Los Angeles daily herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1884-1890, 1886-02-06

| don, Paris and other cities of Europe.
| Some were paved with cobble stones
| Everywhere they were taking these up
| and relaying the streets with Belgian
blocks, granite or asphaltum. In Liver
pool they were taking up granite blocks
and laying asphaltum. Neuf Chattel
was also laying the asphaltum streets.
When the committee visited Roches-
ter test was made of the endurance OF
the asphaltum. People from all parts
| of the State of New York were present.
| very heavy load on a vehicle with q
| 3.inch tire was used. The wheel made
a slight impression when driven over,
but next day the elasticity of the as.
| phaltum had entirely restored the sur
| face to perfect level. From their OBJ
| servation the committee recommended
the asphaltum for the business portion
of the city and for othtr paris
| granite. In any case good foundation
| should be laid to put the street on.
The surface should be removed and all
rolled perfectly level. In some cities
| the streets are prepared with a concrete
bottom. The street is raised in all
cases inches in the center abeve the
| gu ter. This seems suffic emit.
Mr.. Bryson said when he was in Paris,
two years ago. he saw them putting
| down the streets. A thick foundation
| of concrete was laid, then the sand laid
over this, and the rock asphaltum spread
over this.
DIR. Owen said 70 per cent. sand, 20
per cent. asphaltum and 10 per cent.
lime is the proportion. In Cincinnati
So. 25 per square yard is about the cost
in an ordinary street as the work is done
there. In Rochester and Buffalo the
Doctor saw the streets cut TO let in
gas and water connections. 1t was
simply done. and next morning you
could not find the spot. II was not ex-
pensive.
MR.. G. d. BATES
Was called in. He said his experience
was in laying granite or Belgian blocks.
He had seen asphaltum in Los An.
geles. He thinks it is a good thing. He
likes it. In San Francisco he examined
a piece laid by the Supervisors as an
experiment. They told Mr.. Bates they
liked it, and that no doubt it would be
adopted as the material for that city. In
Santa Cruz he found the same satisfac-
tory experience extending over period
OF six years. He saw heavy loads
hauled over steep grades, and the
horses did not slip with ordinary shoes
on. The hoof or wheel made no i'm.
preston. In San Jose they visited
Santa Cruz and then adopted the same
pavement. The street is made ten
inches in the center and eight inches at
the curbs. The coating is two inches
thick. Mr.. Bates showed samples of the
stuff taken out of the Streets with the
rock and gravel stuck to them. These
we're examined and discussed inform
ally.
DIR. J. p. wIDNEY
Thought that whatever was done, cob
BILE stones AMI rough blocks should be
avoided. The noise of these streets is
uncomfortable. The wear and tear on
horses and vehicles make these the
dearest of all streets. He favored a
combination of Macadam and asphaltum,
beginning with the Macadam and adding
the asphaltum as ability and necessity
direct.
Mr.. J. D. Bethune thought DIR. Wild
ney right as to cobbestones. He
thought limestone good because as it
pulverizes the dust forms natural CO.
ment, and maks good street. He rep
iOoChNo COMPANY thhe ONho a 1udiiy
of limestone, specimens of which Were
on the table. His company will give
twenty or thirty carloads to try it.
MIR. LEWIS LIcHTENBERGER
Said If we guide ourselves by the ex-
perience of older countries it would be
we'll. He thought this experience
points to granite. This IS a cheap ma.
terial aud near at hand. He has laid a |
small section of street with granite. He |
has piece of sidewalk which has been |
very long and severely used. Some
years ago an expert from Boston came |
TO him and asked permission to put down |
bit of concrete and asphaltum side |
walk. Mr.. Lichtenberger gave permits |
sion and the man dug off the surface; |
on the bottom he laid stratum of rock; |
on this he put small stones, over which |
he spread sand and asphaltum, and ON |
top of this two inches of pure asphalt
tum. 1t would not harden. Mr. Lich. |
tenberger found he was two inches below
grade. He put on two inches more of |
asphaltum. The walk is there to-day, |
and it has been badly used, hauling wag.
ons over it. He dug it up to build
two years ago, and there was
not crack in it. He thinks all de.
pended on the good foundation. He is
glad to see this thing started, and wants
the Council to see that the sewer con
neotions and others are all right before
the streets are laid. 10 make his walk |
h rider he put brick on the asphaltum
and then brea. 1t took time TO harden
but it finally became hard as stone.
MR.. WIN. FERGUSON
Thought asphaltum is good, but that ex
animation of Market street will show
the granite badly cut, but does not know
what the effect on asphaltum would be,
He thought, perhaps, granite the best,
but conceded that asphaltum being
noiseless had this advantage. Granite
blocks when badly worn can be turned
over and relaid at slight cost. The cost
f tearing up the streets for sewers, etc,
is easy also. Either material can be
successfully used. He made a good
speech on the necessity of doing some.
thing towards paving the streets. The
Council is powerless, and until the
property holders come up and say they
will not let Los Angeles any longer lose
the stream of tourists because of bad
streets, until the property hold.
ers get tired of living in filthy,
sinking streets, until they real
ize how bad for health such streets
are, and two.thirds of them
take hold to pave the streets, such
talk as this to night is waste OF time. 1t
lies with the people who own the prop
erty.
Or. Widney rose to endorse the views
of Mr.. Ferguson touching the danger to
health of hlthy streets.
MR.. GEORGE GERHARD
Attacked Mr.. Ferguson's views as to the
powerlessness of the Council. The
Council can decide what is the best sort
of street to make, and then lay such a
street in front of all city property, Cit
liens will notice this. They will see the
great improvement such street is to
their property. They will take hold of
this matter and make such streets. He
thought from what he saw in San Fran
cisco and Sacramento that cobblestones
are worse than our no.streets. The
square blocks are noisy, they are muddy
and they are uneven. The natural soil
OF Los Angeles is n better foundation
than that of most cities. The mild eli
mate also favors the streets, and for these
two reasons half the asphaltum will do
here. The mud is mostly an accumula-
ton of filth. This streets, however
made, must be cleaned or they will be