National Republican., 1873-04-30
cAuRI.GEwAY FOUNDATIONS.
improvements In their Ceustruction--Ths
Flanagan Compaaud Wood and Asphalt
Pavement-A Good Pi,ee Of Work.


As our authorities progress In the WORK Of
completing their system Of improvements they
necessarily improve In the character OF the work
done. That clause inserted In all contracts re-
qulring guarantee to keep the work In onler
for three years. at the expense Of the contractor,
Is a most salutary provision, and saves not only
a great deal OF money 10 the 10 x-payer but In
sures the durability Of work that might other
wise 70 to pieces for want Of attention at the
proper time. Especially Ia this reservation de-
sirAble In the case Of payements which, however
well laid are liable to be destroyed by the giving
way OF their foundations. We are glad 70 learn
that 10 completing the work especial care Is to
be inforced In the matter OF preparing the fOun-
dations OF cArTlagewAys. Our citizens can see
an Illustration Of this by stepping down TO Nil
sour avenue and Third street west and witness
ing the process OF laying the "Flanlgan Com
superintendence OF Punk Ridlon, esq.
After the street IA graded, the water, sewer and
gas laterals thoroughly rammed and the street
trimmed, q steam roller Is put on TO pack the
foundation. This also reveals every unsour u
spot, and enables the wOrkmen to oil u properly
al once, instead Of having II developed six
| months after the work Is done. AFTER the usual
sand layer q layer Of asphalt three inches thick
Ia placed, and when evenly spread round cedar
or cypress blocks are set into 1t In nTm and
compact manner. Then well-screened gravel Il
swept into the interstlces, and before the bltu-
men Is applied to cement 1t ten-ton steam
roller Is placed on the blocks, and they are thus
/ firmly settled Into their concrete bed. To no
otnef wood pavement could such a pressure be
applied without crushing the lines OF the blocks
completely out Of shape, and destroying any
board foundation that might be underneath. A
coat Of hot bltumen and nne gravel is then ap-
Piled. and afterwari finishing coat OF sand and
pitch.
The peculiar merits OF this process are the
| thorough preparation OF foundation, and the
use Of q greater proportion of the creosote OF
| carbolio acid anticeptic element than Is usually
found In the laying Of wood roadways. The
| asphalt, from which the concrete foundation Ii
made, is Of that grade from which the heavy
creosOte oil has not been extracted. Cedar
blocks, OF themselves naturally the most durable
wood, set into this, are subjected to q natural
creosoting process by capillary attraction. II Ia
the earth beneath TO Affect the block, while the
fact that this style OF wood pavement requires
more gallons OF btumen per square yard for the
oementing and dressing than Is used In any
other, renders II susceptible OF always carrying
on the water and receiving the acldul0us de-
posits Of the streets without damage to the wood
II must be, from Its very combination, one Of
the most durable road-beds. IL also has the ad
vantage OF destroying the rumbling wooden
sound noticeable In wood payemeuts.
This work should not be confounded with thu
other round-bock pavement here, which Is
much simpler and cheaper affair. On the con
II was Invented by Col. MARI Planigan, Of De
troit present collector Of internal revenue there
and nfty thousand yards OF II have been lalt
there within two years past with the uuanimoul
approval OF the property-oWner concerned. II
will also be put down In several Eastern cities
the license Tor which Is owned by some New
York gentlemen.