New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1870-03-07
4 TVENTY-MILE SPINDLE.

THE STOW PAVEMENT oUTRAGE-ATrEMPT TO
ROB NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. THE MAYORS
yETO-THE COMMON COUNCILS SHARE OF
THE SWhG.
The Aldermen of New York City graduated
years ago in municipal rascality but 1t Is safe to
say that they never attempted on outrage on inc
pockets OF the people so odious and unjustnaoe as
the fraud they are lsboriDg to perpetate In con-
nection with the stow Foundation Pavement. Other
swindles may have been greater but none so bald as
this. The New CourtHouse was gigantic swindlng
"job" but the building necessary purpose ana
Ia not in itself descredtable to the city, nor shall we or
some years be called replace with another struc-
ture. But II 1t were wretchedy built OF wormeateh
stone, entirely untred architectural plan, and
1t morally certain to tumble about the heads or the
occupants in less than yesrsthen the Court House
swndle would approximate in to the projected
Stow Pavement rascalty, which the Common Council,
without single honorable exception, are obstinatey
and corruptly seeking to accomplish.
EThe parties interested in the Stow Pavement have
issued pamphlet. naming certain streets and local-
ties in Boston, Philadelphia and California where this
pavement has been successfully tried. Malden-lane
iu NewYork is set down paved in this fashion, while
in reality, only about 100 feet In that steet between
Broadway and Nassau, were covered last December
and It has proved such failure that the contractors are
apparently ashamed to go on with the work. However,
the wonder is not that the pavement should prove
prove otherwise In laying It, the ground is cleared six
OF sand spread the surface and then, run
out further foundation, hemlock blocks six Inches deep
and eight inches long, put down on the sand
The alternate of blocks three inches wde and
the between only inch thick with the lower
edges beveed that the blocks can be driven
down into the sand three inches leaving burrows an
inch wide and three inches Deep which are filed with
sand. gravel and asphalt Nobody with particle OF
prudence would think OF laying such pavement such
foundation, at least until 1t had been most thoroughly
tested.
But what have the Soons OF the City Hall fit to
orderf Incredible as may appear. the Common
Council, during the last two weeks. have resolved,
without a single dissenting voice, and despite
the Mayors veto and the emphatic expOsulat0ns OF the
indignant and outraged tax payers, to inict this
paratvey untried pavement 20 miles Of New-York
streets at total cost OF over two millions Of dollars
and Individual cost of not less than 800 for each
taxpayer!
OF the jewellers along the street in question, not
gle taxpayer is in favor OF the pavement, while
and hundreds Of them have formally theoretically
and repeatedly protested against it, Not only have
these precious municipal legislators rushed this Job
through with Indecent haste but they have resorted to
preyarcaOn and downright lying In order to eyade the
Any one who Will take the trouble to calculate the
value OF labor OF sand and OF hemlOck will lind that the
square yard As the cost is not to exceed S yard is
obvious that the job be made to afford profit to the
amounting to $4,000 to be divided among ~ immaculate
Common COunciimenl
The resolution to pave the following streets with the
Stow Foundation Pavement was passed on Friday over
the Mayors veto;
fourdaon Twenty sirthst. from sIhsvs. to
Eorth REe Wbest Broadway West Broadway; Twenty
seveuh from Sirthave TO North RIVER Twenty eghthst from
Forehst North Yaek from Frank
In to Canal Thirht from Fifth to North River; Fifteenth S.
from FOurth-aye. TO East River
IL resolved that nine other streets be paved
with the following named pavements, which are de-
nOunced worse than the stow pavement:
Park Futhaye from ashingtonsQuare 10 tiiy-ninthst
hundred Eighty
Eighty buhst Second
to Fhhay OBshuudred Third 10 FOurhage
ueenthst from tourhaye 20 Avenue A One
hundrrdNld-twenty-fo urthst from Thru to Fth'aye
Robbins PdremSH-Fourh from BowTy Mangilst PrstaTc
from Houston 10 Ihlrty-niuth-st.
In his message vetoing the resolution to lay the Stow
Pavement, Mayor Hall he has caused inquiries 10
be made OF the property holders In Maiden lane con-
corning the Stow Pavement already laid there ana they
generally express themselves opposed 10 H. ana TINS eN
preston after they have carefully examined the
manner in which 1t laid down. The Mayor Is as
sured that the said pavement In Maiden lane Is only
sixty days old but is already full Of depressOns, and
that the arch of the street so changed that water Is
liable 10 stand In pools Indeed the contractors seem TO
have abandoned the completion OF their contract in that
The Mayor is not informed whether the property
holder the line Of the numerous streets embraced by
the annexed resolutions asked for these expert.
mental payements on the contrary the Mayor has be-
fore him emphatic circumstances against the pave
ment by prOpertyhOlders in the streets 10 be Affected
And in conclusion 1.-THE Mayor earnestly urges upon the
Common Council not TO experiment In any form, mode,
ments, whether OF concrete wood but hereafter to
put down upon the surface OF the streets only narrow
granite blocks such Broadway seem to afford sure
footing 10 horses, and to wear away evenly