Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1889-05-07


the gutter line to lay gas pipe and found
the concrete in excellent order. although
they only got about four inches of con-
crete. About two-thirds of the cedar
was unfit to relay, showing that dead
wood had been substituted for live cedar.
The other one.third of the blocks that
were of live wood were in very good con
dition. The contract called for live cedar,
six inches OF concrete, coarse gravel well
tamped, tar one and one-half gallons to
the square yard. light coating of fine
gravel we'll rolled with steam roller.
Found the surface gravel well imbedded
In the wood, thereby aiding its durability.
Leavenworth from Fourteenth to Thirty
seventh streets (twenty- three blocks) is
cypress blocks laid on six inches of con-
crete with one and one-half gallons of
tar tamping in coarse gravel. laid July,
1881; is very smooth. and in all re-
spects, one of the finest looking streets
we saw. Jackson street is cypress
blocks. contract the same, six blocks laid
in 1885, and seems the same as Leaven>
worth street. Fifty fifth street, one
block of cypress on concrete, contract the
same, now laying; six men lay one thous
and yards in ten hours. North Sixteenth
street. cedar blocks, laid in 1885; street
car line laying track, found some very
poor blocks, but we'll lsyed with coarse
gravel between. North Sixteenth street
in parts is very good. In places this
street shows blocks that are in very bad
condition, in fact this street is very much
like Farnum, but not quite so bad. There
is very little signs of tar Oh the sides of
the blocks, and the tamping contained
ftOo much sand to let the tar 90 between
the blocks. At the corner of Sixteenth
and Jackson streets we found them lay
ing cypress, from which we got the sam
pie blocks that we have with us. SAM
ders street between Patrick and West,
cedar on concrete; two gallons of tar.
October, 1888. We saw long line of
this street taken up to build street car
tracks and it showed the coarse gravel
that was used for tamping. allowing the
tar to 60 to the bottom of the blocks,
which is very good feature. This is a
very fine street in all respects.
COUNCIL BLUFFS.
Willow avenue from Pearl to Seventh
streets, two blocks paved with brick
foundation, FIVE inches of cinders well
rolled and four inches of sand, layed in
1888. About fifteen miles of cedar pave.
ment to date against granite and brick.
Broadway from the city to the bridge, q
distance Of three and one-hslf miles, is
cedar blocks on plank layed in 1887. in
very good condition.
DIES MONIES, IOWA.
Cyress blocks on North Sixth street to
the city limits, about two miles; contract
let to pave with brick seven blocks; layed
in 1888; vitritied native brick are used,
the best grade used for top course; cons
slider it failure on account of the foun-
dation, which is but six inches of sand
and poor quality of brick. Walnut
street from Second to Ninth street, paved
with cedar on plank in 1881. Blocks
taken up by Gas Company prove to be
sound; over three miles ayed in 1881
no repairs the first eight years; condition
good except along trenches. Several
miles layed of cedar on plank in 1882.
1888 and 1884. School street to Min tn
street, north on Ninth street to city
limits, paved with cypress on plank in
1885; block crevices tamped with
coarse gravel; two and one>half gal
Ions of tar to the square yard:
no repairs in four years, condition good.
Charles Bennett. city engineer of Des
Moines, says the durability. comfort and
economy of cedar blocks pavement as
compared with stone or other material,
will last from 10 to Is years depending
upon quality of material. manner of lays
ing, nature of soil and amount of traffic.
We will say that as to brick that our obser-
walton is that a good brick layed on con-
crete or some other firm foundation will
make q good and lasting pavement; our
preference based On what we saw is for
Bloomington, Ottawa or Galesburg in
the order as allowed named for uniformity
of size, toughness and general durability
but our observation in Des Moines and
other places satisfies US that no brick
should be used unless it had been dem
onstrated by use that it has the requisite
qualities for durable pavement.
BLOOMINGTON.
At Bloomington, cost of brick pave
ment S1.65 per yard. specifications called
for two and one half inches cinders, one
and one half inch of sand one, course of
brick laid fiat, one inch Of sand, one
course of brick laid on edge. We will
say as to cedar that the large cities seem
to have used cedar to very much
greater extent than any other material.
Chicago, about $50 miles, Council Bluffs
about % miles. Des Moines 80
miles, Kansas City about 83 miles,
Omaha about SO miles And we
saw in the places we visited that if
layed on concrete or some other solid
foun dation, and the blocks used were of
live wood, it made the most pleasant
pavement to drive upon of any and very
durable. As to the sanitary objections
we were unable to find any Objectionable
Odors from any that we examined, and
we were particularly fortunate in finding
it taken up in many places for the pur-
pose of laying. water pipe. street car
tracks, &c, which enabled us to make
q very extended examination. Peoria
being the only place that anyone claimed
any ELECTIONS, to wit:-on the score of
health.
COST OF CEDAR.
Cost of cedar in Omaha, 1888, ST. So
bids, 1889. 100 on six-inch of concrete
Chicago-cost of cedar in Chicago, 81 IS
to 81. 40 on macadam. We will say that
as to cypress blocks that our opinion is
that it is a very desirable wood, and al
though no city that we visited has used
it in such a shape as the sample AS we
brought from Omaha. sufficient length
of time to demonstrate its durability,
still we heard some very practical and
well informed men express unQ ualitied
faith in it as the coming pavem ent, for
various reasons, among which is its uni>
form quality There being no danger of
getting any dead expressly Major Bal
comb. chairman of the board of public
works of Omaha. said that he thought
that Gin the form rs shown by sample)
it was the coming pavement.