Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1885-07-29
Paving With Cedar.

Paving With Cedar.
The work of paving Second street
has been progressing favorably dur
ing the past week, and the street has
been completed from the corner of
the Mason block to the Mcdonald
block. The paving work is done
as follows; About foot of the sur
face of the old street was excavated
and carted away. On each side of
the street, near the sidewalks, was
dug a trench about one foot deep and
enc wide. These trenches we're then
filled with sand, and six inch layer
of sand was laid on the street. A
heavy iron roller was then run over
the sand. Above the trenches are
placed four-inch pine planks, with
one edge raised to the level of the
cedar blocks. These planks form the
curbing and are close to the side
walks. Pine boards, one inch thick,
are then laid on the street, covering
the sand, and rest on pine boards.
The boards are embedded in the
sand so that their upper surface are
on level with the top of the sand.
The cedar blocks are six inches in
length and arc set on the boards.
These blocks. set on their ends, are
placed as close. together as possible,
and the blocks next to the curbing
are split so as to fit tight. Over the
top is then spread covering of
gravel, about an inch or so deep.
This gravel is for filling up the small
spaces between the hlocks-the in
tention being that the wagon wheels
will pack the gravel hard between
the block, and thus wedge them Sc
curely in position. The centre of the
street is slightly raised above the
sides SO that rain can readily run to
the sides. Near the curbing a gutter
is formed. A correction is made
with the sewer in each block. Judg-
ing from present appearances, the
street will be magnificent one. Sec
ond street, at present, is the principal
business street of Alpena city, and its
condition in the past was a disgrace
to the city, and damage to the
whole county. In rainy seasons it
was a regular mud-hole, at least the
part most used for two or three blocks
from the bridge. The part of the
street referred to is in. the heart Of
the city and close to the steamboat
landing. Tourists and business men,
taking a trip on the steamers that
run to this city, generally took a
walk through the business portion of
the city, during the few minutes that
the boat was discharging freight.
They would stroll to Second street,
look at the street and that was
enough to disgust them. They would
60 away with impressions of this city
not very favorable. To all appear
anccs the mud period of Second
street has disappeared, and soon it
will be MS fine road bed, from the
bridge to Washington Avenue. as can
be found in any city in Michigan. 1t
will be of great benefit to all team
sters, and will, we believe, prove
advantageous to the whole city. In
our humble opinion the members of
the Council, the Comptroller, and all
those who have had something to do
with getting this work started, have
done a good thing for the city, and
year by year we expect to sec the
work Of improving the streets con.
tinued, until the whole city is well
Supplied with good carriage ways,
The principal streets will be paved,
and the ones not much used will be
covered in the centre with good
covering Of crushed stone.
| Paving street with cedar is nc
longer an experiment. 1t has proved
a success in other cities, where it has
been tried for years. AT SO cents O
square yard, it is cheap. There il
another thing in its favor. All tn,
materials are obtained in this county
and thus the money spent is expended
here. 1t also gives employment tc
many men, at time when the labor
market is overcrowded.
The xvork 10 dooo uudar tha et,nar