Telegram-herald., 1891-02-23

l-1tefSS Ell Persons. HFsSk pzNrnlt 0ts
aTe nol more noisy th.a asphalt they
are eas.,y cleaned and always regular
when properly lA,a. Repairs a. sewers.
gas pipes &nd water mans 10 nos leave
great i eples>lous. nor uas.E Ebtiy patches
TIE brlcs nl perfectly back into
place aud la day s tlnse a.. evidence
81 repair = seoneeal ed, The gteyiees he
tween the bI.cks May be nlied Win
sand, concrete OF aspa@itam, either oG
which answer tie purpose satisfactorily.
stone Blocks
There can he no question as 10 the
durability u stone blocks. It's con-
csded that they mske a lasting pave
mens. bui ths exE nse and no-sY
character OF Medina, granite and Bel
gian stone make Their use Practically
beyOnd argument. DelaNafe-aye.,
Buffalo, ls a handsome street, paved
with square Medina stone, t0t the
racket and ciatter of horses and yetl-
elas are insutierahie. Bat tOG Us great
cost originally, the street would wear a
coat oI asphalt today.
Asphaitam or Asphalt.
The claims made for asphalt are so
fresh IN ntnd that statement Of them
here wolllG bo repet.tous. l'he section
recently LAID on Canal-st. speaks for IL
self. Ii Is unfair and premature TO ar
rive At Il eouc.us on at th.s early day
Some persons Who Aaye gwen the see
ton a superficial examination declare
that IL is already cracking, hesVing aud
pecling. 4 closer inspection Viii dis
close that nothing OF the kind has
made It's appearance. The rongn and
serrated ecges along the street car
tracks have gwen currency tO these
mlschievous reports. The best point
for examination is between the tracks
where the car horses travei IN u beaten
track TO the number OF thousands
daily. No perceptlble wear Is discover
able. 1t Is not necessary, however, 70
rely upon the experience with asphalt
in this city. The action of the authorl-
ties IN other cities j. conclusive evidence
that it has proven acceptable and salts
factory. The Board OF Public Works
of Detroit recently ordered five miles
of 1t laid. No other material j. used at
Washington and Buffalo. the two best
paved ctles IN America. ~ Toronto,
Canada. Young, King and Queen-sts.
are to be dlvested OF cedar blocks and
nine miles OF asphalt laId IN It's place.
These acts are quite conclusive that
asphalt is generally accepted as a
satisfactory material. The Canal-st.
section has not been fairly tested yet,
and should II prove to be entirely salts
factory, there can he no reason why
Monroe-st. should be disfigured with Il
pavement entirely different from that
ON Its northern end.
Silica-Barytic.
Notwithstanding all statements 10
the contrary, Silica -Barytic Is some
thing new. Its qualities have been
fully discussed Of late. and there ;s no
call for further explanation OF itsyirtues.
II may not he improper, however, 10
inquire into the statements made in I'D
vocacy of its use here. In the first
place ii Is asserted that there are
eighty-three miles of ica-Barytic
pavement in use on the stl eets of De
troit. This Is declared 10 be false, and
with reason. 1t IS scarcely probable
that there are e.ghty-three miles oi
paved streets IN Detroit, including al
kinds. This would become apparent
by comparison with the mileage OF
paved streets IN this city. It not be-
lIeved that there are to exceed I've
miles of paved streets N this city. IL
the cost OF eighty-three miles Of Silica
Barytlc pavement - considered, thc
improbabllIty becomes greater. At the
rate OF $3.50 per yard, cighty-three
miles would cost s. $50, l20. 1t the
pavement were laid at the rate OF To-
linear feet per day, (a very liberal
cst.inate) 1t would take 4I24 days,
or nearly thirteen years 10 lay
1t. Other equally suggestive de-
ductions might be made, but they arc
unnecessary 10 show the absurdity Of
the claim The simple truth IS that
there are not eighty-threc miles OF
sllica- -barytic pavement IN Detroit. II
there were the citizens of Grand Rapid,
would have heard of il at least siN
months ago. The material is new and
untried. 1t may be superior to any and
all other kinds OF paving material. 1t
IS not safe. however. TO Try an expert
mcHt with 1t on q principal street. 4
gentleman suggests that the company
Il 1t has bonanza as 1t claims. cou Ii
well afford To lay section OF theI
paTement on some street over when
conside erable heavy traffic takes place
near the freight Gepots for instance
There it could he tested for year, and
II at the end Of a WINTER and summer
IT was found satisfactory. then It could
be paid for and other streets paved witt
1t. The durability Of brick and asphali
has been established in other cities. Al
that is known abOut siica-harytlc is tbs
statement that il Il the bes; ln tns
word, and that there are eighty-thros
miles Of ii oa the streets o. Detroit. j
the former claim IS as true as the latte
ii were better TO use COOLIES than sihca
baryiic.
other Parements.
There are other paving materials