredients of coal-tar. The mere dipping
OF wood into eoal-tar is not sufficient,
more especially the case. Because, in the
first place, the coal-tar will lot penetrate
wood filled with sap. In the next place,
b crude coal-tar used furnishes a cover
ing similar to a coating of paint, and
when fermentation in the sap takes place,
and gases are generated, they are confined
by this coating of coal tar, and dry rot
nsues It is a well-known fact that paint
ing green WOO makes IL rot more rapidly.
II, however, coal tar be applied in the
form of Udp0r las, for instance, by the
"Robbins Process''l, the heat will expel
the moisture from the wood, coagulate the
aibumnous portion of the sap, and the
earbolic acid, in this sublimsted form,
will permeate the block and completely
saturate it, thus preventing decomposi-
ton. By the use of wood thus treated,
our paYements would be filed not only
with an Gatiseptec, but with one of the
best diSiRfectdRts kHotOR. If it be thought
wise to sprinkle the streets of New York
and all the great cities of Europe, with
| water mixed with carbolic acid, because
of its disinfecting properties, how much
better to rave the whole street laid with
blocks Of wood completely saturated with
It'll Dis'nfectants, such as chlorine
permanganase of potash, or candy fluid
oxidize the gaseous products given of
by putrifaction, and all organic matters
with which they come in contact, while
carbOlic acid merely destroys the causes
of putrifaction without acting upon the
organic substances. This former deals
with the effects, the latter with the causes
A very small quantity of csrbolic acid
will prevent decomposition of substances
Being volatile, il meets with and destroys
| according to DR.. Jules Lemaire, the germ:
and sporules which float in the atmOs
phere and vitiate it. The health Of a city
will be greatly promoted by laying thu
streets with wooden blocks, saturated
with carbolic acid. In the subject o
pavements, you and I and the whole com
munity have a deep interest. This fac
will furnish apology for so long a com
municAtiOD,