Omaha daily bee., 1883-06-26
co1oRApo SANDSTONE.

If the Fort Collins sandstone is 9
good, substantial, durable paving ma
%terial, and can be laid down in Omaha
on a concrete foundation at a reasonable
cost, THB BEE is in favor Of the Fort
Collins sandstone. Let that be under
stood from the outset. We have no in
%terest, primary or otherwise, in any
pavement that is asking for recognition.
What we do want, and What our citizens
want is to see this city profit by the
mistakes Of other cities. All experience
shows that the best pavement is the
cheapest. If Fort Collins pavement is
better than asphalt or Sioux Falls jasper,
we want to know it. We shall then ad-
vocate Colorado stone as the best paving
material for Omaha.
But up to the present time no effort
has been made 10 show the value Of the
Colorado sandstone as q paving material.
We have seen no statement of it's hard
ness or its capacity to Withstand the ac-
ton of water or of its power of resistance
to the atmosphere and frosts. Three or
four selected specimens of the stone were
brought to Omaha and a piece a foot
square was submitted to the inspection Of
the board of public works. Upon this
kind of an examination two out of three
of its members voted to pave the bust
ness section of Omaha with Colorado
sandstone.
The experience of other large cities
has shown that only one class Of sand
stone is suitable for street paving. That
is the Medina Ohio stone. It is close
grained, compact, with no lines of cleve-
age, and showing an absence of layers Of
stratiication. More than this it
absorbs water very slightly. For
these reasons Medina sandstone
withstands wear and air and water almost
as well as granite, and has proved an
excellent material for pavements. How
is it with the stone which has been foisted
upon Omaha by the methods of the ward
politician in order to increase the traffic
of the Union Pacific and enrich n stone
ring among it's officials. Not one scin-
tilla of evidence has been produced to
show that it will meet the requirements
of the specifications which call for sand
stone. No testimony of engineers has
been adduced, no arguments from the
experience of other cities has been adj
vanced. In the absence of all informa-
ton, the Board Of Public Works has
taken the first step towards saddling the
entire business portion Of Omaha outside
of it's three main streets with a pavement
about which neither they nor our citizens
know anything.
1t is against this snap action that TIL
BEE enters its earnest protest. 1t CALI
upon the city council to demand test
and a trial of the Fort Collins stone be
fore compelling our citizens to submit t.
what may prove a costly experiment with
a useless paving material. III the sand
stone contractors are not afraid to sub
NIT their material to inspection let then
lay down a few square yards of the blocki
side by side with the Sioux Falls stone
5 There are men in Omaha who assert tina
it will not stand the blows of a common
: paving hammer, much less the wear AM
tear of heavy travel, and engineers out
side of the city officials who seriously in
! sist that 80 far as durability and capabili
ty of resistance to air and water it
Q unfit even for curbing and guttering on
streets. Let the test DO made. w
> shall then be able to find out whether
new and valuable paving material hu
been discovered in Fort Collins sandston
! or whether a Boss Tweed job is to /
t. ~crammed down the Threats of the Ia,
2 payers and property owners Of Omaha.
III "L u. LL o.