Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1880-04-19
STREET PAVING.
What Other Cities Have Done-Prohting
by Experience.

To the Editor of the Globe:
The subject of street-paving, which is now
receiving the attention of the chamber OF
commerce, is one of vital Importance to
property-owners, and the interest in the sub
iect is not condned to the chamber alone
| 1t is matter which affects not only the
pockets, but the public health, and should
be thoroughly discussed and understood be-
i fore anything further is done in that direc-
| tion. The various kinds of pavements
which have been in use in the larger cities
have their advantages, and it is difficult even
now, after the experience of SO many years,
to decide which is the cheapest and best.
Stone is undoubtedly the most durable, and
with us would be about as cheap as any
other. Its objections ere its unsven surface
and hard texture. Except upon few streets
where heavy tearning Is done, 1t ID not deslr-
able.
Concrete has many things in its favor, but
whether any kind of concrete will stand the
test of our rigorous climate is very question
able. The Columbus, Ohio, paving company
claim to have compounded an article, of
which they hold patent, which they are
willing to warrant in any climate from ten
to fifteen years, with but nominal sum for
repairs. This is by all odds, SO far as health
and cleanliness is concered, the most desira-
bic pavement that can be devised. Its
smooth, even surface makes it luxury. Its
drawbacks are that it is difficult to break into
without great expense and necessitates the
establishment of concrete works, IN every
CITY where is used, for purposeses of repairs.
The Nicholson pavement, which is COM
posed of pine blocks laid on flooring OF
pine, is now about out of use, and 1t IS
we'll for the public health that it should be.
The pine bottom prevents the filth which
collects in the interStices from draining oil,
thus breeding miasma, malarial fevers and
kindred diseases. The laying Of blocks upon
sand foundation, as we have them here In
ST. Paul, is much preferable, and If cedar
blocks could be used instead of pine, would
make good and durable pavement. l
clipped some time ago from Cleveland,
Ohio. paper the enclosed article upon the
subject of the comparative cost and dura-
biIty of the various kinds of pavementa in
use 10 that city, which will prove of interest
to your readers just now. and which L trust
YOU will give space in the GLOBE. The tlg-
ures are from official sources and are very
commemorative. j. w. CUNNINGHAM.
PAVING IN CLEVELAND.
Not much paving was done in Cleveland un-
til the year 1860, at the end of which year but
5. .S2O feet, or one mile, of stone pavement had
been put down. The cost of repairs up to this
period was $l,076. During the next three
wears NO more pavement was laid, but the re-
pairs footed up 1884. In 1864 there were
1885 feet laid; repairs cost $2l4. In 1865
there were 2,33S feet laid repairs $500. In 1866
there were 1,749 feet laid; repairs $19.
In 1867 there were H. 1913 feet laid; re-
pairs $I,7lS. In 1868 there were 1896
feet laid; repairs 81 ,5S3. In 1863
there were 1915 feet laid; repairs 1885,
In 1870 there were 4,745 feet laid; repairs
$685. In 1871 there were 6,S90 feet laid; re-
pairs $5. In 1872 there were 5,9l1 feet laid
repairs S2S5 Ia 1873 there were ,648 feet
laid; repairs $3.50. In 1874 there were IL, 156
feet laid; repairs none. In 1875 there were
l3, ,9I4 feet laid, repairs none. In 1876 there
were 4,027 feet laid; no repairs. In 1877
there were 4,983 feet laid; no repairs. In 1878
there were 3,2ll feet laid; no repairs. 1t will
lie seen that the total number OF feet OF
exclusively stone pavement laid during the
eighteen years from 1860 to 1878 was 104,917.
or within a fraction Of twenty miles. The to-
tai cost of repairing during this time was
81, ,924. AS portions of the pavement was laid
in different years, and will last for many years
TO come, no eXtsCU 6SbluldI6 VI GuO COoV VI 1O-
pairs per mile can be made, but considering it
all as eighteen years old, it has cost the city
about $40 per year for the repair of twenty
miles, or about $22 per mile. Very few of
the stone paved streets need renewing, as the
system of repairing makes them almost as
good rs new. During 1867 the era of Nichol-
son, or pine wood, pavement began. In that
year 2,4l9 feet were laid on which repairs to
the amount of 81 ,092 were made. In 1868
there were 3, lG3 feet laid; repairs 81, 137. In
1869 there were 2, l51 feet laid repairs $43O. In
1870 there were 15 $40 feet laid; repairs SO, 290.
In 1871 there were 1,116 feet laid; repairs
81, ,6S7. In 1875 there were II, ,S65 feet laid.
Since 1871 there have been no repairs put upon
the Nicholson or pine block pavement, until
1878 and 1879, when the cost was $19, 600. The
total number of feet laid during these eight
years, from 1867 to 1875, was 1924 feet, or a
trifle over six and one-half miles. The repairs
on this pavement, which were all made during
a period of twelve years, from 1867 to 1880
inclusive, aggregate $26,027. This would be
$2,G79 per mile, or cost of about 1920
per mile each year for repairing Within the
next five years every inch of this sort of pave
ment now in the city will have to be replaced.
Concrete and stone were laid alongside each
other for only three years, from 1873 to 1875,
inclusive. In 1878 there were 1000 feet laid ;
repairs, $5l. In 1874 there were Z, ,595 feet laid
repairs, $I56. In 1875 there were 2,015 feet
laid; repairs, 1904. This makes total of
TO- go feet laid in three years, or a trifie over
two miles, The total cost of repairs was $5ll,
or an average cost of $S5 per mile per year.
This expense was entirely upon the concrete
part the stone being untouched and at present
in good condition, while the concrete is in a
di!apidated condition.
In 1S70a combination of stone and wood
pavement was introduced side by side. Some
times the center Of the street was paved with
wood and the sides and cutters with stone, and
vice versa. During 1870 there were 1852 feet
of the combined pavement laid repairs $34l.
In 1871 there were "a 944 feet laid repairs 1886.
In 1872 there were los feet laid; no repairs. In
1878 there we're ,653 feet laid; repairs
$l.6S2, In 1874 there were 10. .552 feet laid
repairs $40. In 1875 there were 1887
feet laid; repairs $1l4. In 1876 there
were 1905 feet laid; no repairs. In
1877 there were ALI feet laid; no repairs. The
total number of feet of this pavement laid
was SO, 763, or almost exactly II miles. The
repairs cost So, ,51l, or an average of S525 per
year, which would make cost of about $3l
per mile per year. This repairing was done
entirely on the wooden portion of the pave
ment.
Concrete alone was laid only in 1875 and
| 1876 In 1875 there were 814S feet laid; repairs
S2377. In 1876 there were 454 feet laid; repairs
| 81 The total is 1902 feet, or less than 2-S
miles The total cost of repairs were $2384
or an average of $715 per mile per year.
White cedar blocks laid on q bed of sand
have been used to limited extent in Cleve
land. They cost from 80 cents to 81 pei
square yard. Their estimated duration il