The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1892-03-22

WIN granite blocks, known as Belgium
BLOCKS. This street is durable, clean
ana heaithful, but is noisy, uncomfort-
| aole ana after short use becomes very
sIppery; this pavement also carries
| with 1t very expensive first cost.
Second, sheet asphaltum, which is
comfortable, clean, noiseless as to the
wheels, but noisy as to tho ringing
sound OF horses feet, and though
healthy and in many respects satisfac-
tory, 1t is short-lived, expensive to re-
pair, slippery on grades and carries with
1t expensive first cost.
| Third, the wood block pavement,
which has moderate first COST and is
comfortable, noiseless and clean, when
new. but Is short lived and unhealthful.
Fourth, the asphalt block, which is
expensive as to first cost is smooth,
noiseless, healthiul, but only has a life
OF eight years when subjected to q
reasonably heavy traffic, as reported by
the commissioner of roads and highways
of Philadelphia.
Last and, as this paper will claim,
not least, is the vitrihed brick pave
meRts, which brings with it moderate
first cost. 1t is durable, smooth, COM
Portable, clean, noiseless, more health
ful than any pavement known and is
easy to repair. Now, If it can be shown
that these claims tor vitrified brick
pavements can be established then I
answer the question that is before YOU
for consideration tonight.
II will endeavor to establish these
claims, not in the order in which thew
are mentioned, but will rather take fret
the points that are most apparent.
First, then, the street is smooth; this
point hardly needs discussion. The bricks
are made practically of uniform size,
the faces are fiat and true, and coming
close together in the pavement the sur
face, after being rolled with steam
roller, is absolutely smooth, the edges
come close ono to the other, and the
interstices between the bricks, being
face is the result, and the sand cushion
into which the bricks are imbedded
deadens the sound of horses feet.
Now, 1T follows that if the pavement
is smooth and noiseleSs the result is
that the pavement must be mfortable
The pavement is clean, because vitrified
bricks do not absorb moisture, and, the
the interstices between the bricks be-
ing small and thoroughly packed with
sand, all impurities which fall on the
pavement are washed away by rain
storms or by water from street hydrants
1t follows, then, that the pavement
- ooo hGCCoodIllH US CleaU, anu, DOING
clean, is healthful, which only leaves
for me to establish that the first cost is
moderate and that the pavement is dur
able.
NOW. as to cost. Presuming that the
foundation is prepared, ready for two
inches Of sand, and then the paving
bricks or blocks, we claim that vitri-
fed brick pavement can be laid down in
Roanoke for from S1.5O to Sl57 per
square yard, as compared with Belrium
blocks, costing persquare yard d ,nch-
burg, S2.S5; Baltimore. I" noston,
S2.75; Philadelphia aQ Richmori,
S2.45. AS comp re vth 4.pN.le pDs.
ton, $3.50; Buffai Cnciura .q7.
and Louisville, S.
Before I saeak lt.a dr-eul.lt- of
brick pavements l wen. tu Ssh t0 ho
who advocate other pav nants
know that brick pave outs car ha
In this country whiod ArVe uot ig,-
satlsfac tory, but desire 10 sew bat Vol
will find, in every instlnoe Ast eucL
paveinents have not beel constructed or
vitrIfied brick, but ra 9or g. bore.
burned, tough bricks, whicl wero in nc
sense vitri6ed, and which never suoull
have been used in a roadway 4 Aari
burned brick. if tough, will IL fair sorv-
ice in pavement where tho Innate is
mild and there are no freezes, but will
disintegratc and wear away rapidly
when exposed TO the action OF frost and
the wear of traffic. There are many
pavements in our country which have
been laid with such bricks, and these
are the pavements to which tho advo-
Gates of other pavements refer when
opposing brick streets.
''At the present time no engineer
would accept, for this purpose, anything
else but thoroughly vitrified brick,
tho experience of the last eighteen years
having shown that unless the brick is
thoroughly vitrified and rendered almost
entirely impervious to water or liquids
of any kind it will not stand the action
of frost.
"Vitrified brick pavements are now
being used in more than $50 cities in
the United States, and from this list
mention particularly Philadelphia, Pa;
Trent n. n. j.; GAINESVILLE, o.. Peoria,
Ill; Chicago. Ill Detroit. Mich; Mem
phis, Tenn Bloomington, ILL.,; Burling-
ton, Iowa; Little Rock, Ark; st. Joseph,
Mo-; Wheeling, w. Va, and it is the
testimony, almost without exception,
that the pavement is satisfactory in ali
of the points mentioned"
w. s. Wilkinson, president of the
international Pavement Company, OF
Baltimore, read an interesting paper
advocating asphalt block, provided it
was manufactured in Roanoke. for nav
ing the streets.
MIR. Wilkinson said he felt that he
could take no better text for his re-
marks than few words of the presi-
dent of the Norfolk and Western rail-
road in two rec ent letters to the presi-
dent of the Commercial Association,
which he saw in THE ROANOKE TINES
ON the 10Th instant On tho ad ;na4an4