The Dallas weekly herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1885, 1882-09-21

ufhblc iaidcWNlV ahl paVomehH chn ~
iad for comparatively little money, In
Houston ne cost WAS about 5000 per
lock, bat NV. jonbiS thinks that the
anne work can be done here for
1900. II IL safe 10 say that both |
Elm and Main streets, from the public
square 10 Sycamore street, or at least
twenty blocks, eau be solidly re-
paired aud paved for $4,000 What Is
this SUN TO such city as Dallas9 And 1t
must bercmembered, too, that this cost
will fall upon both the city and individual
propery.holders. Neither will have to
bear the whole burden. In twelve months
after the work was completed, not bust
ness man in Dallas would have it undone
for twice the money. We again, therefore,
urge upon our council and citizens the
necessity for prompt action and an atten'
tive and favorable consideration Of the facts
and figures furnished by the experience OF
Houston. Winter is coming on, the indi-
cations are those of heavy business,
strangers and capital will be here, and not
to take some definite and progressive steps,
as suggested, will be simply suicidal.
For the benefit of the public we extract the
following from Mr.. JoRDAN's letter to AL
DERMAN CARTER: 1.-THE paving now being
laid was contracted for by me as vice-presi-
dent of the Texas Mining and Manufacture
ing company, under the Boston specifica-
tons, practically as follows: Four inches
of sand and gravel, and eight inches hard
rock, the rock to be from six to twelve
inches long, from four to eight inches wide
and uniformly eight inches deep; the sand
and gravel to be laid four inches thick, to
such grade as may be designated by the
city engineer. The rock is laid upon the
gravel and carefully settled in place with
ram of seventy.fvc pounds weight; the
rock surface to conform to grade as required
by city engineer, all interstices to be care
fully filled with sand and gravel, etc. For
doing this work l received from the city
of Houston $265 per superficial yard,
and thirty-three cents per lineal foot
for curbing. The curbing is four
inches thick, twelve inches deep,
and as long as stone can be had. The
curbing was laid SO as to project two inches
above and below the paving. In addition
the city paid fifty cents per cubic yard for
all excavation over and above twelve inches
deep-so that you see my price OF S2.o5
covered the cost of doing twelve inches OF
grading wherever necessary. 10 do this
work, two blocks 250x64 and two intersec-
lions 64xSO each, l had to do or furnish
2,O21 40 cubic yards grading at Az cents
S95O.31; 500 cubic yards gravel at S2.M-
81 ,76O; 1875 cubic yards rock, cost OF
quarry, freights, etc., S7-SS,925 5,C63
superficial yards paving at % cents-$l, 26o;
incidental hauling, S125-or total, $13, O26.3l.
The above is not claimed to be exact, and
YOU must understand that the rock was
hauled two and one-half miles in
wagons and 375 miles on cars, and the
gravel was hauled about ITO miles. l be-
licve rcse personal attention as
a reg ii - contractor could give, this paving
could be put down at Houston for $4,000
per block and at Dallas for $4,000 per
block. Property owners in Houston IN
some cases received an advance in rent for
one year sufficient to cover cost of paving"
The paving spoken of at Houston is excel
lent and as suggested by COLONEL JORDAN
could doubtless be put down here for much
less cost than there. The letter furnishes
practical information and results, and it is
truly gratifying TO see that some of our own
city officials will take forward steps at once
and make some effort to lift Dallas out Of
the mud and make city oft.