The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-06-18
WOOD OR stone, WHICH,
What We May Learn From Lon
don in the Way of
Paving.
Cleanliness and Public Health Arc
of the Very First I'M
portance.
Dr. G., c. Swallow Presents Some Views
ON the Question OF Paving
Main Street.

ON the Question of Paving
Main Street.
London has had as long and varied Al
experience in the paving question as any
citv, and has learned some things by which
we may profit. What London has learned
in a long series Of years l shall state with
out always using his exact words from the
best of authorities, q civil engineer and a
member of the government local board in
that city. Let us profit by what otheri
have learned in a century OF experience.
Four kinds of pavement have been pro-
posed for Main street: Stone, wood, ma :
cadam and asphalt.
First. The first requisite in q pavement is
safety for man and horse. Careful obser-
vations wers made and recorded for fifty
days on fair portions of granite pavement,
the blocks three inches wide, beech blocks,
three and a half inches wide and fir blocks
three inches wide, and compressed asphalt
on the streets of London. It was found
that the chances of horses falling were
such one might expect to travel on the
granite pavement with the expec-
bALlOu "a AdAAL4R OAO N o'ViJ
1872 miles, on asphalt once
in every 191 miles, n on wood 46 miles.
The kinds of falls were found to be an i'm
portant item in these observations. A fall
TO the knees only and recovery, is not 30
dangerous and inconvenient as a complete
fall to the pavement. OF the falls on wood
IS per cent were to the knees only; on gran
ite so per cent. we're to the knees, and seven
per cent. on the launches, and on asphalt
43 per cent. on the knees and "a per cent.
on the launches.
These facts show that wood is far safer
than asphalt and granite. Unfortunately,
the pavement of beech blocks was in this
trial; the beech blocks were SO hard and
slippery they were afterwards replaced by
fir. Had not the trial been made on beech
blocks in part, the result would have been
still more favorable to wood. We must
also consider we have more ice in Helena
thar they do in London, and that it is far
more difficult to keep horse-shoes
sharp on stone than on wood;
would be still more in favor of wood
than in London. Vote for wood over gran
lite for safety.
Second. One object in paving is to make
the draught easy. Careful measurement
of the draught on level portions of each
kind Of pavements in london by the dyno-
mometer. resulted as follows: On level
macadam the t~ractive force was 40.7 to
A. 20 pounds per tom: on level asphalt the
tractivs force was 800 to 30.32 pounds per
ton; on level wood the ~tractive force was
1862 to 3O.63 pounds pei ton; on level gran
tie the ~tractive force was 26.2to27.O pounds
per ton. This shows that 1t requires five
and one-half pounds less of ~tractive force
to haul n ton on granite than on wood; but
this small difference makes it very evident
thai a horse will haul a ton easier on wood
than on granite, for he has a much better
foot hold. Vote fox wood. then, over gran
tie for easy drauaht.
Third. The cost of a pavement is also an
important item in selecting the kind OF
pavement. MIR. Geo. W. Deal, superintend-
emit of streets in Chicago, as quoted by
cost Of different pavements as follows,
cedar and granite on the same
mscadam foundation: Granite blocks
per square yard $40; cedar
blocks per square yard, $l.40; sheet
asphalt per square yard, SO. Mr.. Deal also
says: 1.-THE interest on the excess of the
cost of granite over cedar blocks, will re-
pave q street once in everv six years." 1t
has been found in London and Liverpool,
since 1872, when the same foundations
were prepared for both wood and stone,
shat wood p%ayements can be maintained
y q lOuR ~ VI years lkSdIAV DIS CHEAP th
granite and this, too, whom they reckon the
life OF their fir at seven years only. In
England. too, the difference between the
cost of granite and wood is much less than
here. In London the wood superstructure
on the concrete foundation costs from SIG
to $3.12 per square yard; while in Chicago
the cedar superstructure on macadam,
costs only $1.4O. And besides. if cedar will
last from ten to fifteen years. our larot
will last from fifteen to twenty years, as
shall show. Our larch then will be as
cheap or cheaper than granite. For econo-
my then give US wood pevsments.
Fourth. The difference in the wear of horse
flesh, wagons and other vehicles. and
especially horse shoes, as between granite
and wood is a matter of great nooment II
might not be far from the mark to say the
extra wear and tear of these articles or
granite would keep up a wooden pavement
on Main street after it is once laid. At any
rate all the horses should hold an indigna-
ton meeting against such a conspiracy tc
subject their bone9, muscles and nerves tc
perpetual torment on granite from which
this noble animal will find no relief this
side Of his happy hunting GROUNDS. All
vehicles which jolt over a granite pavemcn
have a rafting life and perish early. Fo,
mercy'S sake then give us wood pavements
Fifth. In selecting materials for pave,
ments, it will DE wise to consider the many
heavy grades in our streets. In the long ey
~ AcAkNSA lhN AAAE ! AtS DNNlA 4dlb
proven that the following Rrades are as higi
as tho materials can be relied upon to max
useful pavements: Granite IN q grade no
greater than one foot in sixty; asphalt on
grade not greater than one foot in fifty
macadam on a grade not greater than on,
foot in thirty: wood on a grade not create.
than one foot in twenty. Give US wooc
then to save us from grading our streets tt
an everlasting dead level.
Sixth. Cleanliness and public health is
matter Of the very first Importance in sell
Getting the kinds of pavement. Under thu
old mode of laying blocks of soft splintery
wood on pine boards and sand will
joints epen to dirt and filthy fluids, rocl
pavements were much more Clearly ant
healthtul. AS between granite and oeda
both on concrete or mncadam with tigh
joints, the granite is the more clearly ant
heslthful; for the cedar is 30 soft the sur
face Is readily crushed into a fibrou
receptacle of filth which cannot be easily re
moved. But the bois dare which Londol
Is LAYING on a concrete foundation
Will cemented joints, will be as easil
cleaned as the best granite, and the joint
will keep tight as long az they will in
granite pavement laid in the same manner
And we have q wood in Montana har,
enough to remain solid under any traffic
and 30 full of pitch it absorbes but liltl
moro water than granite, and it expand
and contracts verv little more under tn
action of the weather. 1t will sustain WAY
ons loaded with $4,000 pounds on eae
49, Al