Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1882-11-23

1S1S-19. .............S2.15 $3.50 81
lS1CSO. .............. I90 III 1S7
lScO-Sl ............... 1S7 1.S5 1.76
icci7S5. ..-........... 2-4O 209 1.9O
1907 o. .-.....-.. SoS 20 = ~
1t is believed that these prices are nearly one
1Ourth less than the ruling rates in other cities
during the same period. The table previously
given shows that the average cost of replacing
the wooden pavements has been - per square
yard. including all incidental work such as adj
Justlng curb and sidewalks, building drains etc.
etc. All new pavements are guaranteed for five
years by the contractor. ten per cent of his pay
m ents being Invested in bonds and withheld du-
ring that time to insure the execution at his
expense OF whatever repairs may be needed.
THE CARE AND MAINTENANCE OF THE PAVE
MENTS.
Next in Importance to the replacement Of the
wooden payementS-which had completely disin-
tegrated and were in capable of REPAIRS the
care and maintenance of the other paYements,
such as concrete, Belgian, cobble Macadam,
etc. The concrete pavements laid prior to 1878
were composed of broken stone pebbles. sand
and powdered stone. cemented by some OF the
bitumlnous products resulting from the dstilla-
ton Oh coal tar. These products slowly yolateI-
iZe III the air, resulting in gradual disintegra-
ton OF the pavement. hence they are inferior to
the asphalt of Trinidad as cementing sub
stance. ana they are no longer used i'm our new
pavements- Many of these Davements, how
ever have made very durable roadways-that
on N street, for. example. being in excellent
OTuef. after seven years wear. without any re-
pairs; others were of an inferior character 1t
was Thought, few years since that they
were all In danger OF destruction and
would soon be worthless. but it has been shown
that Dy careful repairs each small in amount
put executed promptly by skilled wOrkmen
under the supervision of inspectors of long ex-
perience in that class OF work that they can be
made to last for several years to come: and that
even when the top surface is completely worn
OIL and can be patched nO@lOnger the base still
remains of durable materials, on which a new
top coat can be laid making the pavement al
most as good as new. An appropriation of
$4,000 has been annually made for the
specific purpose of keeping these pavements in
good Order, and similar appropriation is asked
Tor the next year. AS we have about 80 miles
OF these pavements, with a superficial measure
ment of 100. 900 square yards, all of which are
Kept IN order with the $4,000, the average cost
per square yard is between six and seven cents
year. This includes every expense necessary
Tor Keeping them in thorough repair besides re-
suriacing about 90 900 yards each year, and it is
certainly not heavy charge for the luxury of
smooth pavements. The cost to the contractors
OF keeping the new asphalt pavements in repair is,
as lar as can be learned, between one and two
cents yard annually. 1t has often been urged
as an objection to these pavements that they
give great trouble in opening the streets to re-
pair pipes, etc. But this is not the case Under
the regulations now in force no street can be
opened without permit and before receiving
permission to cut concrete pavement a deposit
must be made to cover the expense of repairing
1t. At certain intervals all such cuts are re-
paired py the contractor for repairing concrete
payementS. under the supervision of an inspec-
tor. The work is carefully done, and the street
Is then In as good order as before the cut was
made The average cost to the plumber of re-
pairing such cuts in the pavements is about SIS.
For the repair of the macadam pavements (of
when we nave about seven miles, an apprOpri-
alton of 5000 has been made annually, and a
similar appropriation is asked for next year.
during the last year this appropriation was ex-
pended III making thorough repair of all that
portion OF the macadam on AZ street. which
was not replaced by granite blocks. Macadam
Is nor suited 10 the heavy travel of this street,
anu the roadway was in very bad condition T
street and Boundary and portions OF 18th street
southeast, and of New York avenue were also
put in good order from this appropriation.
These streets were not as badly worn as AZ
street. The total number of yards repaired was
80. 23S3.
For the repair Of the Belgian. the cobble and
rubble pavements, and the graveled streets
aggregating about 60 miles in length-as well
as the alleys and sidewalks, no specific appro-
priation is made. All this work is done under
the appropriation for current repairs of streets,
L.
ture which cannot be specified in advance. it is
all done by days labor under the superintend-
ent OF repairs. The appropriation for the last
year was reduced to so, 600 which was INSULT
cient FOR the purpose. and much necessary work
was omitted for lack of funds For the present
year the appropriation is S25 600, and it has
been possible to take up and relay much of the
rouSH ruDbie pavement which was i'm very bad
order. similar appropriation is needed for
tne next year: The nature of the work exc
cuted under this appropriation is shown in the
appended statement of the superintendent of
repairs. The principal items are: IS, 500 wards
OF eooble laid or relaid. g. 400 feet OF curb and
Zo,oOo feet OF gutJer-stone set or reset 8 500
Yards OF brick pavement and about five miles of
grayeled streets repaired.
IMPROVEMENTS UNDER THE PERMIT SYSTEM.
In addition to the repaving and the ordinary
repairs OF the streets q certain amount of i'm
provements are made each year under the sper-
NIT system" An appropriation is made
(S20, 600 for last weary for the purchase of
materials for permit work. Curb, bricks and
tagging are purchased from this approximation
and furnished under certain rules to parties
who will lay them at their own expense under
the supervision of the District employees. In
TINS manner many new streets are laid out and
sidewalks repaired. partly at the expense of the
property owners, IN localities where the traffic
Is not sufficiently great to warrant improvement
at the general expense. During the last year
1854 feet of curb, $1,000 feet Of flag. and
66S, III bricks were thus purchased, at q total
expense OF S13 691. SO. and about two miles Of
streets were improved by them.
STREET AND ALLEY CLEANING.
The paved streets and alleys are cleaned BY
contract, at fixed price 70. each thousand
YARDS of surface cleaned once. The rate during
the past year was 2Ss1 cents per thousand yards
on the streets; and the amount cleaned during
tho year was a little less than 100 millions OF
yards. In clear weather about 10 % miles al
streets are cleaned each night. The streets are
swept at regular intervals, the frequency OF
are swept daily, others three times. twice or
once week, and once In two weeks, An
paved streets are swert at least once In two