San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1888-12-15
PAVING MATERIAL.


When the time comes for this city,
under the intelligent direction of a
competent city administration, to be-
gin in real earnest the work of mu-
nicipal improvement, some careful en-
curry will be made into the matter OF
street paving. The cost and durablll-
ty of materials will come under con-
sideration, and the experience of other
cities in paving matters will be sought
after. When that time comes, the
LIGHT wants careful examination
made of some of the clays native to
this section of the state and test Or
dered under such conditions, as will
demonstrate the practicability or 9TH
erwise of paving with brick so as to
fully meet the requirements of first
class city pavement. The only ques-
ton is one of resistance to the pound
ing of sharply shod hoofs and the
crushing of ponderous weights. If a
brick pavement can be laid down that
will stand the strain of these forces
without crumbling, then the only re-
naming consideration is one OF road
bed, for the brick paving can be fur
nished cheaper than any other pave
ment, per square yard, that will re.
sist the weight of heavy loaded teams
and the rapid travel incident to such
a thoroughfare. Other cities have ex-
perimented with brick to their
entire satisfaction and after six
years these pavements have
been taken up their surfaces scarcely
worn and the edges of the brick as
clearly and squarely cut as when first
laid. The one question is the quality
of the brick. Its cOhesiveness and
hardness must be something unusual,
and it must contain a large per cent
of vitreous matter or it will not an
swer the purpose sought. The LIGHT
has given some attention to this SUD-
iect, because the time must come when
San Antonio's plazas and principal
thoroughfares, and streets. leading to
and from the depots must be paved
and it is wise to look out for what
must be. The opinions of practical
men have been asked and the answers
received are in accord with what the
LIGHT has heretofore said on this
subject. 1t confirms the impression
entertained that brick with the full
resisting power of good granite can be
supplied home product at reason.
able cost that will answer every end
of good granite, block and be incom-
parably cheaper. The cost of brick
enough for a square yard laid edge
ways would be less than so cents at
the place of paving i'll any street in
this city. Clay is found quite convent
enU to San Antonio that burns into
the hardness of flint and is by no
means brittle, having much elasticity
and with great power of resist
ance to any blow that is struck up
on it. The LIGHT is of opinion
that there is reasonable ground tor its
opinion that in the use of these brick,
the question of San Antonio's future
paving material can be solved. At
all events there is sufficient in it to
warrant an examination by experts in
behalf of the council, into this matter.
1t would pay to put down few rods
of them in some well travelled thor
oughfare, and watch the result. If
they do not stand the strain, the ex-
pense of the experiment would be but
trifling, and no harm done; if the re-
suit should prove satisfactory, San
Antonio would save hundreds OF
thousands of dollars in street paving
material alone, before completing the
work that will be required in this di-
rection within the next decade or