The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1870-08-01

WE understand that Pennsylvania avenue
and other thoroughfares at Washington are
about to be paved, and we clip the following
from the Washington Evening Star, which we
consider of general interest to the citizens Of
Portland:
Our Pavemenfs-Of What Material Shall
AS we are now about to pave aud other rise
improve some OF our streets with q view to
making them what they should be as leading
streets of the capital of the nation it is desira-
BILE that we should start right, using the best
methods that science has furnished and expert
ence has vouched for.
Just now the question of the best pavement
is being discussed with considerable animation
in the New York papers. That city has just
pulled up its concrete or "poultice' pavement
in disgust; no form of stone pavement seems to
be satisfactory, and it appears pretty certain
that the wood pavement is to be the pavement
of the future in that city. as the weight OF evil
denca from all points whore it has been tried
bears quite conclusvely in its favor.
We notice that the controversy in New York
has brought out that distinguished physician,
DR.. Lewis M. Sayre, who discusses the ques
ton of pavements at considerable length,
mainly from sanitary point of view; and he
comes to the conclusion that the wood pave
ment is the healthiest as we'll as the most USE
full and agreeable.
OF all the pavements that have come under
his notice as property holder or physician, be
pronounces the concrete annoyance Of Fifth
Avenue" the worse. Experience in this coun-
try has shown, he says, that the material en-
ployed in paving streets must be either aco0d
or stone.
There are many different methods of laying
each of these materials, some of which have
been universally condemned. For instance,
the 'cobble-stone," which is simply an abomi-
nation in the sight of horse and man. The
"macadam" produces dust, which is not only
disagreeable but deleterious to health.
The objects sought in paving streets are
cleanliness, health, comfort, facility of locomO-
ton, the consequent saving of time, labor and
does not facilitate transportation, but at the
expense of horse shoes, horse flesh, and Of
great wear and tear of vehicles. The danger
to rider and driver, on stone, is to say the least
unpleasant, while the rafting and Gathering
noise, the side-tipping akd sliding of wheels
and slipping of horses is o positive discomfort
Besides it has been estimated that the dirt
from stone pavements exceeds that from wood
by at least one-third. This dirt contains with
other deleterious substances, pulverized stone
which enters the lungs in minute particles
and will sometimes make Judgment in the
most delicate membranes of the air-cels, and
often create irritation and even Inflammation
On the other hand wooden pavements are east
ly keep clean, they are smooth and elastic
they give certainty OF footing, ease of draught
ana we rlde, drive and maui over them Will
little noise, with great safety. comfort and sat
isfacton.
Now all that can be said in behalf of wood
pavement for New York, applies with greater
force, we take it, for Washington, because we
have no heavy drayage here, and because from
the great width of our streets the puverizatioI
Of stone pavements, whereby dust is created, i
increased many fold. The desideratum here il
pavement that shall keep those two great
nuisances of the city, mud and dust, in sub
lection, and no pavement yet discovered will
do this SO effectually as the wood pavement.