Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1890-01-03
Lessons In Street Paving.

Our attention has been drawn to some
recent investigations of the editor OF the
Indianapolis Clay Worker on this subject,
and we quote from his writings some points
Of interest. He was recently on visit 10
Decatur and Bloomington, Illinois. In the
latter place he found brick paving laid in
1876 still in excellent condition. This
uayement was on the west side of the
courthouse square, one Of TIE busiest
thoroughfares of the city. All the repairs
made in the 13 years have been those
necessitated by the laying of water and gas
connections, which always leaves an un-
e-en surface after the work is done and the
filings settle. "Otherwise" says the writer
quoted, "the work is good fer as many
more years wear The brick used in the
laying of this pavement were selected from
ordinary building brick, the hardest brick
being used for this purpose, and were not
equal in hardness to those required at
present. The city of Bloomington, after
testing the use of brick, has abandoned the
use of other kinds of material fol- paving.
The street leading directly from the rail
road station building to the central portion
Of the city wss paved probably Is years ago
with limestone, but has worn into holes
and is now being paved with brick"
Altogether, Bloomington has six miles Of
her streets now paved with brick, and it is
the general verdict Of business men with
out an exception" that "it is tbe best
pavement that has SO far been introduced
for their use, and they have tried wooden
blocks, stone Macsdsm and asphaltum."
Decatur, Illinois, "began to use brick for
street paving six years ago and the result
has been so satisfactory that it now has
over eight miles of streets paved with
brick. The method of laying the pave
ment at this place is as follows: TIE
street is brought to the grade required.
The street is then rolled with six-ton
cast roller. Then layer of sand is spread
four inches thick, on which layer Of good
common hard brick is laid fat, but
lengthwise with the street, and tamped
down solidly with heavy tamp, leaving
IN even surface. A two-inch layer of sand
il then spread, care being taken to fill the
interstices Of the fat layer of brick, after
which . course of what are called in this
market black hards are set on edge cross
wise Of the street, breaking the joints,
same ~ in building. These are tamped
down solidly, leaving the surface as even
q possible. Over the surface layer Of
sand is spread of sufficient thickness to
I'LL all the spaces left in laying by the CON-
mon travel of the street and the surface is
again rolled several times with the cast
roller. Both layers of brick are set as close
as possible by hand, SO as to leave the
smallest spaces only. The brick used fol
tho top course are very hard indeed"
The people of Decatur are represented as
delighted with the brick paving, and they
have good reason to be, as "the street
paved six years ago is used more than any
other in the city, and yet it has not cost q
penny for repairs" The editor of the Clay
Worker, speaking of this form of paving
says that latter twenty years of wear, il il
IL necessary to repair, the expense will bt
small compared with other pavements
The grade of the streets and the foundation
layer of brick will be intact, and many o
tho top brick will be good, SO that re
newal of the pavement after 20 or % year
of wear will not be expensive"
As to cost, Bloomington paid $l.5O pc
square yard, which included grading ant
curbing, while the cost at Decatur wa
31.32, $l.37 and $1.40 per square yard, th'
differences in cost being due to the grad
ing. Decatur used bricks made in the city
which are burned until they are vitrified
"As an evidence of their cha'octer," say
the authority quoted, 'ft IS Sufficient Il
say that in delivering on the streets th'
bricks are pitched fron the wagon by hant
into the piles, the same as boulders ar,
handled, and there is seldom broka
brick. The brick have bright black glaze
the result of vitrifcation and not from AM
other cause"
Another point made in the same con
nection is this: "The advantage Of usin
the common sizes Of brick is apparent. |
some Of the brick are not suitable for paw
ing they may be used for other purposes
occasioning no particular loss, the differ
eucs in price being q small matter"