Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1880-10-30

specifications and other documents too long to
be published here.
The report Is as follows:
''oFFICE OF THE PREFEcT OF THE DEPARTMENT OF
THE SEINE.
Points ct C7tdttSSoeS Service Of the Public HiJ',-
rays, Report OF the Engineer in CHIEF
The care OF the streets In Paris, an important
branch OF the direction of public works, is en-
who have under their orders force or superin-
tendents and oyerseers selected by competition.
The duty OF this force Is TO prepare and super
intend the construction and maintenance of the
highways. sewers, water pipes and tree planting,
and inspect the lighting.
New works are executed BY contracts pub
trusted In part to road laborers {Cantonnters,
and auxiliary wOrkmen paid directly by the
city, and for the rest to contractors. Appended
to this report are specimens OF estimates and
specifications OF different contracts for main
tenance and for materials now in operation.
which will afford the means OF studying In de-
tail the working OF the service.
The total length Of the streets In Paris Is 557
miles $685. kilometres). This length is divided
as follows, according to the nature OF the road
covering:
Macadam... .......-... 14IO
Asphalt. Observation-Disclosures. 1916
Total. Observation-Disclosures $500
Stone Pdref,ent.-The st reefs are for the
most part paved with blocks OF sandstone grit
(gres), which come either from the suburbs OF
Paris or from more distant quarries. These
blocks. whose shape Is that OF cubes or OF paral-
lelopipidons, are furnished by special c0ntrac-
tors. They are Of different dimensions, accord
ing to the grade and me nature OF the trailic,
thickness The square metre Of the new pave
ment of stone blocks costs between sixteen
and s anes IL % er fps
years, and the annual cost LOT main
tenance Is 0.65 francs, qOH per square yard.
There still exist in Paris certain streets paved
with Belgian trap; this kind OF road-cOverlng,
which becomes extremely slippery by wear, Is
now abandoned. 1t is no longer employed ex-
ept In the for an width two
The stone pavements In Paris represent u per
cent OF the whole surface of the carriagewayS.
n aes streets are d
traffic which they must bear, into three cate.
gor1eS, viz:
l.. streets Of rorp1ny, composed Of a founda:
broken pOrphyry (porphve) six inches thick.
The use OF these materials is limited to streets
OF great traffic. 2. Streets Of maidstone, COM
posed OF q foundation as above, and a bed OF
compact milestone (netatere) Of six inches; lin
tied to streets OF average traffic 3. Streets OF
pebbles, composed OF a single bed OF pebbles
fourteen inches In thickness, employed on
streets but little frequented or having traffic
OF light carriages.
Streets OF porphyry. 5000 l.34 per so. yard
milestone. ......... sl.15 d" 90
n -. ,, pebble. .::::.s 50 g
the whole surface OF the carriageways has been
considerably diminished In the last ten years in
consequence OF the difficulty OF maintenance
now restricted to pleasure drives. and to certain
streets and boulevards OF exceptional import
ance; but In all cases the Macadam never occu-
pies more than central zone bOrdered by gut
tiers or facipgS paved In stone whose width
varies from 16 to 2 feet The annual MAIN
tenance varies greatly according to the locality
ana exceeds $l.93 per square yard on certain
streets which have exceptionally heavy traffic,
and on which it Is necessary TO execute two
general repairs each year, each one consisting
In putting new coat from to inches thick,
The average annual cost of maintenance is 81
cents per square yard.
,Asphoh.-The asphalted streets represent
are made OF foundation Of concrete OF
hydraulic lime 4 inches thick and layer of
compressed asphalt 6-1v inches; the price per
SO. I'd ia $2.17.
In streets much frequented the concrete OF
hydraulic lime Is replaced to advantage by con-
crete OF cement, increasing the foundation to 6
1922.
All asphalt work is given to contractor, the
lowest bidder, who is the proprietor OF the
mines OF Lobsann (Alsace); he is required, be-
sides, for the sum OF % cents per So I'd, to
maintain the asphated streets In good order
and to replace each year lis OF the whole sur
face.
Asphalt powder compressed while hot Is used
Ior me covering OF the carriage.ways, and
CT sidewalks. These materials are prepared for
use. In works belonging to the contractors,
under the supervision OF agents Of the city.
The use In Paris OF compressed asphalt dates
from 1866; Ii gained In few years rapid devel-
optnent, out since 1871, for reasons OF economy,
ana al also - as s., the result OF more exact under
las been SenSiDly diminished and appears DIES.
tined to remain restricted.
In fact, asphalt becomes excessively slippery
n times or damp fOgS and fine rain: iL must be
pros cribed on Streets having a grade greater
man LEO, and on those which. although on
easy grades. have heavy traffic, such as through
streets, the approaches OF railroad stations
canals, docks warehouses, &C Also on narrow
and camp streets it cannot be maintained, and
IL is prudent to employ 1t only on those streets
already provided with all the underground &C
oessories, so that the profile Of the street may
not have to be modified tor the construction Of
pubic or private sewers drain pipes or gas
lipes which y: , 1t IS well to put under the side
Walks. Finally, 1t Is very difficult to make the
necessary repairs TO it during the winter in case
OF frOStS or continuous rains In short the rule
o Whea n fe0s ID Paris Is to employ asphalt
noise Is particularly desired. such as the
national palaces, ministries, public offices, en-
bassies, religious edifces. hospitals, theaters,
t0iiegeS }yceumS, schools, &c. 1t makes street
almost nolSeleSS, producing neither mud nor
dust; its inconvenience is that 1t easily becomes
SNppery, requires minute care to keep 1t clean,
frequent flushing With water, and q force
always ready TO sand the dangerous places: tt Is
much dreaded by horsemen and by pleasure
carriages.
Melted bitumen prepared as stipulated Ia the
specihcatton 10 the contracts is used only for
Sidewalks; 1t Is laid on foundation OF concrete
Tour inches thick, and 1t costs 90 cents per
square yard. In the same way as for the COM
pressed asphalt, the contractors undertake, for
me sum or Co cents per square yard the MAIN
tenance OF the sidewalks, and must relay each
year one fifteenth OF the whole surface This
KIND OF covering, On which repairs can always
uon." o 49,
IMPROVEMENT OF STREETS
During the past year the following straats
were brought to grade, sidewalks. curb aud gut.
ters laid, and the carriageways gravelled, viz:
south Capitol, from to NJ. 800 as3. "a
North Capitol, from X to Boundary TO sS5 40
NJ noftn, from NY. ave, to 1su Sc. east S 24305
virginia ave. Sc, from Sd to 4tn at 1 Ai0 IN
street S.W., from 9th to 1917 st 38l 10
n II 81 as p, " - not % 70 Mo: aVe...... 1,6ST.H
DqnpaIton 81, CT, from Congress TO
pe mnas 1t Dc 49,. 2,Ss9as
o'A co. "'A'' Hou water 10 Monroe. 41S.20
S., 533.11