Evening capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1888-1893, 1891-03-02
PlylyG ING STREETS.
Is "a, City TO be again IIumbugged2
A VigaToas Correspondence.
SALEM. Fci. 2s. 1891.

SALEM, Feb. y, 1871.
EDITOR JOURNAL: As the papers
of the city are advocating the paw
ing of our streets, and ~ constant
effort in this direction Will creite a
public sentiment in its favor, desire
space to give my views in the mat
ter, in order that a spirit nf inquiry
may be aroused, aud that our people
will not be led into endorsement Of
any scheme, which for the mOsi
part, in my opinion, has no redeem
ing features.
Al present only vitrfied brick,
cedar blocks, aud a-plIHllun are Of
fered Tor paving purposes. What
they are Offered for Is inImaterial
as, IL not practical, they are not
worth considering, 40 matter what
the price may be. What are the
facts as | know them? Cedar blocks
or the Nichel~on pavement, so called,
makes "a noisless and beautiful street,
but this style was thoroughly tested
In Portland ten years ago. II rotted
gave out, was thrown away aud
abandoned. Certainty the tax pay
ers want none of That. Next in or
der ! may mention the vitrified
brick. Were they ever tested IN
Oregon? No, but the would-be con
tractor says they have done well IN
Eastern cities. Suppose, in an East |
ern city, where the ground ls fruzen
dry aud covered with snow five or
six months In year they have !
proved good, does that argue that
here, where the reverse Is true, aud |
the ground is thoroughly saturated, |
that they will remain solid and inn |
pervious 10 water? No. But John |
Doe and Richard Roe say they will.
What do they kHOw about IL? Abso-
lutely nothing! Are these brick 10
be bought from an Eastern factory,
where money and skilled effort may
have been expended to bring them
tO the highest state OF perfection? |
No, that viii make them cost too
much. They are to be made In II
brick yard near Salem. The tax
pay yors are asked to pay their money
to pave our streets with M article
no one can guarantee Will be of ser
vice, aud these same brick ARE 10 be
made by those who are not prepared
either TO make tirst-cluss article or
TO warrant the worthless things they
may make! II may by the tax payers
are anxious Ia spend their money In
this way, but think not.
Now as 10 asphaium, No one will
question but thnt this viii make
smooth aud beautiful street II prop.
erly prepared and properly laid
down, But who here knowa any.
thing about Il? No one venture,
who Is likely % get the contract.
The history Of asphaltum paving Is,
that II not prepared exactly right, .
II will he too soft or too hard. II
too soft II cuts up, II too hard 1t
cracks aud shrlls oil, rendering IL
worthless In IA short time. lIut al.
mittlng fnr the sake of argument,
that our STREETS were paved with 1t
and the work done to perfection, "
how long would II he before either !,
water or gas mains would have Ia
he changed, or that other necessary I
destruction of its smooth aud beau.
tlfnl face would be required? Not :
long, taking Ia the history of the n
city for the pnst ten years. Who "a
would restore the hrokeu surface Il
aud leave It In as good condition ~ 81
before, Some one sayp "ihu parlie-
Interested ~ this the history Of N
amy aud all such improvements
There IL not u man of common ~
sense and observation la Salem, who n,
will not answer emphaIioally, No p,
80 that while asphaltuin, IL laid un-
Ter the most favorable circum.
stances, may bee good. Il l. not the
lavemeut for the Salem of to-day. ia
might mention concrete or stuur a,s
lavemenl. This Is equally as good ne
Is asphaltum, but Is opcu 10 all the oh
'bleollons ! have brought against all
isphaltum, ~ that further con. ~ ~,
alteration Of this kind OF pavement am
seems 10 me unnecessary, tri
] fancy hear some one asking, ot
what would you have ior pave. 81, p,
nentT' My pply is, that would
lave nothing unless Il had been
thoroughly tested IA Oregon, aud 4,
ntjecl 90 all the advenily of our "a
nmmes and winters, aud had lilc
'roven strong enough 60 resist all AZ,
lbuse, Belgian pavement is such a ne
'avement, beyond question or con, ~
roveny, II has bven la use on ~"'
front street aud think on Ffsi
lreet la Portland oryears; has l.e,.,i
sed Cor the heavy trucks aud drays AZ,
rom steamships, Wharve, aud rail- rat
oads, and Is ~ good t.aiay as wheu tiol
lid down. think, tesides, Il can lnl
9 taken up la any place aud at any N.Y.
me for the purpose uf laying pilsa h.