New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-01-07
TIE PAVEMENT, 4 EErEoAcm

The condition Of our pavement, has long been "A
source Of criticism and rcprOach 10 the mGiicI pal
government. When the annual message Of the Mayor
was submitted 10 the Common Council one year ago
might safely be said that Their: wa, moi ia the city
"A single street which Wa, paved ia BANNER suited
the wealth and commercial Importance ol III, me
trOpOIs. Even the pavement on Fiuhayc., which
had been laid down about three YEAR, already showed
signs of decay. The granitc.bpck aud cooblc StOnc
tInc..t, winch had been used in almost ali our
streets mad proved damaging 10 vehicle. dangrrOu, 10
horses ana uncomfortable 10 the Occup1nt- OF dwell
lug,. tndrr the Law il then atOO1 thc local au.
thOritic, were not permitted - cApcud more than
100000 IN any one year lor repairing or rcla' inS
paVcucUt,. Al the request Of The NlH0r The Icsi-.
atuc By Chapter :4G Of The Laws Of -~g, authorized
the CITY 10 cApcnd an additional aum Of SIOuOOOO
per ddIIng three year Tor the requirement OF
streets, ii ha- been tie controlling oblcc Of the De
partment of Public WorA, and Of The Board OF EST
mate and Apportionmcnt 10 cNpcnd TN, money
manner that would secure a durable Improvement ia
the condition of our thOroughiarr>
In selecting pavement different from That which
was composed of granite BLOCH, the local authorize
were confronted with the possibility that such new
paVcmcnts might prove in actual use To be unsuitcd
TO our climate ard our traffic and that the money OK
pended upon them might, 10 great degree, be wasted
IL Is highly gratifying to be- able that this
difficulty been hually overcome and the question
solved IN manner which relieves the cty from all r,k
of loss through any possible failure Of the pavement
meet the requirement, of Iaic to withstand the
ecvcrtcs Of the climate. ia obedience To- a general
demand by property Owners, resident, and the news
paper press, II has been decided Ia adopt smooth
asphalt pavcmcnts for those streets which not cN
tcusivcly for business purposes. In laying these
pavcmcnts the Department OF Public Works Ia,
adopted form OF contract by which Ia" COmpau",
who undertake the work compelled 10 guarantee
that the pavement will be kept la condition Of
thorough repair for the space OF fifteen years free Of
all pc.c the CITY. ana for these paVcmcnt- with
this guarantee OF perfect maintenance the total cost
VIII be less Than the amount paid for the pavement
is already in need of repair.
This question DID not reach solution I'll late in
the fall, and the bcucli";d consequences which
viii fOW FROM hi, action Of the local authorities VIII
not BE- apparent until the close of the present year
WhcI. the contracts already awarded shall have been
projected Shall have pctcd, hi, dty
instead of being among the worst paved. VIII have
iecOmc Of the best paved cities in the world, ana
for the next fifteen years the municipal treasury VIII
great extent be relieved from the cost of main
tcnanCc.
one Of the most serious obstacles 10 the main
terence Of good pavement, on the streets adjacent 10
the water font found ia the complex condition
Of the laws governing these thorOughfafc~. Thee
streets are nearly all within the limit, Of grants Of
land under water The conditions OF the grants were
such that the grantees were required 10 make all