Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1890-03-29
........-r payGMENTs.
experiences u several European Cities
with DiE.rrnt Pav.u.- Materials.

with sDiGirrnt p;.v:n: Materials.
Paris was formerly paved with cubi-
ical blocks of sandstone in the style
commonly known as the Belgian.
The primary reason for the substitu-
ton of asphalt was political: the pop
ulace found the paving stones very
handy for barricaoes. Wood pave
ment stone and asphalt are all in gen
eral use in Paris now The former is
like the Nicholson block SO popular a
few years ago i'll many American cities.
but it is more carefully selected and
better laid in Paris. Tho main objec-
tons TO it are that itbeconies spongy
with use, wears away rapidly, holds
water, and in a state of decay is iii
salubrious. Its COOL qualities are IA
cility OF construction, stiffness, easy
traction, and firm foothold TO
horses; and in Paris and other Euro
pean cities where It is we'll laid it
islands llext 10. asphalt IN popular
IsfaVoi.- * u =.
Londo ilstlles nacada road. gram
fites bIoclss bed led re one ret wood
ElfIissiiiaesidasfi g
banknieiit is Cheap ;sslilo 0tli and good
Izfor:tfie horses feet butsittis: dustySill
dry weather and .mudu iii wet The
granite pavement LIN London is
smoother and better laid than any
American stone paving. and stands
wear better than anything else; but il
is noisy and difficult to clean The
wood pavemcnts more recently laid in
London are of rectangular blocks
sawed from fir planks. eight inches
By six and three thick, with a strip uf
felt between each row. Tic objct
tons are Those ;lliru. y noted, ana!
they apply TO all wood pavclnent,
Tie London people prefer the asphalt
to al other forms. They use tlle Swiss
or Siciiall maStic. mixed Will gravel
or oftener with sand. and luid about
two inches thick over concrete OH Ii
carefully prepared roadway. The best
costs in London from IS To 81 Il square
yard and the annual expense OF keep
ing it in perfect condition does not
average more than ten cents a yard.
Tic wear of tile surface is exceeding
ly slow. being only half that OF wood
or macadam. 1t is easily kept clean,
and long continued observations show
that horses fall OIL it as rarely as on
stone.
The experience Of Berlin is likewise
in favor of asphalt. That city is paved
with stone and asphalt, the stone
blocks little too broad. but well laid
and carefully kept in order, and the
asphalt prepared much as in Paris and
IIondon-clean, wholesome. silent,
and easy for horses. vehicles and their
occupants. Professor Newberry notes
that the most trouble from horses slip
ping OIL asphalt occurs i'll cities like
Berlin, where part OF the streets arc
paved with stone. The shoes are worn
smooth in the stone streets. and i'll the
asphalt streets in wet weather the ami
mails go down.
Brussels and the other Belgian cities
have only the pavement which takes
its name from that country. The
blocks are carefully dressed and of a
uniform size, and the surface is much
smoother than in New York streets,
and more easily kept clean. Professor
Newberry noticed one feature in the
Belgian streets which is worth mem
,tioning. At the end ofevery piece of
curbstone a shallow furrow is cut out,
into which the projecting angle OF the
next stone fits. thus tying the curb
stones together SO that one cannot
move without the other.-Now York
S1ln