New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-06-07
TIE PAyEMEYT PROBLEM.

Az last New York has a chance to reconstruct
,ts street payements on large scale, but, I'M
tort,nately, il does not know how to improve
Il By the special authority of the Legislature
and from the regular annual appropriation
sum exceeding 81, 10000 will be available for
this purpose during the next three ycars-quite
enough, if judiciously expended, to work
blessed Transformation. Two prime obstacles
however are in the way, which nobody at pres
ent pretends to be capable OF surrounding. In
the first place neither the Mayor nor the Com
missioner of Public Works, nor, so far as We
have heard, any one experienced in such mat
ters is convinced in his own mind OF the certain
superiority Of any one paving material In tne
second place, if there were no doubt on thaV
point and experience had taught perfect syS-
TEN of operations, il would seem to be toIIy 10
expend several millions of dollars upon street
surfaces which would be ruined as iasa as they
were completed, under the law which permits
the pavements TO be torn up at the DehesV VI
private interests.
We are glad to see that Mayor Grant is in
clined to proceed cautiously. In his message
and in subsequent interviews he has expressed
an opinion, scarcely a conviction, that granite
blocks are the only material which will stand
the strain of New-York traffic under our hard
.U,,o.i. ord tonooronbicaI conditions EX-
Mayor Hewitt has expressed a more positive
belief to the same effect. General Newton
thinks that granite blocks for streets where the
traffic is heaviest and smooth pavemehts OIL
asphalt or wood for the residence parts OF the
city would best meet the requirements our
own view more nearly comedies with Hcnefa
Newtons than with that Of Mr., Hewitt and the
Mayor, but we make no pretence Of any spcclA
knowledge Ct the subject, and all that we feel
justified in urging at the present tune - inc
need Of a careful inquiry.
Other great cities of the world notably Lon
don and Paris have proved the advantage o1
smooth paycmentS. and are using asphalt ana
wooden blocks with great satisfaction, and we
have vet no sufficient proof that the fates have
subjected New ofli to the Interchangeable neceS-
sitv cf employing forever the rough and NOISY
granite Mr.. Hewitt says that experience has
shown that no other material will last, but we
think he is mi :, aiken. Undoubtedly the asphalt
and wooden ravements which were ihd year,
AGO were a miserable failure, but that proved
nothing except the Ignorance or raScalItS OIL the
men who laid them. What their fate might
have been il they had been of the best quaiIty
and had been skifully put down upon an honest
foundation Of from twenty-four to thirty inches
Of crushed stone there is no means OF knowing,
hut it is certain that the result would have been
very different The asphalt pavement on lower
Madison-ave has given such satisfaction that
il is to be extended 10 Fifty ninth st. or FUR
ther in response to a general appeal Though
probably not laid in the most thorough and per-
feet manner conceivable il was doubtless an
honest piece Of work, and it is wearing well
To be sure. the conditions on Madison ave.
| are favorable but there are streets in London,
| for example. which are subjected 10 the wear
| and tear Of an enormous traffic, from which a
| lesson might be learned. 1t Is said that Lon
| don. and other cities which seem TO have solved
| the problem have the advantage OF a less trying
| climate, but until New \ Ork has given smooth
| pavementS a fair test the question ought not TO
| be considered settled 10 on. permanent loss
| Chicago has a severe climate but that city does
not accept the conclusion that it is doomed 70
the deafening, dislOcating granite blocks
| Minneapolis has hot summers and fcarfully long
| cold winters but the metropolis Of Minnesota
| intends to have quiet pavements, and has been
| experimenting judicously to that end. From
| these cities and others information OF great
| value might be obtained. And now is TIE time
| to obtain it. while VIC are waiting for some as
surance that our new pavements when they
come. will not be the plaything Of every man
| and corporation whose temporary interest 1t Is
| to rip them up.