Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1872-04-04
the DISTRICT GOVERNMENT INVESTIGATION.
fr>eeedings Before the House Com.
mittee To-day.


SOMETHING ABOUT SMITHS PATENT PAVE
Daniel CdsgkIdn, sworn:-was foreman for
Mr. Thornton Smith for nearly four years; left
him about fifteen months since; laid ali the
pavements for him while acting Is his foreman
his pavement Is made of gas tar and pine tar
mixed with sand and ashes; very little rosn was
used in the mixture; the gravel used by him was
obtained from Tiber creek. Witness described
the manner Of mixing the ingredients above
the pavement at the AsricultuTal Department;
since IL was laid il had been patched up; the
gutter of that around the building of the Young
laid q pavement in Mr.. Rives' stable in March
and had to take il up in June; paved the alley in
the rear Of Speaker Blaines and Fernando
Woods; 1t was dccaying also; Mr.. Smith re-
ceiyed "a per yard for the pavement he laid
under the archway at the Post once; ne got
s1'5 per square yard for one portion of that at
the Agricultural Department and S1.25 for the
other PORTION; the first two years Mr.. Smith was
IN business here he paid up regularly every Sat-
uIday, but after that he was not As prompt as he
Mr.. CoOmbs wanted to know what this testi-
mOny had to DO with the case?
Mr.. Chandler said MIR. Smith had been put
upon the stand here as an expert to testify a. to
what Lie knew about pavements. The object of
this testimony was to show that he was an ire
Mr.. Crane.-well you put on a man yester-
day
Mr.. Chandler.-Never mind, Mr. Crane; this
Is legal point with SIR COombs; 1 am not
arguing il with you.
Mr.. COombs Withdrew any objection.
witness resumed MIR. Smith still owed him
money. One of Smiths Northumberland
Fitzgerald-had to enforce lien on the work to
get money due him.
BY Mr.. Coombs Smith bought his sand and
gravel by the load and sometimes by the bushel;
ne paid Sl-S5 per Dbl. for gas tar in Alexandria
ana 81 per Dbl. in Annapolis; since leaving
smith witness had been employed by the BOARD
Of Public Works as superintendent; was 50 en-
ployed in January and received pay, but did not
RENE mber how much work was done that month
SOMETHING ABOUT WOOD PAYMENTS.
Jonotadn Taylor, sworn-Residesin New York;
has been employed in laying wood payements
since 1861, and had laid such payements in most
OF the principal cities in the United States;
aid about Goooo yards OF wood pavement in
city, had received probably a million dollars or
more for laying wood pavements throughout
the country; witness first had an interest in the
Nicholson patent, and laid that pavement in
san Francisco; is now interested in the
Nicholson, kness. Filbert and Taylor patents:
the latter are improvements on the Mich
olson patent; received for his first pavement
In San Francisco $3.50 in gold per square ward
and about the same price in Portland, Oregon; in
Msliamsport, Pa, got s4.ls per square yard; the
dlnerence IN prices was on account of difference
IN cost OF lumber, gravel, tar, &c; received 81
per square yard in Philadelphia; laid thirty-one
or thirty-two thousand yards there; received
hrst pavement in New York got 81, and after
WARDS 50 per square yard; in Brooklyn, $3.50
ana 20 per square yard; nearly all the above
wood pavement in the east was 81 per ward,
except one in ElmIra, N. ", which was put
down at 50 Is, without the grading; Nicholson.
Miller, Brockelbank X CrainOr, Kness Inger-
SOL, and Stowe, are all good; patents had been
taken out for every conceivable shape OF block;
FAR royalty to patentec is from ten to
twenty cents per yard; before all the other
pate nts were out they received q ROYALTY from
sixteen 10 thirty cents per square yard:
had great faith in the durability Of wood
pavements; some contractors bought cheap ium-
Der; pavements made of Ii Of course would not
last; no pavement constructed of green lumber
would last over ten or twelve years; pavements
made OF seasoned lumber would last much
longer-from three to five years longer at least:
preserved lumber would last from twenty TO
twenty five years; had paid some attention to
preserving lumber; thought the Burnetizing
process the best, after that the Robbins process
Witness described these processes at some
length, and testified that they made the wood
much tougher and harder, and prevented it
from wearing 70 fast; thought they would make
pavement last twice as long; spruce lumber
when Burnetized, would last one-third as long
again as pine lumber untreated; the cost of the
pavement tor Burnetizing would not exceed IS
OF % cents per square yard; had examined Penn
syIvania avenue; the Stowe and Miller pave
MT nts on the lower portion were good, but not
Iaiu wen, the pavement On the upper end was
not of much account.
BY Gen. Chapman 1T is important to keep
water aw ay from the foundations; did not think
the water would find its way under the pave
ment from the cobble stones on the street car
track on Pennsylvania avenue.
BY Mr. Chandler Had Ibid the Golyer nave-
ment on street, between 18th and 18th, in this
CITY going to laytone on eth street, in front of
inc market the foundation of the street pave
nleht was detective. and witness was now relav-
ng the pavement at his own expense; is under
contract with the Board of Public Works TO
Keep ms pavement in repair for three years
after laying 1t; did not think any man could
make much by laying wood pavements at the
prices paid by the Board OF Public Works: INN
per mere costs about sT per thousand; saving
ana delivering 1T, So; it takes sixty feet to the
YARD, making Sl.65 for lumber; grading, cement
gravel, sand, labor and royalty make a total of
$50 as the actual cost of laying wood pave
ment here; received 1926 for laying a pave
ment Of burnetized wood on E street; the adj
ditonal cost for burnettizing was As or 80 cents
per square yard; any defect in wood pavement
would be developed in less than three wears
By MI Coombs:-The Nicholson and Golyer
payements are laid on board foundations: VIII
mess owned patent which can be laid either
WIN or without board foundations; knew nothing
about the Ballard pavement; did not think much
OF The Samuel's process; thought the Robin
pavement on PeDnsylvania avenue a failure;
would say the same thing about it had he laid II
himself; thought the FOlansbee pavement a
very uinlng one; never paid any thing for in
huence to get contracts in New York: did not
pay any thing here to get a contract; man to
pay for q contract here would have to do il ont
OF bis own pocket (laughter), believed in New
aofk they PAID about 20 cents per yard for in
huence to get contracts, but there il was
charged up as the contractor received 50 per
yard witness received $50 per yard last sum
mer In Jersey City for wood pavements
By Mr.. Crebs:-Witness bought the lumber
ior the street pavement cheaper than it could
be bought now.
SOMETHING ABOUT THE sCHARFF PAVEMENT
John o. Erdns, sworn:-Was the contractor for
the pavement in front of the Presidents House
on pennsylvania avenue; it is the Scharff patent;
witness here described the manner of LAYING the
pavement, and said the pavement in front of
the Presidents was laid very hurriedly and in
bad weather; the street was In a bad condition.
ard II was necessary to cover II with something:
could not get the best material at all times and
used the best he could get; on the north side of
the railroad track the pavement is perfect.
because when they laid that portion they had
perfected all arrangements TO secure better
material; calculated to relay it all at hi.
own expense; the defects in the pavement
on The south side OF the railroad track
were caused by bad superintendence in mixing
material; broken cobble stone was used for a
sub base only, but angular stone was used for
the upper course; witness had a contract To
pave pennsylvania avenue from 18th to 18th st.
and 10Th street nom Pennsylvania avenue 10 III
street, the Board Of Public Works said All con
crete pavements were an experiment. and thew
would not lay IT further than 18th street unless
II should be found TO be a good pavement: wiz
ness started to take up the cobble stone ON tbe
" nf