Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1889-08-29

The influence of growing American
familiarity with such cities of the Old
World as London, Paris and Berlin is
visible in the determination OF New York
to do some really good street paving.
This will be one salutary result Of trans
atlantic travel. 1t often happens that
one must ses for himself how much bet
ter something can be done elsewhere be-
fore he can realize how poorly 1t is done
at home; and, although we can give our
European cousins points on many other
matters, we mast thank them not only
for teaching as how to construct decent
streets, but also for tesshing US to under
stand how bad our own streets really Rrs.
New York has now learned this latter
lesson sufficiently to encourage the ex-
psnditure OF 80 900, 900 as a starter for
improved pavements. "a thorough
trial, says an exchange, sis to be made
OF asphalt pavement, laid upon properly
prepared concrete foundations, in resi-
dsnce streets and in streets where the
noise of constant and heavy traffic has
proved 6 nerve-shettering nuisance to
persons compelled to endure it," The i'm
portsnce otproperly prepared foundations
cannot De too earnestly insisted on.
Hers Is where the American payer is
most apt, as has been abundantiy do
monstratei, to slip up. To construct
good surface over poor foundation is
like wasting a fny dollar suit of clothes
on five-dollAr man. We have had this
illustrated in Wilmington. We have put
down Belgian blocks-rough, unhewn,
irregular things to be sure. but still they
were called by that name-on top OF q
few inches of gravel, and deluded our
selves with the notion that here was
fair piece of work. What was the natu-
raj consequence? After year or two's
wear, assisted by the misdirected activity,
Of layers of sewer, water and gas pipe
and connections, it required some indul-
gence of the Imagination to convince
ones self that the yauntei bit Of paving
possessed any very marked advantages
over the old cobble.stone. Part Of the
fault lay in the orudity, irregulari.y and
unevenness Of the so.called Belgian
blocks; but the worst fault was in the
inadequacy OF the foundation. The
foundation should constitute the real
pavement and be indestructible /;
upon such foundation we should lay
the most even and durable wearing sur
face we can afford, and keep the same
clean and in good repair. Let any one
compare the best OF the stone paving tina.
has been done in Wilmington with that
o. the narrow old streets OF Hamburg
for example. There the blocks are hewn
and 6t as closely together as bricks,
while the foundation upon which they
are laid seems to have been constructed
for eternity.
Among the contributions to the litera.
ture Of street paving which New York
has been gathering lately and the teach.
ings OF which are to be exemplihed in
practice, one OF the most interesting is q
paper by Professor j. S. Nswbelry, who,
in speaking OF the durability OF asphalt,
properly put down, says:
There is no street In America or else,
where IN the world that has as much traffic
as Cheapside, London, and among the
vehicles which pass through It are omni
buses, loaded with passengers inside AND
on top, carts OF all descriptions, and
heaviest OF all, the trucks OF the great
brewers with their enormous horses ami
tons OF ale and porter. Aud yet Cheapsld'
ts paved with asphalt, and is as smooth "a!
a house floor. The secret OF It's perfection
Is the thorough manner IN which the pave
ment Is laid and the incessant care givsn Il
II. In nothing Ia the axiom tIuer than II
the Asphalt pavemants, that stitch liz
time saves nine" The material has little
hardness, and II from irregular set
Ting OF the road bed or local violence
break occurs, the passing wheels rapidly
smear of the sides OF ths kcle, aud It sooi
assumes formidable dimensions. In Lon
don this is prevented by constant watchful
ness; persons are employed to traverse tn
street with light repairing outfit, an,
wherever defect ig observed, this /
patched at once, and so effectualy that tn
spot cannot 90 distinguished. The con
Tractors VINO lay the pavements agree Il
seep them In order for fifteen years, at
!, price which does not average more than
few cents a square yard. Our people seen
, to think that no pavement Is a good on
| unless when Opca laid II will for ever tax
! care OF itselt; but there IL no such pave
, ment. Even our rough stone road way
; would pay excellent interest on the eXpet
, diture necessary for constant iuspectio
aud repairs promptly made when needed
a