Waterbury evening Democrat., 1888-01-12
PAVE THE STREETS.
Recommendations Street Inspector
 Bronson Makes in His Annual Re-

Recommendations Street Inspector
 Bronson Makes in His Annual Re- port.
 Street Inspector Ralph l.. Bronson made his annual report to the Board of Street Commissioners at the adjourned meeting of the board last evening. The following | is the substance of the report:
 ssThere are 4O4 miles of roads in the city and it will be seen by this report that
 there has been expended in carting dirt into these roads $4,47933, and to cart it off again has cost $4, AT. g. These facts
 must show that this manner of taking care of the main thorougfares is not success, either in economy or in keeping the roads
 in convenient condition for travel There
 has been good deal said about the streets
 and their bad condition, but very little ! has been said about the remedy. There is very little if any gravel that is suitable to make roads that can be had now, and the dirt used by the Street Department must
 be bought at cost of from 10 to 25 cents per yard, and this does not give any satis- faction in the main thoroughfares. The only remedy is paving of some kind, and the pavement on Bank street must show that the granite block is the most durable
 kind and really the only remedy. The more common kinds of pavement that
 have been tried in many places are cobble stones, macadam or broken stone, telford
 and asphalt The cobble stones would be the cheapest of all pavements and the worst. The telford would be the best for
 light driving, but would cost about as much as the granite block in the first place,
 and would be very expensiveS to keep in condition Asphalt would not be suitable for the steep grades in our city. It would be too smooth and slippery. The granite blocks give the best results as to durability and economy.
 eff it was my place to recommend, l should say that the following streets be paved with granite blocks as soon as practicable, viz., Bank street from Grand to Brooklyn bridge,
 Meadow from N. E. depot to South Main, South Main street to Benedicts bridge, Ex-
 change Place, East Main street to School
 street, Scovill, Brook, Spring and West
 Main streets hardened with broken stone,
 East Main street from School to the City
 line, Grand from Bank to State and streets leading from these could be repaired with dirt or gravel removed from the streets to be paved AIost of the streets mentioned have been severed and water and gas pipes laid and connections made so that l there need be no delay in paving. The 1 city has been severed because the health ] of the people demands it. Now it must l be apparent to everyone that clean streets
 are as necessary to the good sanitary con
 dition of the city as good sewerage, and l the streets cannot be kept clean unless they
 are paved. .'The amount of money spent on labor, repairing, cleaning, etc, on the streets was l $12 ,972 98 This amount does not include 1 the expenditures made for material pur l chased or for any work done by contract,
 an itemized account of which will appear
 in the year book.
 Commissioner Chipman offered a suges-
 tion in regard to the letting out of certain portions for contract in each ward, the
 work to be approved by the Street Com
 missioners. After some discussion it was
 voted that each member act as committee
 and look into the matter.
 Mr. Tucker of Thomaston said that he
 came down to see if he could furnish stone
 as he had 800 carloads of small granite chips which he would sell at $12 per carload. No action was taken in the matter The
 board adjourned until Wednesday.