Omaha daily bee., 1883-02-05
The City Engineers Views on
Public Works for the Com
ing Season,
He Thinks 5000, 900 Will be
Expendsd - $3.50, 900 AL
ready Provided for.
Various Pavements Reviewed-Mac.
adam Discarded from f~'requented
Streets in Large Cities.

Ing quite q rest In this cold weather.
remarked a BEE reporter as he strolled
into the city engineers o&cs on his
daily rounds.
THAT seems to be a generally err
roneous impression" retorted City
Engineer r osewster as he looked up
from q roll Of papers and books lying
before him at his desk. Everybody
seems to think the moment field work
Is done that our work closes, when in
fact there is more work In the Office in
the compilation of records, issuance of
sewer permits, and designing plans
for sewer details and calculating out
lines for next seasons work, for curb.
ing, gathering, grading, paving, etc.,
than can ordinarily be done in a brief
winter"
"Csn't that be done as work Is
layed out in the summer" inquired
the reporter.
No, sir; not with any regard to
economy or good work. For instance
In order to outline the sewer work
for the coming season judiciously, 1t
Is necessary to survey and make ex.
~perimental estimates of all available
lines, ascertain drainage areas, sizes
Of sewer at different points, relative
depth of base and cost, and then after
q general comparison and analysis,
determine upon a definite line. When
that is done the detail, depths and
particular alignment of the routes de.
cided upon are determined as the work
Is prosecuted. The less work that Ia
lett for the assistant engineers on the
field the better, as they then have
more time to watch the mechanical
construction which is very important.
CONTEMPLATED W )RK.
What work is contemplated for the
coming season2"
The entire work that should be done
and I think will he will aggregate in
the vicinity of 500, GOO, Ct this about
$500. 600 will he for paving and 500,
900 for sewerage. We have already
about $3.50, COO provided for paving in
the 500 ,0C0 voted last year for inter
section of streets and another $780, 0C
should be authoriz ID at the sprlug cleo
ton that will cover at least $500, 001
of paving and will enable the city to
pave the entire business portion be-
tween Harvey and Douglas, inclusive,
and all intersectir G streets from 95h
to 18Th streets, also 10th street from
Douglas to lizard, 10Th from Marcy to
Douglas and considerable additions
in such other localities where the
council may deem 1t e1peoisnt OF
where citizens may petition for.
What
KIND OF MATERIAL
do you propose to pave this area with
My estimate is based upon SiouI
Falls granite for 10Th street ant
asphaltum for the rest. However the
kind Of pavement must be determined
by the property holders. Tenth ant
Douglas streets have already been de
cided Oh. The other streets will hav'
thirty days after being ordered by tn
council which l think will be dom
within a week or two. An ordinance
covering the ground, prepared by me.
Is now in the hands Of the council
having passed two readings at tho Las
session.
What would you consider tn
most advisable paving to adopt TO
this cityi
have given
II SUBJECT OF PAVING
q great deal of study in the past yea
and during my recent trip cas- not on],
interviewed the leading engineers o
the large cities but have also examined
in detail the different pavements laid
their age, nature of foundation, super
structure, durability, cost Of main
tenance and their relative trac.io,
under various conditions and sanitar
effect.
First of all I find no pavemer
should be considered without q sub
stantial and durable foundation. TIL
beat under all circumstances Is q ny
draulic concrete. Cheap woode
pavements laid upon sand or surfac
soil soon decay and sink unevsnl,
forming bad ruts. Therefore in COZ
sidering the relative merit of paw,
ments / would compare their col
when laid upon a Concrete foundation
In point Of durability
GRANITE
ranks the highest, but In this COUNT
1t would est from 40 to 30 per Gel
more. The Objectionable festureto
Is the noise resulting from traffic upc
1t. The more recent granite paw
ments are laid with ssphsltic GENE.
in the joints, which adds some to Tire
elasticity and imperviousness TO mo-
ture. The high cost aside from Il
noisy nature of the pavement wou
preclude the use of granite blocks
Omaha In any but Tenth street. 9th
pavements worthy Of notice q
asphalt sheet, cedar block, macada
and sand or limestone block. The
SHEET ASPHALT
predomlnates in Washington Gil
which is now undoubtedly the b'
paved and ~clesnest city in the Unit
States. There are about 40 miles
this pavement laid in that city and
Is supplanting all other pavemeI
there. It's cost is less than wood
similar foundation-it is smooth
admits Of easier cleaning, does !
decay or absorb decayipg matter,
more easily repaired and when
paired maintains much b
ter than any other pavement.
The average annual cost of ma
tensnce Of ssphaltic pavements
Washington In the past eight yeari
about 81 cents per square yard,
Under our existing contract for 4
character OF pavement here the C
of maintenance Is incurred entirely
the contractor for the first five yss
at the end of which time 1t is to
turned over to the city in first cl
condition. This system of contrt