Telegram-herald., 1890-06-08
ASPHALT PAVEMENTS.
NJ ajor Long Tells what He saw on His
Eastern InP.

AfAl@
Major Long, of the Soldiers Home,
has returned from trip 10 the East,
and learning that he had been inter
ested on the subject Of pavements. the
TELEGRAM-HERALD interviewed him on
the subject while he was in town yes
tegday. lie said:
while | Was away was IN Washing
ton, New YORK and Buffalo. Being
fully cOnyersant with the horrible con-
d.tiOn OF Grand Rapids streets, / was
naturally interested IN the subject OF
pavements, which 10 me were, IN GER
tain sense object lessons. Washington
IS an asphalt pavement city. The streets
are smooth, almost nolseless, and II
seems indestructible."
But Washington IS not hiily city,
like Grand Rapids, MalOr2'
Il do not know why. There IS Capt.
tol mil, and many places around the
clcy where the grade IS steep; not as
steep Il Is true, as Bridge and Lyon
SITS; but that would he no objection on
that score, as the footing tor horses is as
good. To illustrate: Everybody knows
tnat two horses attached 10 4 street car
can haul 4 third more, at least, than if
hitched TO a wagon. The smoothness
of the asphaltum pavements destroys
the friction as much as the top OF an
iron rail-"
"HOw about snow and ice in winter"
This does not seem TO be an Ohlec-
ton in either Washington or Buffalo"
was the reply. ut is not a question of
availability, as | understand 1t; not
ts,st Of bof "A - hos ~
ment; but the opposition seems 10 come
from property. holders, who IN my
| opinion, very Justly think II an lnjus-
tice for one man to pay for public
| benefit"
"How is that?'
"Nhy, in some cases the improved
| pavement is LAID and assessed upon the
| property owners on each side OF the
| street. The argument !s, that their
! property is increased III value to an ex
I tent, SO that the percentage is III their
/ favor. do not believe this is the sOlu-
ION. The public receive more benefit
/ than the property holder, for there are
more OF them. Let the public pay for
/ 1t, and IN doing so the property owner
must pay his share, but no more. Then
/ by creating a bonded Indebtedness, say
/ running thirty years, there will be more
70 pay it, and the individual payment
Will be less"
Then you think Grand Rapids should
have asphalt pavement in,sOme way?"
Yes. bY allsmcans. II is not laid as
crOwning as the old style, and the gut
ters are not so much depressed. When
necessary YOU can drive in the cutters
ss we'll a. tue street. There IS no use
/ talking much more about Grand Rapids
streets, for their condition IS simply a
d.sgrace To any city, and hndrance to
any progressive place. What streets we
have are not taken care Of, | suppose
on account of the expense. As came
down town this morning, there were
piles OF semi-hquld filth on Canal-st.
standing there ID the rays Of the sun, at
10 O'Clock in the morning. II your
street commissioners were good house
keepers, by O'Clock every morning al
this time Of year they would be doing
tins work and BY have it all removed
90 not say this as a matter of criticism
for there may be reasons why they can
not do Il, but with asphaltum pave
ments they can start their horse sweeper
NJ midnight, and every morning YOU
have clean, beautiful streets, To my
idea Grand Rapids had better hustle In
this matter. for If anything would con
denim a town on first sight IL would be
q BIRDS eye view Of our principle
streets