Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1882-03-12
THE PAVING QUESTION.

A Public Meeting at the Chamber OF Com
MERGE Different Kinds of Pavement
Discussed and the Matter Postponed.
A meeting of the chamber of commerce
at large, with the city council and board
of public works, was announced for last
evening at the chamber of commerce, to
consider the question of street paving.
THE MEETING.
After President Sanborn had called the
meeting to order and explained it's pur-
pose, Mr.. Ingersol opened the discussion
of the subject by making q suggestion
that amounted TO resolution, that Cedar
blocks be put down on all the principal
travelled streets He did not think gran
tie would do at all in this climate, as it
would become surcharged with frost
to such an extent that horses
could not stand upon it in win
ter. Even in the city of New York,
where the climate is much milder, it is
difficult for horses to maintain their foot
ing; and all who have been in New York
in the winter had seen many horses down
on Broadway This objection is great
deal stronger here in st. Paul, where the
territory $50 hilly.
Mr.. Ansel Oppenheim remarked that
the City engineer was present, and that
he could probably furnish some valuable
information.
Mr. Rundlett, in compliance with
this suggestion, proceeded to state
his views and told what the block pave
ment on Third, Robert and jackson
streets cost, which was from $3.50 to
81 per square yard. He thought no
kind of pavement was equal to the gran
tie block pavement. The wood pave
ment was easy to ride over, very pleas
ant, and also had the merit of not caus-
ing much noise. Heretofore we have put
down for curbing nothing except pine.
He objected to this for various reasons,
and strongly recommended putting down
cut granite curbing. On some streets
lighter material than granite could be
used The McAdam he thought could
be put down at $l.15 per foot provided
all were willing TO use the limestone that
we have in such abundance, and so con-
veniently, and expressed the opinion
that the pine block pavement that had
been laid on some Of the streets of St.
Paul had done excellent service. On
Third street it had been laid for ten years
and had been very serviceable. The gran
lite pavement will cost about $6.25, while
cedar block will cost about 1872.
Mr. Delano, who was the president of
the board Of public works when that
board was first organized, and who has
given q good deal of attention to this
matter of paving streets, opened his. re-
marks by stating that this pavement bust
ness had agitated the minds Of men from
+ha dave of nd TOcnnhI1c dawn
to the present time. 1t was pretty big
subject. at the time the Third street
pavement was laid, just ten years ago,
a Nicholson pavement was laid
on street in Chicago that
was not travelled as much as Third street
has been A few days ago he was in Chi
cago and the pavement referred to was
being taken up, it being the third pave
ment that had been laid On that street.
Third street pavement had done good
service, though it had been grievously
misused Mr.. Delano commented at some
length upon the way the water and gas
companies have torn up and re-
placed this pavement. 1t was just
twenty eight years he said since
St. Paul was made city,
and he would venture the prediction that
in thirty years from now the streets from
Seven Corners to Dayton's Bluff would
be paved with granite or some equally
good material and that the blocks that
would be erected in parts of that district
would make the c. d. Gilfllan block look
very insignificant. The streets over
which the heaviest traffic passes is what
is going to give US trouble. These should
be attended to first. He regarded the
rountlation rs the most important
part of the pavement. 1t was
matter of vital necessity that that
should be of good material, and put well
in place If the foundation was of good
material and well put down, the cedar
blocks would be as good to bear up the
heavy weights that would pass over the
pavement as would granite. One pecu-
Iiarity of the cedar is that when it is
pounded down the sand is ground into it
and becomes permanent part Of the
pavement Ho believed it would be a good
idea to allow the owners of property along
the street to have such pavement as they
should prefer. Leave them to determine
whether wood or stone. He said that
after the foundation was put down as it
ought to be and the curbing set, the cost
of the pavement itself would be very lit.
tle His opinion the Third street pave
ment was better than any pavement in
Chicago The Nicholson pavement was
being thrown away and replaced with
blocks The substance of his re-
marks he declared to be that he would
pave with just what The property owners
wanted and would pay for, and enforced
what he had said about foundations.
Gen. Sanborn stated that he had re-
duced what Alr. Ingerson proposed to
writing, as follows:
ReSoIued, That III The Judgment of this
meeting PIE or cedar blocks constitute the
best material for the pavements of the streets
of ST Paul.
Mr.. d. McCaine was surprised that the
Third street pavement lasted as long as
it has 1t has been down ten years. He
did not think when it was put down it
would last five years. He attributed its
success in lasting to the admirable drain
age of the street. The Third street pave
ment has been remarkably cheap one.
Had it been laid in cities that are level
and the streets wide the blocks would
have rotted out. He had good opinion
of the block pavement.
Mr. Delano explained the washing out
of the sand between the block pavement