, 1876-02-06
Broadway below Canal street. In many re-

Broadway below Canal street. In many re-
spects such pavement stands unrivaled-
In comparative durability, stone blocks
| will have the longest life, and wood very
much the shortest; the asphalt is near the
stone, and. unless the latter be OF superior
quality, tho asphalt will outlive the stone.
He puts the first cost of good asphalt
pavement on concrete foundation, at pres
ent prices, at $3.50 per squire yard, includ-
ing 80 per cent profit to the contractor. This
exceeds the first cost Of wood, but is less by
at least ST. per yard than tha. of stone on
like foundation. As to cheapness in first
cost, wood stands first, asphalt second, and
stone third. In cost of maintenance and re-
pair. taking durability into account, the stone
stands first, asphalt nearly the same, and the
wood third in merit Asphalt is easier. cleaned
than wood or stone, and stone than wood.
In the matter of noise, stone is the noisicst
of all pavoments, while as to slipperlness
the case is thus stated: If the surface bo
kept clean by either sweeping or washing,
the difference in slipperiness between wood,
stone TINT does not polish, and asphalt, is
not great, although enough perhaps TO place
asphalt last; while horse not only falls
more frequently but recocers himself h$s often
and less easily upon it than upon the others.
Mud will render either of the pavements
slippery, but asphalt the most so, although it
is not slippery when very dry, or, if free from
mud, when very wet. Under sharp dry
frost, after rain or snow, asphalt and stone
are generally quite dry and safe, while wood
retains its moisture and is quite slip
perry. In the condition in which they
are usually maintained, slight rain
adds to, the sipperiness Of each, with
this difference, that, upon asphalt and stone,
this state begins with the rain, while the
worst condition Of wood ensues later and
lasts longer. With regard, therefore, to the
safety Of the animals and the convenience
and comfort of those using the street, as well
as of those living upon it, the weight Of
opinion places asphalt first, wood second, and
stone third, for all streets except those that
are habituslly crowded with heavy traffic, in
which case stone would rise to the first place
and asphalt drop to the third"
It is asserted that the paVements Of G city
exert direct and powerful influence upon
the health of the population, and this branch
Of the subject is discussed elaborately. The
joints in pavements of wood end stone be-
come in time equal to one-third of the whole
surface, and they become filed, and the sur
face of filth exposed to evaporation covers
three-fourths of the whole street. This foul
organic matter is held in the joints and gut
ters, and undergoes putrefactive fermentation
m warm, damp. weather.
The conclusion which Gen GMHoHE
reaches is that, for the streets of New York,
The best pavement for all the busiest |
streets, where the traffic is dense, heavy, and |
crowded, is one OF rectangular stone blocks
set on concrete foundation; and the next |
best is one of cubica1 blocks, known as the |
Belgian pavement, set in the same manner:
The best pavement for streets Of ample
width, upon which tho daily traffic is not
or for streets largely devoted to
light traffic or p1easure-driving, or lined on
either sido with residences, is asphalt for all
grades not sleeper than in Is or 80"
This subject is one Of great importance in
his city, where, es in New York, the only
foundation for the street-payements is sand