Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1889-03-07
THE PAVING QUESTION.
The Report OF The Special Committee Of
Citizens.
WICHITA, Kansas, March 5, 1889.

WICHITA, Kansas, March 5, 1889.
The citizens committee appointed TO VS.
it the cities of Omaha, St. Joseph, Kansas
City and Topeka for the purpose OF inves-
tigating and obtaining information N re-
gard TO the different kinds of pavement IN
use there, beg leave TO report the FOL
lowing:
AS planned. we spent about one day in
each of the above named cities, inspecting
at each point large amount of street paw
ing, conferring with city officials, engin-
GERS, superintendent OF public works and
property owners
Comparing conclusions on our return, it
was found that we were substantially
agreed on ali essential points. Our atten-
| tiou'was chefydirected TO the three kinds of
! payenouts in use In the above named
cities, namely cedar and cypress block,
sandstone and granite block and the Bar
| Der asphal
Acting on business principals we found
| that we must examine these pavements
| from the standpoint of cost, durability,
| advantages and objections. In Omaha, st.
Joseph, and Kansas City, large amounts of
cedar and cypres blocks have been and are
being laid, some on concrete foundations
aud some on boards and plank.
The first cost of wood blocks is less than
any other pavement examined, but we
were told at all points that the cedar
! block payementS were very nice for three
or four years, but from that time on re
quired constant repairs, and at the end OF
seven or eight years new pavement would
! be demanded. OF late years, we were told,
/ cedar blocks were used mostly In outside
additions and put in because of their cheap
ness and to influence the sale OF lots.
| The price of cedar block pavement at the
| points that we visited, ranged from <l65
| to $3.50 per square yard. In Wichita 1t
would cost about 81 CO per square yard, on
} r Ia frar NJ If ma rar l2l
! being more
/ Al all points visited we fonnd stone
/ pavements in use. First, the various
| kinds of Utmost one blocks laid on concrete
! foundations have proven unsatisfactory,
! crumbling and giving out in from one to
/ three years. Second, we found At Col
orado sandstone was used quite extensive
/ ly. 1t is mostly laid on concrete founda-
! ton, and is liked better than the granite
! block, because it Is less noisy, does not
| polish and cause animals to slip, is much
! smoother for vehicles and safer for horses
on account of the sand surface. This
wears out rapidly when constantly used,
and costs about the same as grauite block.
The granite block was pronounced by all
as reliable and durable; did not get out OF
repair by hard usage, and was by some
thought best for heavy travelled streets
and steep grades. 1t is said to be hard on
horses and wagons and when wet very
mended for business streets and streets OF
heavy grades.
At all points merchants and men in Of
fees complained of the noise on granite
block streets and the tendency is TO try
asphalt on business streets, as has been
done in some cases IN st. Joe and Kansas
City.
The cost of the granite block pavement
is from 81 65 to 81 90 per square yard.
The Barber asphalt pavement has been
used from one 10 SIX years in ali the cities
we visited. We found from twenty-five to
thirty miles of the Barber asphalt pave
ment in the four cities We visited.
This pavement has a siX-iuch concrete
foundation, on top Of this half-lnCh
cushion of sand, then on top Of this two
and one-half inches OF asphalt and sand.
This forms a very smooth. durable surfac-,
ii Is almost uolseless, not slippery under
ordinary conditions, IS very durable, Is
easily repaired and cleaned, Is healthy and
saves wear aud tear OF horse flesh and We
hicles. We were told by city officials and
property owners that the asphalt pave
meuts were drawing the create tide of
travel from the stone paved streets
and also a large share Of retail
trade. In Omaha, where the street car
company were laying down their track on
a street paved with asphalt, we examined
carefully the character of the concrete and
the coat of asphalt on top and found both
in good condition, very solid and Of great
strength This pavement had been in use
for years and showed no preceptible signs
Of wear The cost of this pavement in
Omaha was S2.9S cents per square yard,
with a bond and a money guarantee to
keep the pavement in perfect order and
turn it over as good as new at the end of
five years.
one great advantage OF the asphalt pave
ment IS this five year guarantee and the
. -
IL repair fifteen or twenty Years at nom
inal price.
The only real objection urged againstthe
asphalt pavement Il taking it up and re-
pairing where water aud gas pipes are
taken up and relaid. Before paving, all
street connections should be made with
water and gas mains and only responsible
parties giving bonds and agreeing TO pay
for making the pavement as good as new,
should be allowed TO do this work. We
think inasmuch as all the sand and /
stone used in the foundation can be had |
here at low prices that we can have the |
ashpalt pavement put down on our streets |
As low or lower than IL Omaha, and ia king |
into account the first cost and cost Of
keeping in repair for twenty years, the |
dura billty. uoJselesSress wear and tear on !
horses ana vehicles, health, cleanliness |
and COS: of keeping clean, we cheerfully |
recommend the asphalt pavement 70 your /
IGN0raOIe COlslOeratIOll 10 oc UScO III /
Wichita
There are considerations over and above |
any mentioned that would seem to US TO |
urge our people on 10 take immediate and |
active steps in this direction of public i'm |
provements. A dirt road" is still a /
country road though between the walls |
OF brick buildings. During the past win |
ter our streets have been worse than the /
roads upon the prsiries, for the reason |
that the city traffic hss cut them up and /
made the mud more deep
No city can assume a METROPOLITAN ap- !
pearapce so long asitS streets and sidewalks !
are those of country village or frontier /
town. The beauty of elegant buildings I
and the good impression made by them are /
all entirely lost by their being situated /
upon mud roads" If the city Of Wichita /
ever becomes city of the proportions that /
its position surely indicates that 1t must /
become. it must at once begin system OF
iudcious public improvements that will /
place il upon an equality with the great
and growing cities of the great west.
q. W. Clement o. d. Barnes, James Al
lison, w A Thomas, A NJ Nassam, L
f Sherwood, c. r Miller. Geo II. Black
welder, a W. Oliver. " ". Levy, II NJ
Murdoch, committee
j. w Duff, of the Lyons Drug company.
who came down 20 meet the state board OF
pharu1acy Yesterday made the EAGLE a