New-York tribune., 1873-07-28
WORTHLESS PAVEMENTS.
OFFICIAL INSPECTION OF THE STREETS By
COMMISSIONER VAN MORT.

COMMISSIONER VAN MORT.
IMMEDIATE REPAIRS TO BIZ MADE-0VER Soo'VV
REQUIRED TO PLACE THE STREETS IN GOOD OR
DER-ACTIoN OF A SEVERE WINTER On The
WOODEN PAvEMENTs-SToNE TO BE suBsll-
TUTED FOR woOD-AN ADDITIONAL APPRoFbiA-
TIoN NECFssARY-THE WORST PLACES in TIE
CITY INDICATED.
Numerous complaints have been made OF
ate I'm regard TO the detestabe condition OF the street
payements Of this city The rotting wood ana deeayhg
,opcree pavements are not only serious mpediment
to travel but, according 20 the statements OF the
members OF the Board OF Health, they endanger the
public health by poisoning the atmosphere aud aording
reoeptcles for pools Of sagnant water Many property
owners have recently called upon Commissioner Van
Mort and requested hm to have the streets repaired
out the amount appropriated by the Board OF Appor-
uonment for the purpose is insufficient to meet the
present requirements In ORDER therefore, TO ascertain
the minimum amount which would be necessary, the
Commissioner Of Public Works has just caused in
specOn OF the condition OF the wooden and concrete
payoments OF the city TO be made such streets as re-
lured immediate repair to be designated and the cost
x the necessary computed The result of the IN
spectOn shows thar it will cost from $4,000 TO slVoV
place the streets in good order, and acoordingV 'H
Commissioner sent the communication lately puo'Snou
IN THE TRIBUNE the Mayor, asking him. as Cnairiau
OF the Board of AppOrtioumont to use MS "
wara having the amount OF the appropriation hereaSc
In 1872 the Board OF ApportiOnment permIteu tn0 "a
pendi.ure OF $IsCOOO for repairing stone pafeoh'' ~
CS5OOO for repairing wooden ana concrete P''oNo"'
% ver The sum OF $4,000 is allowed for repairing stone
pavemcns and only $4,000 for repairing tne o'ners'
Cop,m,sSouer Van Mort urges that there is need ior
irr Dount this year than last year. to be applied 10
,b renairipc OF wooden and concrete payemens, De-
ase the excess We cold Of last Winter dsntegTaeo the
bers Of the wood and caused rapid decay so that uni
versal rottenness and decay now exist wherever the
paient payementS have been laid The cost OF repairing
me woolen payements with the material will be
abon s. IS square yard, without the chemical treat
ent OF the use Of tar with the lator 1t will cost -
souare yarI, and even the pavement will soon
wear away Expcrence has demonstrated that
tho average duration Of the wooden pavement
Is only i've years and Mr. Van Mort has determined TO
repair them with To replace the decayng pave
meut with Belgian trap-5ock stone will cost ~ 81
square yard and on where travel is continu
GUS the pavement will last for 20 or Is years. Stone
pavemens also have the advantage Of being repaired at
htto cxpcuse The inspection which has just been made
shows that there are 1851 square yards which impera
lively s immediate repairs, and al s. square yard the
cost will be about $GoOJ0the amount asked for by Com
missioner Van Mort This does not take into account
the asphalt payements, to repair which VIII cost from
$4,000 to $4,000 additional Mr.. Van Mort states that
10 maintain all the wooden pavements Of the city in a
proper condition would require annual expenditure
Of S2OOOo and he does not think it just to entail upon
the city this continual burden. He fayors the gradual
removal OF these pavements by the substitution OF stone
only as fast their condition Of decay shall indicate its
necessity ana he deems it this time, when efforts
are making place the city III good sanitary condition,
10 be the imperative duty OF the officers OF the city to
see that IN where repairs essential 10 the
safety OF the public the work shall be Immediately
undertaken BY the provisions of the Charter the
duty OF paving repairing and keeping the streets clear
OF distractions deyOyes upon the Department OF Public
Works Tue amount needed to perform the work is held
10 be insufficient and accordingly the Board Of EST
mate and AppOrtonment is solicited to increase the ap
proprlaton The following is the official report con
cerDin the present. condition of the streets OF the city
Just made by the Inspectors to the Commissioner Of
Public Works;
WOODEN PAyEMENTs NEEDING IMMEDIATE REPAIR.
NEW YORK. July 25. 1873.
To GEORGE NJ VAN MORT, Esq., Commissioner Of Public
Works:
sIR; Below please fnd statements of the condition Of
wooden paVcens the several streets aud avenues
OF the city:
souav betvee. and the blocks al
oad and yty rough TIE wort places are as follows;
sEeof sqL
Hole. ds.
Between srserth and seventsen,h streets both SIDES
Intersection Of Az III
To.......................................... i22I
I place betreea Fourteenth and wsnteih-st blocks
seaFug 0us iai and rough Tie worst places sre - 80
Opposite No. III 10