Wichita eagle., 1889-05-02
STREET PAVING.
A Phase OF the Question That Has Scarcely
Been Thought of.

The talk of paving the main thorough
fares of the city begins to assume serious
nature and the citizens are evidently max
| ing inquiries and becoming pretty well
posted on the relative merits and compar-
alive values of the different kinds of pave
| ment in satisfactory use in other cities.
| There is one phase of the question which
has been overlooked, and that is the great
cost to the street railway companies who,
under their franchises, are compelled, be-
tween their rails, to gravel, pave or macad-
annie, presumably the one nearest in &C
cordance with the balance of the street.
While this is part Of the contract
they will be forced to keep,
the city does not want to work
them a hardship any more than
any property holder who contributes to
the street In addition they must also re-
store pavement removed in the relaying
of their rails making the whole as good as
before. This in the case Of asphaltum
pavement for instance, is practically i'm
possible, as patching is never satisfactory.
As a matter of fact it is but question of
short time when the Wichita Street Car
company will be compelled to run heavier
cars on Main and Douglas which of course
will necessitate the replacing of the pres
ent rail with a heavy tram or fat rail.
These must be laid on longitudinal string
ers, and an attempt to do ohis work where
asphaltum is laid entails terrible ex-
pense and possibly the ruination of the
pavement. Manager Dickson, of the car
company, was seen and was not nearly so
adverse to paving as one would
suppose. As regards Waco avenue he
said Il would very much like
to see it paved, and any kind of pavement
that pleases the property owners would
certainly please me. OF course the COM
pany l represent will have to do a portion
OF the work on Main and Douglas, and
naturally would like to see a pavement
put down that will not cost US a fortune
to keep in repair. When we come to relay
our track on these streets as we will have
to do before long the kind of pavement
will affect us seriously and indeed do not
see how we can do a job that would be sat
lsfactory to ourselves or the city on an
asphaltum pavement. In answer to the
question Mr.. Dickson said that block
pavement would be best he thought for
all parties. When the durability of The
cedar, block was mentioned he said why
not use the Usage or Bots d ARC for no eX
ception can be taken to its durability. He
continued, we laid small piece Of that
pavement little over two years ago in the
curve on the corner of Douglas and To-
peka and although the work was done very
indifferently it has not cost US a cent since
and it is there today to speak for itself.
You will notice that 1t is raised little too
high which of course has subjected it to
more than ordinary wear and tear, but it
has stood the test. am informed by ex-
perts that the Usage pavement properly
put in is good for one hundred years and
has never been known to decay, it being
rather incli ned to petrify. 1t would only
seem just to me if the city considered our
interest little as well as the property
holders Our share of the work would be !
about thirteen feet in the center of the
street, probably for seven or eight miles"