The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1876-02-02
GheGatelIigerre
STREET PAVING.
comparative Merits Of stone, An
DhalG and Wood.

General @. A. Gilmore, in the New
York Tribune, publishes an article on the
comparative merits Of different kinds OF
street pavements.
REQUISITES OF GOOD PAyEMENTs'
Con. Gilmore enumerates as the most
os.ential requisites OF good street pave
mcnt II ] that it shall be smooth ind hard
in order to promote easy draught; e that
il shall be secure foothold for animals,
and not become polished and slippery
from wear; (3) that it shall be MS free from
dust and mud rs possible; (4) that il shall
be capable OF prompt and thorough
cleansing; (5) thar ii be Of durable ma
tcrial, and OF such construction that II
can be taken up in places and quickly re,
laid, in order to give access 70 Sas anu
water pipes; and 10y that it shall be slIs'
ccptible Of repairs at all seasons oil the
year, and at moderate cost,
SUITABLE FOUNDATIONS.
Auopr fine suitable foundations for u
pavcmcnt, provided tho thickness be
s.J,n,eJ to the character Of the subsoil
AMI the nature OF the traffic, are the fol.
LAYING: % Hydraulic concrete six 10
eight inches in thickness; (2) rubble stones
set on edge, but not in contact, with the
in,crstices filled in with concrete; (3)
rubblc stones set in contact, on edge, like
tho sub.pavemcnt of TeltOrd road; (4)
cobble stones firmly set in aform OF sand
or grayel; (5) small rubblc stones Of ran
dom sizes, in well compacted layer; or
rs, a LAYER Of broken stones laid in the
manner Of macadamizcd road. OF these
the first, second and third arc by far the
best, and they are named in the order Of
their merit. The three payemcnts which
have been most actively competing for
pnblic favor within tic last ten years,
are those Of stone blocks, wood blocks and
asphalt.
ASPHALT THE BEST.
Taking, for just comparison, the best
Of each Kind, he concludes that the asp
halt pavement is far preferable to. the
others, its advantages being, ~ That it
produces no dust and therefore no mud;
t2l it is comparatively nOiselcss; 10y it
does not absorb and retain noxious liq-
uids, but facilitates their prompt dis
charge into the side cutters and catch
basins; az it is impermeable to moisture
and neither cmits nor allows the
emission from the subsoil Of unwhOlesome
and poisonous vapors; (5) it reduces the
force Of traction, and consequently the
wear and tear upon animals and vehicles
to Il minimum; and 10y althOug h it does
not furnish rs secure foothold Tor ami
mails as blocks OF stone or wood, it does
not become polished or slippery from
continued wear.
COMPARATIVE MERITS.
In regard to ny durability, lie places
stone pavement first, asphalt second VERY
near to stonc), and wood last. As to (0
first cost, wood stands first, asphalt Sec
ond, stone third. (3) Cost Of maintenance
and repair: Stone first, asphalt second
mot far removed from stone wood third.
(4) Facility for cleansing: Asphalt first,
stone second, wood third. ~ Conyc-
niencc: Asphalt first, wood second, and
stone third, for all streets except those
that arc habitualIy crowded with heavy
traffic, in which case stone would rise TO
the first place and asphalt drop to the
third. Upon this point Mr.. William
HAYWOOD, civil Engineer OF London, in
reporting upon the relative advantages OF
wood aud asphalt for paving purposes,
SAYS that asphalt is the smoothcst, dricst,
clcarest, most pleasing to the eye, and
most agreeable for general purposes, but
wood is the most quiet"
HYGIENE CONSIDERATIONS.
Finally as to hygicnic considerations,
he asserts that asphalt conspicuOusly
stands first, stone second, and wood third
in order Of merit. The hygienic objec-
tions to granite arc, first, its constant
noise and din and second, its open joints,
which collect and retain the surface liq-
uids, aud throw of nOxious vapors and
filthy dust. Objections to wood may be
taken upon the same, and even upon
stronger grounds for the material itself
undcrgoes inevitable. and generally even
early and rapid decay, in the progress
OF which the poisonous gases resulting
from vegetable decomposition are
thrown OF. Tho joints Of a block
pavement, whether of wood or stone
constitute, after enlargement by WEAR
fully one.third OF its entire area; and,
under the average care, the surface OF
filth exposed to evaporation covers three.
fourths OF the whole street. This foul
organic matter, composed largely Of the
urine and exCrcment OF different animals
is held in the joints, ruts and cutters,
where it undcrgoes putrefactive ferment.
alton in warm, damp weather, and be-
comes the fruitful source OF noxious
efluyium, or it floats in tho atmosphere
and pcnetratcs the dwellings in the form
Of unwholesome dust, irritating to the
eyes and poisonous to the organs OF re-
SEPARATION. Thcre'arc others peculiar to
wood alone, arising from its rapid decay,
its poroSity and the spongy and absorbent
character conferred upon it by crushing
and wear.