Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1885-07-03

The wooden pavementS were laid in WASH
ingtDD al q time when they were very popular
throughout the country. They were also laid
with such rapidity that IL was impossible to
secure proper materials and proper workman
ship. since that time this class of pavement
has fallen into general diScredft i'm this coun-
try, except in the cities on The lakes where the
proximity OF the great lumber districts OF the
northwest makes il SO cheap that IL is almost
impossible for good pavements TO cOnlpete
with IL. While it has been gradually discarded
IN this country, wooden pavement of a di fferent
class has come into use in London and Paris.
II seems proper To refer TO both of these classes
somewhat IN detail.
In Chicago the wooden pavements now laid
are exclusively o. round cedar blocks. : inches
deep, from 10 10 inches in diameter, laid on a
nooffng OF liz inch planks. with founda ion
of about inches of sand. and the Joints dlled
with tar and gravel The price In previous
has gone down to s1I4Ia per square
yard AS thus laid. the pavement
remain. in good order, under Ordinary
travel for from two tn three years. Then the
edges OF the blocks begin TO wear and "broOm
up. and the pavement becomes more or less
rough. Al the end OF five years extensive re-
pairs are needed. which II Is difficult, If not
Impossible. 10 make, on account Of the irregular
depth of the blocks. AFTER about seven years
an entire replacement. In addition 10 the wear
Oi tie blocks on top, the lack of durable fOunda-
ment wherever the ground underneath Is ut all
yielding in character.
The improved wood pavement" of London
ana Paris Is laid on solid foundation OF by
dra,ilic cement concrete six inches In thick
ness The blocks arc three inches wide, six
Inches deep. and nine inches long, of Norway
pine. obtained by saving ordinary 3x9 planks
OF tnat lumber crosswise into six-inch pieces
small amount of sand Is spread over the
louncation a. bed for the blocks, which are
laid at right angles to the street with g. inch
joints, which are hlied with gruui OF hydraulic
GENE nt- III i paid FOR on the instaiiment plan
the annual INSTRUMENTS. which include bot n
first coet and maintenance varying according
to amount of travel from 80 cents To 81 per
yard per year tor period of eighteen years
II Is stated that some of this pavement has
stood the test of 1--WE years OF heavy travel and
Is still in good order, but Ii is spected that the
con tractor will usua iy have To renew the entire
surface Of wood every four TO six years depend
Ing on the amount of travel THE above data
is obtained from the report of II. Barabant
chief engineer of the second division OF Paris
dated -. 1884.
From the above IL Is evident that wood with
all the improvements suggested by years OF ex-
perience, is not durable material for paving
and that wooden pavement can be kept in
order only at an enormous expense. fully four
hundred per cent greater than the cost of our
asphalt and granite payements. While IL Is
noise ess and so long as kept in repair Is smooth
for driving and offers little resistance to trac>
ton. yet when the nbers are wet ii absorbs q
great deal OF Nth and gives out unhealthy
odors. and the street on which IL In laid must be
torn up for relaying every i've or six years
Above all, Ii Is very costly. While IL could prob
ably be laid in this country AT a cost much les
than is paid In London and Paris, yet doubt II
the expense, for first cost and constant mainte
nance, could be brought down to less than twice
the cost of our asphalt under the same c NIL
ttosaA. These are the reasons which have CAUSED