The Portland daily press., 1894-09-29
HOW TO GET GOOD STREETS.
What Other Cities Are Doing in the
Way of improvements.

City Civil Engineer Fernald's Observation
at the Meeting of the American NUM-
cipal Improvement Society-The Latest
Improvements in Streets
City Civil Engineer George N. Fernald,
who has just returned from meeting of
the American Municipal Improvement
Society, has made some interesting OBJ
servations of the street work in other
cities. 1t has been the object of the
present city administrator to give to the
public works of this city the results of
all the latest and mos5 improved meth
DDS of administration. In accordance
with this idea the heads of departments
have been encouraged to visit conven-
tIons and inspect the work of other
cities. Already valuable ideas have
been acquired. Speaking to the PRESS
of the result of his visit to the meeting
of the Municipal Improvement Society,
Mr.. Fernald said:
Early in the summer Mr.. M. j. Murphy,
member of the Board of Public Works
OF St. Louis. Mo-, conceived the idea of
callingE together the members of the
various Boards throughout the country
in order that the membe might become
personally acquainted and exchange
notes on the experiences of their respec-
tive cities in all departments of municipal
work, but more especially in regard to
streets, sewers, water and public build
ings. Mr.. Murphy sent lstJers to the
mayors of the various cities asking that
delegates be sent to a convention to be
held in the city of Buffalo, N. Y, on the
10Th of September. In answer to this
call sixteen cities. responded, each sending
one or more of it's city officers. The
cities represented were Portland, Me-,
New Bedford, Mass, New Haven, Conn,
Syracuse and Buffalo. Ny, Camden
and Newark, Nj, Allegheny, Pa, Gin
cinnati, Ohio. Indianapolis and Fort
Wayne. Ind. Grand Rapids, Mich, Mil
waukee, Wis, and Omaha, Neb
The city of Buffalo, was selected as
the place OF holding the fl rst convention
because OF It's well known prominence in
all departments of municipal work.
The delegates met in the lecture room
of the library building at II o'clock on
the morning of September 10Th, where
they were welcomed to the city by Mayor
Bishop. The forenoon was taken UP in
perfecting permanent organization,
and a-some general discussions. AT
O'Clock, by invitation of the city of
office and were given drive about the
cit y. They were shown all the points
of interest including the IL, 600, 900 gallon
reservoir which has been recently COM
pleted at cost of $550,000. From the
reservoir they were taken to the pump
ing station on the banks of the Niagara
river, from which the city gets its abun-
dant supply of water, the intake crib
being situated in the middle of the
river where the current is claimed to
be never less than eight miles per hour.
During this drive an opportunity was
given to examine the fine condition of
THE ASPHALT STREETS,
for which the city is noted. Buffalo has
larger area of sheet asphalt pavement
than any city in this country, not ex-
ceDting the city of Washington, and. til is
said, more than all of the cities of Europe
com bined. The streets seem to be in
perfect condition, both as regard repairs
and cleanliness.
At the evening session of the conven-
tion the delegates from each city gave
general description OF the public works
under their charge, and the different
methods employed in doing municipal
work was discussed. The city of Buffalo
claimed the most attention, and in the
discussion it was stated that the cost of
Keeping asphalt pavements in repair
was about three times as much as granite
blocks, while the cost of cleaning was
about one quarter less.
- The areas OF the various kinds of pave
ments in the city on Septem ber 1st was
as follows: Asphalt, III miles or 3,243.-
454 square yards; stone, Il9 miles or
12s, 495 square yards, brick. miles
or 81. 66S square yards; macadam, 2 miles
or A, 800 square yards. Macadam pave
ments are mostly used on park drives
and do not present as good appearance
as that laid in Eastern cities.
BRICK PAVEMENT.
has been tried on small scale as an
experiment, and did not give good sa It's
faction. mainly on account of the diff
Guilty in securing bricks in large guam
titles of equal quality. The most of the
stone pavement, except what has been
laid during the last few years, Sin bad
condition, being little better than cobble
stone. The stone pavement as laid in
Eunalo at the present time, however, is
IN excellent condition, being substan-
TALLY laid on concrete found alton, and
tne blocks are well selected as regards
size and quality. The asphalt pavement
has strong hold on the peopIe,of Buffalo
and most of the petitions call for that |
material. All street work is paid for by
local assessment, the abuttor paving the |
total cost of the improvements in five
annual installments. The physical feat
ures of the city are most favorable to |
smooth pavements. very few streets
having a grade exceeding three per cent.
which is the limit for asphalt. The side.
walks of the city do not compare favor
ably with it's fine streets. Many Of the |
walks on the principal streets are badly
out of repair. The walks are built al. |
most entirely of North River blue stone |
and where large stones of five or six feet |
are used they make an excellent walk. |