New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1871-08-01
ST. CHARLES AVENUE---HOW IT SHOULD
BE PAVED,

BE PAVED.
At some underlined period of the past
be it year more or less-the inhabitants
of New Orleans had hope that st. Charles
avenue would be paved with durable ma
terial, and that We should have, from
Tivoi Circle to Carrollton Gardens, a
drive equal to the "Corso" of the seven
hilrd city, or to the finest possessed by
the overgrown municipalities of the
| North.
Along the entire length of that sweeping
passed, there is scarcely to be seen drink
ing saloon, or any object to offend the
eye of the most fastidious. 1t is broad
boulevard, embraced on either side by
pleasant homes, where the well-to-do
mechanic or successful business man re-
tire after business hours to the comforts
of home.
When the paving of this avenue with
perpendicular blocks of wood first COM
menced, certain persons who could occa-
sionally indulge in the luxury of hiring a
vehicle, and lucky few who own such
conveniences, INDUCED the delusive hope
that their taste for horsefesh and the
bracing air might at times be gratifed.
One year ago few enterprising whips
took advantage of the fact that part of
the long line of contemplated pavement
had been completed, and with commend
able alacrity they brought out their four
wheeled or two-wheeled vehicles. The
avenue was lively for few short months.
But the paving blocks were of unsea-
soned as well as Of seasoned wood. These
soon began to rot at the lower ends. Coal
tar and asphaltum would not save them.
Ugly holes and ruts began to appear in
the pavements, and wheeled conveyances
became scarcer and scarcer as time and
the ugly holes wore surely away and
deeper into the once beautiful corSo.
Now the once smooth drive is full of
holes and ruts and disgusting hog -wallows.
A ride along it jolts and rocks the bones of
the adventurous pleasure-seeker. The
puddle ducks are disturbed in their inno-
cent lavations, and the invalid, though
seated on velvet cushions, almost realizes
that he is being trundled to his long home
in rickety go-cart, with a maniac for
driver.
In some places, where the sink holes
besprinkle the street like exaggerated
punctures in the top of pepper box, the
drivers of vehicles are obliged to zig-zag
their tortured horses to avoid humping
and bobbing up and down in the thickly
sprinkled road traps, and some cautious
phaetons actually drive with one wheel in
the gutter to avoid the inevitable wreck
and break down which would result from
even moderate speed in the centre of the
street.
To drive in such street it would be
necessary to invent vehicles with front
and rear wheels after the fashion of two
wheeled velocipedes.
In that case culverts under the cross
streets would have to be dispensed with,
and the centre Of the streets would have
to be arched, as in the principal cities in
Mexico.
Carrying out this hypothetical improve
ment o. the space occupied by the pres
ent Nicolson pavement would have to be
built upon; there would be no room for
street cars, and the whole difficulty about
paving the avenue would be thus prac-
tically wiped out and disposed of. We
commend the suggestion to our astute
Mayor.
There is contract with the Southern
Paving Company for paving the avenue,
and there now seems to be no serious
obstacle to completing the work. The
only question to be solved is as to the
kind of material to be used.
The Picayune suggests that wood pre-
pared with creosote should be used. We
do not profess to be thoroughly posted
as to this process. Thomas patent for
preserving wood seems to suggest itself
as tne DeSt metnOd Tor preserving wood
for paving purposes. This is done by
saturating any kind Of wood with rosin
oil, and timber SO prepared becomes,
like pitch pine, indestructible. The
only objection we have heard urged
against this method is, that the timber
lasts too long, and will thus injure the
trade of builders and lumber dealers.
Let us have trial of one of the two
methods suggested for laying down a
lasting pavement, and especially let us
have the beautiful avenue paved.
We may revert to this subject here
after.
PROGRESS IN WASHINGTON CITY.
The Democrats in Washington are re-