Los Angeles herald., 1891-11-26
STREETS AND STREET WORK.

improvement oil the streets OF Los An
geles. Nothing but want of firmness
and good sense on the part of the city
council can prevent such boom in
street improvement as will make Los
Angeles one of the finest-paved cities in
the union. There is general disposi-
ton among property-owner to take ad-
vantage of the bond law to pave their
thoroughfares with the best material
and in the most approved manner.
The American consuls in Europe have
contributed large amount of informa-
ton on the subject of street paving in
the old countries, and their reports
have been recently compiled and issued
in volume from the bureau of statistics
of the state department at Washington.
There is one important point to be
noted in these reports. Whilst in all
cities there is no restriction to any
single recognized material for paving,
they uniformly insist upon a solid con-
crete foundation for every kind of ma
terial used onEthe surface. In the cities
where great deal of heavy hauling is
done, the streets are generally finished
with granite coverings, laid on from six
to seven inches OF concrete. And the
granite blocks, in nearly all
cases, fare welded together by
the insertion of stone clippings in the
interstices and the pouring of hot as
phalt into the crevices. A street thus
paved is waterproof, and will last for an
indefinite time. In some cities, and
especially in;sthe retail and residence
districts, where light carriage driving is
common, the surface covering is entirely
made up of bitumen, or the granite
blocks are overlaid with it so as to
deaden the noise and make riding easy.
No city in the world would tolerate a
system OF paving byslwhich granite,
wood or any other blocks would be laid
on loose soil or sand foundation.
Indeed if there is onesinfexible rule to
be gathered from the best street work
reported from all the principal cities of
Europe, it is that in no case shall any
species OF surface covering be laid on
anything else than solid concrete foun-
dation of approved depth.
We were glad yesterday to note that
Councilman Tufts declared, after the
adoption OF the rule that only concre te
foundations would be accepted, that he
would rigidly insist upon the enforce
ment OF this wholesome regulation.
But what must have been the surprise
of those who pay close attention to the
proceedings Of the council to find that
soon afterwards they stultified them
selves by making an exception in favor
of patent brick pavement that is per-
mitted to be laid on bed OF sand
This is trifling with one of the most
grave and important subjects fhey have
to deal with. Why knock out the por-
phyry base and leave loose sand as
foundation for anything?
Surely Los Angeles has already sui
fered enough from badly and fraudu.
lently paved streets to entitle her to the
! widest immunity in the, future from
speculative and reckless contractors
who do not care what kind OF rotten
work they palm off upon the city, pro-
viding they can get away with it. A
communication in yesterdays HER AID
sharply criticized the hugger-muggery
to which the proposition to pave Pearl
street has been subjected, and the prop
erty-holders on that street are now con-
fronted with a bid which proposes to
pave its surface with Chino rock,
material that has been very limitedly
tried on sidewalks in Ontario, and has
only been subjected to single test in
this city, and in that instance has
proven entirely worthless as a asuperfcial
paving. Some FIVE months ago, at the
instigation of Mr.. Richard Gird, the in
tersection of Franklin and Spring streets
was laid with Chino asphaltum. The |
light travel over that point broke il up
in just thirty days, and portion of it
was repaired, but at the end of four
months the whole of it was so badly cut
up and worn out that it had to be re-
placed with bituminous rock OF recog-
nized standard. Now, if Pearl street is
to be paved with this kind of stuff, the
owners Of property on that thoroughfare
may make up their minds to patch it up
CFCiY Unity dhu W I6ntW
it every four months.
If the council will do as we have sug-
gested at the beginning of this article,
take counsel :of the experience OF old
cities on the subject of paving, adopt |
and firmly stick to the rule that all
pavement shall be laid ON solid con-
crete foundation Of reasonable depth.
and that no material will be accepted
for the surface except such as has been
ascertained by actual and sufficient ex-
pertinent to be satisfactory, we shall
have streets of which we shall all be |
proud. But if, on the other hand, they |
are going to relax this rule and encour-
age deficient and defective work, the
street improvement boom will soon
csme to an inglorious end.