Los Angeles herald., 1892-04-17
VITRIFIED BRICK.
1T MAKES THE VERY BEST KIND
OF PAVEMENT.
A Strong Statement of the Many Quail
ties-Places Where 1t Has Been In
Successful Use-Plain Facts.

SucC0ssful UB0-Pla1n Facts.
EDITORS HERALD: Referring to a
communication signed "B." in the
HERALD of the 18th inst, wherein vitri-
fled brick paving is criticized and as
phalt paying exalted, we propose to
throw further light upon this subject,
SO that property owners may not be
misled," nor induced to put in "an in
ferior" and what, to the sorrow of prop
erty owners and the city, has proven to
be anything but satisfactory and dur
able street paving, viz: asphalt or BIZ
luminous rock.
"B." or the parties whom he repre-
sents,. finds it necessary to 60 to Europe
and some eastern cities, to prove the
virtues OF asphalt paving. Why did he
facts of this city's experience with this
of said facts? 1t is Judged that he was,
and Justly so. This deficiency will be
supplied, however, which will but show
a condition of things that is familiar to
most citizens. The condition of the as
phalt paving in this city is not only a
very severe arraignment of its qualities
as durable paving, but matter of
serious expense to the city in keeping it
in repair, and that after use of some
three or four years.
"B" says, "the absurdity of talking
about pavement wearing 80 or 70
years under any sort of traffic is ap.
parent" and, referring to an article
quoted from said article, claims that "the
wearing power of asphalt is only from 10
| to II years. The history of asphalt
paving does not chow any such result"
We should judge not, from the condition
Of the asphalt paving in this city.
'B" also says most of the large cities
Of the United States have tried brick
without success, ETC., and it is only
small towns and out of the way places
in which brick is being used to any ex-
tent. 1t is proposed to show some of the
villages" where vitrifed brick paving
is being used extensively and with the
best results, namely:
Philadelphia, thirty-two miles, of
which nine miles were laid in 1890.
President Smith of the common council
OF the above city recently declared that
the best streets in Philadelphia were
those paved with vitrified brick.
Mr.. Louis Wagner, late director of the
department of public works Of the city
of Philadelphia, in his report for the
year 1890, recommended that no more
asphalt block be laid in that city, and
reports that vitrifed brick makes the
best roadway paving, requiring no an
nual expense for repairs.
Then Chicago. "B" asks what has be-
come of brick paving in Chicago. We
answer: (item) Ira s. Baker, professor
of civil engineering at the state univer-
sity of Illinois states that the freight
yards of the @. B. & Q. railroad at Chi
cago is powder with brick paving laid
over two years ago; over this paving
teams, which with freight make an ag-
gregate weight OF 25,000,OOO pounds
daily. On careful examination not a
broken brick was found after half a
years service. At the corner of Twenty
third street and Archer avenue, the
yards of the Western Stone company are
paved with vitritied brick, and over this
pass every day $50 wagons loaded with
stones, many of which carry loads of
5000 pounds, which with the weight of
the wagons makes a total weight of
10000 pounds. 1t is difficult to imagine
a more severe test for a roadway pave
ments than the above, yet careful ex-
aminAtion of the brick in this roadway
| failed to find single broken brick.
Now Mr.. Editor, we have given very
few out OF hundreds Of testimonials from
cities where vitrifed brick has been
tried and adopted as the best street
paving material both for heavy and
light traffic, and as its merits are made
known we think it will be universally
adopted.
In regard to the sneer of "B" about
our manufactures of brick as used at
San Bernardino, and "Nigger alley" in
this city, as being ''salt glazed" we will
state for his information that our brick
are thoroughly vitrified as we'll as salt
glazed, and that only the most superior
quality of clay will stand vitIifcation
and salt glaze. Nor do we hesitate
to aver that no brick made in tie United
States, or for that matter anyw here,
is superior to ours in all the qualities
that constitute tirst-class paving
brick, and we challenge proof to the
contrary. There are go few clays found
in this country that will stand the ex-
cessive heat required to vitrify it that
the vitrifcation and glaze of our brick
is proof positive of its superior quality.
Every engineer or person OF experience,
after seeing our brick, pronounces them
the best they ever saw.
If "B" wants a few more "small
places' where vitrifed brick is used ex-
tensively, we refer him to few of the
275 cities in the United States, viz
Cleveland, O.; Columbus. o.; Washing
ton, D. c.; Omaha, Neb.; Lincoln,
Neb,; Wheeling, w. Va; ETC., etc.
The Hague, Holland, which has a brick
roadway over 100 years old. Blooming
ton, ILL.,, has a roadway of vitri6ed brick
in use over sixteen years, with no cost
for repairs.
An extract from the report of the
board of public works of Omaha, Neb.,
1891, reads as follows: SIN Columbus,
O., a brick pavement and an asphalt
pavement were put down side by side
about six years ago. The asphalt has
given out, while the brick does not show
oscratch." We will be happy to give
"B" all the testimony as to the excel
lence of brick paving that he wants.
and more too.
1 f CAIJroRNIA SEWER Pipe Co.