The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1886-08-28
ASPHALT PAYMENTS.
INTERESTING FIGURES REGARD.
ING THE COST TO BUILD.
The Wheelmen Of the City Anxious
TO See Good and Smooth
Streets.

One coed result, at least, Is follow.
irg in the wake CT the bicycle furore
which struck this country few years
sgo, and that is better roads every
where. As rule those who take to
the wheel are intelligent, thinking
men, and no sooner do they learn to
mount and ride than they begin to
stir up popular feeling in favor Of
good roads. The class is as yet q
small one in Memphis, but each and
every one OF them takes deep inter-
est in the subject, and they are all
well posted. Space is cheerfnlly given
for the following from MIR. w. l.. Sur
prise, president Of the Memphis Cycle
Club and chief consul OF the League OF
American Wheelmen for Tennessee:
Mr.. Surprise says; "Myself and com
panions, cyclers, being interested in
the improvement Of ali streets and
rosds, accept every opportunity to put
in a word favoring the laying OF
good and smooth pavements thu ough-
out the city. Your remarks in regard
to the experimental patch OF granite
pavement on Third street has led me
to present to you and the city officials
letter from Gen. NJ. q. Meigs, OF
Washington. The letter is full OF facts
aud figures, showing the cost for laying
the different pavements and the cost
for repairs per year, The letter will
no doubt prove interesting reading to
those who wish TO sec our city have
good pavements, something that it
will be a pleasure 10 ride on, rather
than hardship, as it is now on Main,
Front and Second streets. Memphis
needs her principal streets repaved,
and it is to be hoped that the city au-
thorities will take such steps Tor the
commencement as soon as possible"
Gen. Meig's letter is as follows;
have had the honor to receive
your letter Of the 4th instant, making
inquiries in regard to the asphalt pave
ments OF this city, and to reply;
First-As to comparative first cost
OF asphalt and Of granite block street
pavement.
Granite block pavements laid in 1880
in this city cost 81 70 per square yard.
Those laid in 1872 81 92 per square
yard.
Asphalt pavements laid here in 1880
cost 81 So per square yard; in 1879
cost 81 AZ per square yard.
Second-Annual cost of repairs OF
the asphalt pavement on Penn.
sylvania avenue the principal
street OF Washington, has been,
for the Neufcbatel pavement, "a cents
per square yard; for that laid on same
street by other contractors, II cents
per square yard. These psvements
have been in use now about four years.
Other bituminous concrete pave
ments of various kinds, principally
coal Tar, have been laid in this city
since 1871 to the extent OF TAI 900
square yards.
Their aversge annual repsirs have
coet 81 cents per square yard.
They are not 80 good or durable as
the asphalt pavements laid in the last
four years.
Macadam pavements in Paris are
being diminished in extent, being re-
placed by othere less expensive In
maintenance.
They are not liked here except for
the suburbs, where there is little heavy
travel.
They cost for repairs on the most
travelled streets, 81 % per square yard.
Paris stone block psvements are
made of sandstone; cost 81 SIS to So %
per squsre yard for construction, and
l03 cents per square yards per annum
for repairs.
Asphalt psvements in Paris cost per
square yard, 50 II to So %, and per
year for repairs and replacing each
year LID OF the. pavement laid, %
cents.
There is more asphalt and blum
nous concrete pavement in this city
than in any city in the world.
1t was introduced at first in many
streets against strong prejudices OF
the jewellers on such streets. Stone
pavements, wooden pavements, mac
adam psvements, were preferred and
were laid to great extent.
Now the city authorities lay down
any other than an asphalt pavement
only when compelled by economy,
which in some cases prescribes the
use of macadsm or gravel and stone
blocks where traffic is believed to be
too heavy for the asphalt, and they
find the residents Of such streete,
wherever anything but asphalt is laid
down, making vigorous protests against
their operations.
Since 1871 there have been laid here
OF woed pavements 1,1SS,597 square
yards, costing &,0o3,74 II, and COW
ering fifty miles streets.
On the LIST OF July, 1880, there re-
manned in the city only sos, 481 square
yards OF this wood pavement, most OF
it impossible without danger to wheels
and springs,
The city contained on LIST Of July,
1880, OF concrete, unfsced with asphalt
or coal tar, pavement, 40.66 miles
stone block, 1887 miles; rough stone,
1904 miles; macadam, TAB miles
gravel, 31.31 miles; wood, %. 10 miles;
unimproved streets, 95.62 miles; total,
230.05 miles.
l have no doubt that the wear and
tear OF horses and carriages on a good
asphalt pavement, such as that of
Pennsylvania avenue in this city, Is
very much less than on any other
pavement in use here.
l think a carriage used on mud
roads will last ten times as long as If
used on the streets OF Philadelphia,
with which l am familiar, having
lived there from infancy to manhood,
and having in visits OF late years
found no improvement, but rather a
worse condition than existed fifty
years ago in that city.
Third-The asphalt would, in my
opinion, certainly answer for all your
streets not subjected to heavy traffic.
But as this heavy trafic-and it is
very heavy in Philadelphia-wlll
abandon all the cobble pavefnents to
eesk the newly asphalted streets for
the sake Of the easier draught, the
freedom from jolting, and the greater
comfort for horse and man, / do not
see how this traffic can be kept off |
any principal street in Philadelphia.
think that the first street asphalted
will be crowded at once, and that the |
heavy loaded vehicles will drive off
the light pleasure traffic.
In your narrower streets. RlleVs. and