Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1874-09-10
THE STREET TPAvEMENTS OF WASH
INlION
[ IFrom ne Ohio State Journal. I


tee on a recent visit TO inspect Washington
pavemeDts, for the benefit OF Columbus tax
payers, who will soon find it an absolute neces-
sity 10 embark on general system OF street i'm
provements. Our colleague will report TO his
constituency, in due time. We report 10 our
constituency-the readers OF the State journal.
We were fortunate in finding
GOVERNOR DENSIsoN
at his Office, where he was labOring industriously
in the arduous work OF District Commissioner.
His courtesy enabled US 10 secure extraordinary
advantages in making thorough examination
of the Washington psvemenJs, and in gaining
candid and impartial opinions from the comps
tent officers in charge. These advantages, in
addition to that of finding almost every know n
variety OF street pavement on trial in Washing
ton, it would be hard to over-value. The Offi
Gers we found to be practical, energetic men;
and it would be person having little faith in
mankind who, with our experience of them,
could suspect them CT anything else than an
intense zeal TO serve the best interests OF the
people of Washington by doing honest, faithful
work.
LIEUTENANT HOXIs,
Engineer OF the District OF Columbia, went
through the whole subject with US, iii the most
thorough and comprehensive manner. So much
has been said OF this young officer, that we may
oe pardoned for saying enough more to intro
duce him TO our readers. He had been spoken
OF by adverse journals as " a young sprig OF an
army officer" - a man without knowIedge or
experience" and all that; and one paper had
gone so far as to assert that he was "only an
officer OF marines" }" after all! We found him so
thoroughly posted il; all the minutest details or
MS business, that il became pleasure to inquire
q little into his history. The detestabie crime
Jf being young man is one on which any Jury
IN the country would convict him, on sight. He
had served in an Iowa regiment during the war,
and bad attracted the attention OF General
BeikDap by his sodierly qualities. So much SO,
hat as soon as the war was over he was sent to
West Point by the President. He made a bril-
liant record at West Point, and graduated into
the Typographical Engineers, the hi chest honor.
Since then he has made such a record that
Grant, who was himself one of the best engi-
neers in the army, considers him one of the
most promising engineers OF his age, and this
opinion Is shared by others of the highest rank.
WALLACE
Besides Mr. Hoxie, we are chiefly indebted to
DR.. Wallace, one of the inspectors, who gave us
the benefit of his personal attendance during
the examination OF the work under every seps-
rate contract in the city.
THE WASHINGTON IMPROvEN ENrs.
Much has been written on the subject of these
improvements. Ii is impossible for Us to be-
lleve that perfect candor has governed some OF
the writers. There is, of course, room for
much honest difference of opinion as TO the wis.
dom or expedency of undertaking 80 large d
work, all at one time. Some of the kinds of
pavement had not been sufficiently tested.
Some of the improvements were III quarters OF
the city not yet built up-thOugh it is fair to
say that private improvements seem to have
Ollowed rapidly in the path of those made by
Governor Shepherds administration. There is
no question that TO Governor Shepherd belongs
the credit or dlscredit Of what was done. His
ron will carried everything before il. His i'm
perturbable energy broke through all opposi-
ton. Whatever may be thought Of his pru-
dence, no one can help admiring the Splendid
dash and resolution with which he carried on
his plan OF making magnificent capital out Of
The wide, Struggling village which he found
when he entered upon his work. Washington
ls row capital of which any American may
Justly feel proud. Acres OF fine structures have
sprung up ike magic out OF the debris of what
was lately open commons. Men of wealth and
.eisure are everywhere turning their eyes to
Washington as place for retirement from bus
ness, Literary men, attracted by the extensive
library privileges, are Hooking there. In short,
Washington is for the first time a Great Ma
tional Capital Let US endeavOr, first, to give
A GENERAL OUTLINE OF THE woEK.
The streets OF Washington were OrigiUaliy
very wide. To save expense in keeping up sueh
width OF thoTougnfare, a system OF parking was
adopted. A certain width on each side OF the
stree mot On the avenueS) was set OFF for turf
ing, in front of the houses. All the piping is
carried through these green, sodded edgings OF
the streets, 50 that the Pavements do not have
10 be disturbed Tor laying down new pipes
repairs. The parks make a nice front-door
yard TO the houses, and the owners of the resi-
deuces have beautlhed them with flowers and
lOUntains. The sidewalks and streets are still
sufI cieutiy wide for all practical purposes
This same feature might be advantageously
adapted ~ our WIDE streets, in Columbus.
The PAYEMBNTs
may be CLASSIFIED under three general divisions:
lst. Wood payements; I'd. COncretes, Sd. Stone
block pavements.
There Is such a universal condemnation of the
on them. They are, all and singular, failures,
PenDsylvani avenue, the NEST considerable
job, Is already on one side in the condition of
High street, Columbus. We refer the reader to
Lieutenant HO1is's report tor careful and well
considered examination OF the subject OF re-
pairs. 1t will be found of the utmost value, as
exactly suited to our cOndItion-thOugh with
the caution that marks his skill and cOnsclen-
tOusDess, he explains in a private note that the
report IL based upon purely local Consld -rat!ons
which may not apply here.
qFa mYay yups fspro
oily the most durable that are made. The oh.
JectiOns are-the great expense, the great noise.
The cruel hardship to animals travelling over
them, and the double or triple wear and teal OF
all vehicles. For heavy draft, Commercial
streets, they are the most durable and safo
paYements that can he found.
The concrete pavements are OF the most va
RED aud contradictory character. Tne bad are
as bad as can be-the good are unapprO2chab ble
IN excellence. 1t is mistake to suppose that
me good cannot be adapted TO heavy draft
business. One street, laid three years ago, has
had every block OF store for the massive new
State department hauled over 1t, and it is in
apparently as perfect condition as when iaII
down. That in front OF this Arlington has been
down for more than i've years, mas not been
touched for repairs, and is Is good as new TO sIl
APPEARANCE. The cost does not exceed two
thirds that OF he stone block, for tue yerv best
that is made. Ii the top dressing should be Of
the worst poutttce variety, there wOuld still re-
nam good macadamized road which Is the
bass OF All these varieties. II it IS gJol job Il
VIII last tor years, and then ths process Of re-
pairing Is very SIMPLE. We saw the work Of re-
pair going on, on one of the streets. Three col
ored men, one wheel el5arrOw, two brOoms. ana 2
barrel OF pOultlce, were all the appliances Two
colored men dipped the OTOOms IN the poui-
tee and swept it over the weakened surface;
the other threw sharp river sand aud small
pebbles over the poutuce-that was all. The
Expense OF such repairs Is almost trivial.
IL Is not necessary here to describe the process
OF nrst making the concrete pavements-that
can easily be learned elsewhere. We merely
point cut some OF the differences in results
some are SOFT and yielding, and will eventually
give way. This quality is the result OF using
inferior qualities of asphaltum, instead OF pure
natural Slciiau. In addition 10 this are the bad
quantles OF the impure sand-it must be- clean
washed, sharp, river sand, free OF all earthly
particles. The best specimens of work we saw,
OF the ordinary varieties, had also numerous
small pebbles, ranging in size from an army
oean 10 a chestnut. This makes a smooth, ring
ing pavement, almost as hard as solid rock on
the surface, yet grateful to the feet from its
sPrlpgy qualities. 1t seems actually to harden
and become more perfect under ordinary wear.
We soon learned 10 select the sections OF this
particular kind as we drove over them, from
their perfection and beauty. The favorite OF
all this species, with the officers in charge, how
ever, was that of the Neuchatel paving COM
pany, New Nork-s beautiful variety, nearly as
"hlte and nearly as hard as marble.
STREET CLEANING.
ore great advantage of the concrete nave