The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-03-09


other stone block pavemenss have been kept in a
satisfactory condition, but the department has
found 1t impossible TO keep the wooden and con.
crete pavements even In tolerable repair; nor has
1t been able to properly maintain the cobblestone
pavement in streets where traffic IS heavy and
frequent. 1t follows, then, that If all the streets
IN the city excepting the uptown boulevard road
Ways were paved with stone blocks. an annual
expenditure OF $500 per mile. amounting in the
aggregate to $125, 900. would be suncient to MAIN
tam them all in good condition. Whereas, with
the present pavements and an average expendi.
ture OF $l72,O per annum, nearly oue.halt OF the
streets cannot be properly maintained.
1t Is a well known fac that when decay and
dislntegration once take hold OF Q substance or
. composition or substances they proceed &C an
ever-Increasng rate. This is especially true Of
the wooden pavements, where the process OF dis
Indignation is much accelerated 0y the constant
wear and pressure from the wheels OF vehicles
and by the sudden changes Of temperature which
Characterize our climate. IL Is estimated that
the wooden pavements become worn out and use.
less at the rate OF twenty-five per cent, or 100000
square Yards per annun. me cost o! replacing
tenn now pursued by this department In the re-
pairs OF WOODEN pavements, would De about 81 so
per square yard, or t25o,0O0 annually; but the APP
preparation for wooden and concrete pavements
ior the current year is only 100000 and the ex.
penditure OF That whole amount can elect the re.
pavement OF only 20, 600 yards The
DEFECTS of THE WOODEN PAYMENTS
are most sorey felt in commercial thOroughfa
when are constantly crowded with the heaviest
class OF traffc. OF these Will mention Broad,
Sorts ao"ie ana Mercer streets Maiden lane sSt
portions OF Coftlandt. Frankn, Pearl, Pine. vii.
liam and Whie streets In all OF these streets
there Is scarcely the length OF one block OF pave
ment that should not DC Immediately and entirely
removed ana replaced by new stone block pave
ment, II the means were at command to pay the
expense. II any distinction can be made IN the
degree OF dapldation, where all IS utterly UNIT
Tor the service required, Nassau street, Cortlandt
street, White street and parts OF william and
Pearl streets may be set Gown as the worst cases:
tney DEFY AL sucn EFFORT az repairs as can he made
OF the rotten wood and requirement. with stone
blocks cannot give iull satisfaction so long as ~ is
necessarily confined 10 tue worst places and llm-
tied spaces, beng IN the nature o. patchwork IN
stead OF the raolcai removal OF whole blocks.
Another location where the faults vi modern
pavemen's manifest themselves most dsagreeaoly
rs on Seventh avenue from Fourteenth to Fifty
nintn SUI eet. anu on Sixth avenue from Forty-sec-
ono TO Fiiiy-nlntn street. The avenues winch es-
taDllsh communication between tue lower and
upper parts o. the city are so lew and lar between
that tue travel upon them Is immense, and they
should be provided with the best possible pave
ment TO anoid proper accommodation Tor TINS
toned Is absolutely disgraceful quite beyond
remedy by ordinary repairs, and not only dis
agreeable but dangerous TO travel.
The Belgian pavement on Broadway, as widened,
which has lust been finished, now anOrds security
oughlare,, the main artery OF the city. SO ntly
continued IN the splendid Boulevard, which ex-
tcnds 10 Tue limits Of the settled por-
ZION OF the Island. IL IL great pity
mat the advantages OF Broadway as "A
principal highway are marred and broken to some
extent w tue presence OF rail- tracks from Four
teenth TO Thirty-fouith street. But the class OF
vehicles that serve the pleasure travel which
seeks the Central Park and the pleasure drives
above ~ requires certain qualities in u pavement
that even the best stone block pavement does not
possess. IL ~ very desirable that at least one of
the approaches 10 the Central Park should have
pavement that Will commune smootnness eias-
tlcity, noselessneSs ana cleanliness with abil-
tty. filth avenue, which Is lined throughout with