Daily globe., 1878-04-21
THE PAYING QUESTION.
AZ EHuiUsTIYE REVIEW OF THE
DIFFERENT KINDS.
The Milwaukee Council Appoint Com
mittee Of Experts to Invest;gate-The
Experience of Buffalo, Cleveland, Wash
inston, Fort Wayne, Detroit and Chi

st. Paul is in its infancy on the street !!
paving question, and if mistakes have been, |
or are likely to be made, it is better to as
certain them as soon as possible, and apply
the remedy. The probability is that one,
and perhaps two streets, will be paved the
present season, and before anything further
in that line is done, the experience of other
cities Will be good thing to consider. The
Milwaukee committee state that they have
in use in that city the following:
There are three blocks (about one fourth
of a rni]e) Of Telford macadam pavements,
poorly laid
All tho remaining streets that are i'm
proved arc what are called graveled streets.
These gravoiea streets are paved by spread
ing from eight to twelve inches of gravel
(generally not very carefully selected) over
the surface after it has been graded to the
subgrade. This top dressing Of gravel is in
tended to bring the surface to the finished
grade. 1t IS not rolled or compacted to
for1n hard and unyieldinS surface for tray
ell, nor is there any foundation laid for the
gravel surface.
About ono and one-fourth miles (6,47G
blocks prepared by the Thilmany process
About two miles I0,16G feet) are paved with
blocks laid directly upon the sand Nrom two
to four inches in depth) without the plank
foundation and the strips ordinarily used
under the old Nicolson pavement.
The remaining twelve and one-haH miles
are laid with the foundation plank under the
blocks.
The cities whose payements we propose to
speak Of specially are Buffalo, Cleveland,
Washington, Fort Wayne, Detroit and Chi
cago.
The data and conclusions are, as you will
observe, conflicting, but the merits and de-
merits of the different kinds Of pavement
are fully stated, and will greatly help toward
right conclusions.
The following is from George Worn Berge,
city engineer of Buffalo, dated February 5,
1878.
Tie paving of streets is exclusively under
the charge of this Office. Common rubble
stone pavcments were the first kind used in
this city as early as 1916; since that time the
quality Of the stone pavement has gradually
improved; square stone pavements are now
III
ters are now more used, and fiat cutters six
teen inches wide. generally used. On ac-
count of the good quality Of Medina land
stone SO near by, stone pavements have the
preference for durability and cheapness.
There are specimens of first class stone
pavements in this cily that were never dis
turbed for making connections with sewers,
gas or water pipes, and have been i'll use for
a5r,I& foot
and will Last ten years longer. The average
cost per square yard of first class stone pave
ment was 1926 including curbing and gut
ter stones till 1876, since that time the price
for labor has been materially reduced, and
first class stone pavement may be furnished
now at Sl.45 to Sligo per square yard, and
second class stone pavements at S1.OS to
$1.26 per square yard.
enclose specifications for first and second
class stone pavements.
Wooden pavements (Nicolson. Ballard,
Wykoff, and Roberts patenD have been tried
here since 1869, but with no success; they
have proved failure; the cost being about
the same as for the first class stone pave
ments, while it only lasted from three to five
years. There are only six and 3S-1OO miles
of streets paved with wood, against eighty
three and 3-10O miles of streets paved with
stone.
A trial viii be made this year with al as
phalt pavement, the main questions is how il
will stand in our climate, it's cost Will be
EXPRESS my opinion on it until J. have seer
the asphalt pavement, and until it stands &
fair and good trial.
CLEVELAND.
The next two letters are from Cleveland
The first from Chas. II. Strong, formerly city
engineer, who says nnder date Of Feb. l
1878:
'':rhe use Of wood for street paving pur
poses has been thoroughly tested i'll this cit,
with varying results
The Nicolson with coal tar coating was th'
first used, but it soon became apparant tina
cool tar did not in anyway add to tho dura
bility Of the pavement.
A number of processes for the preserva
ton OF wood we're investigated in 1870 by
committee Of the city council and myself, a
CITY engineer, with a view to adopting tn
process that apparently would give the bes
results
After (. careful examination it was decide
to try the rosin process on St. Clair street
from Erie street to Wilson avenue. Accord
ingiy in 1870 and 1871 that street was pave
with pine blocks, treated with the rosin pre-
cess, except the block between Minnesot
and Alabama streets, which, as an experi
ment, was paved with elm blocks treated b
the T,hilmany process.
In 1872 Perry street, and 1873 Garde1
and portion of franklin street. were pave
with pine blocks. treated by the Thiiman
process The balance of Franklin street We
paved with pine, treated by the the coroso
or dead Oil process. A sufficient time hi
now elapsed to determine the relative val,
of the processes used.
On St. Clair street the rosin process h;
proved total failure, while the elm bloc]
treated by the Thilmany process are to
appearances as sound as when laid.
Perry street the paving is in excellent CO.
dition. That portion of franklin street
which the Thilmany process W
used is in a much better condition than Il
other.
There is, however, one all importa
thing that must be looked after If Won won