Telegram-herald. ([Grand Rapids, Mich.) 18??-1892, 1890-04-10
TWILL Be ASPHALT
With Which Canal-st.'s Rotten
Pavement Win Be Replaced.
APlyHC EXHIBIT IN TIE CITY HALL
specimens OF Din~rsnt Pasemsnts " al
Be DisplAsSd->0 LsnEeF 10 Pave
or Not IL Pave" but What shall
We Pave WITH

The aldermen and al who went 10
Indianapolis nave returned with pAv-
ing on the BRAN, and il would now APP
pear as If the seed sown by the InLE-
okAM-H HERALD is now about 10 bring
forth fruit.
The aldermen and Board OF Public
Works have had al opportunity 70 ex-
anime the streets of Indianapolis, and
have seen the painful contrast between
the streets of the two cities, and they
are resolved that Grand Rapids that
is first in so many Things shall not he a
tail ender IN the matter of street pave
ments.
At indianapolis they saw the granite
block pavement. that costs 81 or more
a yard, the Sioux Falls jasper granite,
that is also very expensive and as hard
as steel, vitrifed brick and common
brick, laid upon both sand and concrete
surface. and various styles of the
famous asphalt exhibited. There were
specimens Of new work, and sections
cut out of streets after year or more
of service.
"What style of pavement impressed
YOU most favorably?" asked a reporter
Of Alderman Stem.
"My first choice of all the pavements
is unauestionably asphalt and my sec
ond choice would be brick. The stone
pavements are all too noisy for com
fort. There IS always an unbearabie
clatter upon block stone and II does not
wear smoothly. Asphalt has all the
desirable qualities of pavement. II
being perfectly smooth surface cover
ing the street IN one continuous sheet
without FONTS, there Is no jar or rattle
caused by wagons passing over 1t and 1t
is absolutely clean
at IS a hard pavement 10 tear up Tor
public improvements. but water, gas
and sewer pipes should all be put IN be
fore asphalt is laid. then the surface OF
the street is fixed fora number OF years
without disturbance.
"The cost of asphalt is the only OBJ
stacle in the way of putting IL III our
streets. although in the end / believe il
is the cheapest pavement thatcan be put
down. If the cost of it could be distrih-
uted by paying for it IN yearly install
ments. two-thirds of the streets IN this
city would he paved with asphalt within
the next two years. The companies
Will put in pavement on Il five or ten
year guarantee, and they would make
q good thing out Of it if they would do
the work FOR certain amount down.
and take an interest bearing bond for
the rest Of the money. This would dis
tribute the expense so that IT would not
be felt by the citizens. but 10 lay all the
money down as soon as the work Is
completed would cramp most of the
property owners Of the city"
Alderman Turner stated at the coun-
ell Tuesday evening that the manufact-
urers OF all the different STYLES
of pavement have been invited
TO come TO this city and make
an exhibit Of their work. and
that undoubtedly the whole Indianap-
oils exhibit would he brought here for
display. The Warren Scharf Asphalt
Compaav already has part of Its e1-
hibit displayed in the supervisors room
in the CITY hall. Among other exhibits
are a section of pavement cut from the
center of Race-st. in Cincinnati, after
three and nine months service. and
block from Pennsylvania-ave. IN Wash
ington that has seen thirteen wears Of
service Neither appear any the worse
for wear. and Pace-st. is one OF the
busiest streets Of Cincinnati.
4 map of Buffalo IS also on exhibi-
ton, showing the streets paved with
asphalt and large number OF photos.
showing various streets before and after
asphalt was put IN.
The VItrified FIRE Brick COmpanv.
Of Columbus, Ohio. the Decatur Paving
Brick Company have forwarded sDecI-
mems Of their paving material, and some
of the other brick PAYERS are expected
TO put IN an appearance.
Great interest is taken IN this ques-
ton of vital Importance 10 the CITY,
and much good viii undoubtedly come
Of the visit 10 INDIANAPOLIS.
The people along tho business por-
ton Of Canal viii ho notified n a dav
or two to put in all their gas and water
connections which they intend ~ make
nreraratorv 70 tho repavng Of that
thoroughfare. The old pavement VIII
then be torn m. AMI tho slopInC stone
curb and the bridges at each end OF the
crossing VIII he removed forever from
the street. Then the street VIII bo
levelcd to the edge Of the Sidewalk and
a coating Of concrete s,x inches deep
viii be laid from Bridge to lvon-s's.,
and thon surface Of asphalt. THIS
viii make Ca1al-st. the clcanest street
IN tho ci'v and tho least noisv. Wth
/ tho crossing bridges and the slouing
cr17hs removed. II will he again good
driving street and not one 20 he Stunned
/ by al teams and carriages