The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1874-05-21
TEE PAVING QUESTION.

TEE PAVING QUkSIlON.
There are some few questions concerning
which our Rip Van Winkleish neighbor, the
Picayune, arrogates to itself profundlty OF
wisdom which wo lid be amusing were 1t
always exhibited in matters of such small
Importance as the description of bouquets
received from enamored young ladies, or In
genious articles on the weather.
One of the important matters in which
this popularity of the Pic crops out in
most dogmatic manner is that OF paving.
The Pic knows all about paving. From the
seclusion of his back Office, which opens
upon that great commercial thOrOughtare,
Bank Alley, the dumb proprietor OF that
sadly deteriorated journal has looked out,
for more years than he would care to have
us mention, upon the great square blocks
with which the alley is paved and from
them he has drawn inspiration, as 1t were,
in the paving matter.
Hence, when he speaks all others must be
silent what he, with Pogrammatic dogma
tsm and egotsm waves behind him must re-
main forever cast out from the field of ar
gument and reason.
With all due Difference, however, to age
and to the square blocks in Bank Alley, We
must insist that some people have rights as
well as Others, and the right to discuss the
question of paving is one that no true free
man can peacefully resign.
This much for preface. In regard to the
arguments Of the Pic. against the Nicholson
paving on St. Charles Avenue, they must be
regarded by every thinking man as ridicu
ulously shallow; quite as absurd as its
statement that it objects to the Nicholson
pavement "under any and all circum-
stances" The fact is that, while the paving
alluded to was wretchedly laid, and while
the material was the very worst that could
have been found-sappy pine-the paving
has demonstrated one thing very clearly,
which is, that properly laid with the best
material-seasoned cypress-it will make
not only the best suburban roadways, but
the cheapest in the long run.
As proof Of this we point to the proper
ton of sound blocks still remaining in the
old roadway above Toledano street, and to
the perfect condition of the three squares
which were laid with seasoned cypress, be-
low Toledano street.
We venture to affirm that there is no
more perfect specimen of paving in this
country than the three squares alluded to
and they have been down nearly, if not
quite, four years.
There cannot be detected even the ap
pearance of decay in any of the cypress
paving, and the probabilities are that it will
be at least ten years before any repair at all
will be needed. OF what other paving can
this be said, certainly not of shells, certain
ly not of gravel and not even Of square
blocks, for they occasionally need re-setting.
All that is required to make the Nicholson
Paving the paving for this city and section
is the use Of seasoned cypress, and of COM
mon sense in laying the same, and we are
entirely Of the opinion that the city can do
no more sensible or economical thing than
to repair st. Charles Avenue in the manner
proposed by the Administrator of Improve
ments, provided the new blocks used be of
seasoned cypress. We are satisfied that this
will meet with the appreciation of those who
are more deeply interested, the residents on
the avenue, and will be Endorsed by every
one who owns a horse and carriage, aud
every poor man who owns a mule and cart.
At the risk of offending our wise neighbor,
Picayune Pogram, Esq, we pronounce
against gravel on st. Charles
Avenue, or any other avenue The expert
ment on Rampant street has satisfied us that
gravel won't do unless some way can be de-
vised Of perpetually laying the dust. Shells
are bad enough, and costly enough, but
gravel, so far as the dust is concerned,
would be insufferable.
The most durable paving, no doubt, would
be square blocks, but if an attempt should
be made to put square blocks down upon
that OF any other popular drive, we would
Join President Bernau in combating it, Oh
the ground Of cruelty to animals; for what
could be more cruel to horse tn an to drive
him at faster gait than awalk over stone
pavinge Since, then, shells are at once too
dusty and too expensive and gravel is too
dusty. if not so expensive, and square
blocks are both costly and cruel, what is to
be done
Evidently the course proposed by the Adj
ninistrator Of Improvements is the proper |
Dne, both in the interest of the city and of
the people. Great care must be exercised in
the selection Of the blocks and only such of
the old ones be retained as are entirely
sound, while the grade must be altered to
correspond with that of the new paving.
Contributions received at the Mayors |
office, May 20, 1874:
contributed by citizens and COL
lected outside Of regular Col Getting Com.
mittees, through J. B. Ramsey, Cashier
Peoples Bank Of Baltimore. ............. 1922 IS |