The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-06-12
LETTERS FROM THE PEOPLE.
Street RniIdinr


To the Editor OF the indianapolis Journal
A few weeks ago there appeared in the agri-
cultural department of the Journal criticism
upon the fact that though roads have teen made
for thousands of years there is no science in
road building, but every man experiments or
builds haphazzard. or according to his own
taste or convenience, while in railroad building,
now but little over a half century old, almost
every possible suggestion has been tried, inn
proved upon, and rejected or approved, so that
the man who wishes to build railroad to-day
knows before he drives stake just what is to be
done. Somebody has been interested in railroad
building and all possible information as to cost
durability and utility has been gathered and re-
duced 70 science. What is true of county
roads Is true of city streets. In all the range of
city improvements there is no well-prepared di-
gest of methods, costs, durability or any other
Information that will enable a street commits
sioner, or city engineer, or city council to give
reliable information on the essential matters of
street building, hence streets are improved ~ by
accident Does anyone even pretend to know
the relative cost of blocks and powders and their
relative durability under given servicei Does
anyone even pretend to know what is the best
material and best method of construction
Everything is left to the guess of every man.
Let me suggest few historic facts that ought
to be weighed by somebody. 1t ought to be the
duty of the city engineer to gather and collate
such facts except that his collection should be
accurate. These claim to be only approximate
as seen by one engaged in other business.
Twenty eight years ago Indiana avenue was
graveled from Illinois to the canal with coarse
screened gravel The cutters were curbed with
oak plank and not powdered. For two years it
was nearly impossible, owing to the character
of the gravel, but it at last became sufficiently
packed to be comfortable. The cutters became
muddy and the oak plank rotten. 1t was torn
to pieces first for the water mains, then every
few rods for connecting with the gas MAINS and
then the street railroad, and then by the sewer.
Meanwhile, for twenty-five years hardly twenty
five dollars, If five dollars, spent in repair
ing it, except that the mud was occasionally
scraDed out of the cutters The "chuck holes
left by the gas company were seldom, il ever,
leveied, and pains were taken to keep the
road bed in order. Yet when that street was
torn up three years ago for bowldering there
were rods of the most solid concrete material,
showing that If the city had watched it as it
watches the powdered street it might have
lasted another twenty-five years by bowldering
the cutters. No one knows. for there is in
telgent record kept, but 1t is the opinion Of
those living along the street that the powders
have received more repairs in three years than
the gravel did in twenty-five.
Six years ago North Tennessee was improved
by the same kind of gravel, but the cutters were
powdered and curbed with stone. 1t was almost
lmpassaDie the ensuing winter: out coat or
fine gravel was put on it in the spring. and now
for five years it has been used by Schmidts
heavy ice wagons, summer and winter, and is
TO day the smoothest and best drive in the city.
hardly excepting Meridian street. and not that
except its freedom from dust. In these FIVE
years not five dollars of repairs have been put
on it, except that the inevitable inequalities of
the first grading were promptly cared for, as the
settling developed them.
Very much the same is the history of North
East street, now about ten years since it was
made of screened gravel But what of Wash
ington east of NobleR Who can tell the relative
cost of that macadamzed street. and the streets
made after the fashions of East street and Ten
nesseeY Who can tell the cost for keeping it in
repair, or its present condition as compared
with thesef Then there is Washington the
powdered. Has it not been rebowldered twice
its whole length in twenty. five years, on an
averageg Certainly little army of repairers
have been at work every summer on soms part
of it, and it is not now and never has been as
good street as North Tennessee. But who
knows the facts in this case2 pretend to give
only the approximate history as seen casually
Somebody ought to have data for certain knowl-
edge. u. L. SEE