The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1894-03-25
A WORD ABOUT ASPHALT.
MIR. Kenyon Refutes Statements Made
by Administered Remonstrants.


Mr.. c. A. Kenyon, manager Of the West
ern Paving and Supply Company. said yes
terday in regard to statements made at a
meeting of the Alabama-street remon-
strants: IT notice in your issue of this
morning a report of some remarks made
last night by property owners on Alabama
street before the Council committee on
sewers relative to the comparative cost of
asphalt and brick streets. together with
some other assertions, that desire to re-
ply to.
'First-Attorney Robert Denny made the
assertion that the cost of asphalt COM
pared with brick streets was as two to
one, while the durability was as one to
two and that the money for asphalt streets
was sent abroad and that for brick streets
is kept at home. He, as others before the
committee, was in favor of the red cedar
block pavement. The statement of Mr.
Denny is absolutely untrue, as he could
easily have ascertained by consulting the
reports of our own city On pages 10, i'll
and liz of the Mayors annual message of
Jan. /, 1893, which give the entire cost of
we'll as the entire cost of all the brick
pavements laid in the same year, ii APP
pears that there were SO,S65 square yards
OF brick pavements costing $242,S71, and
653T square yards of asphalt pavements,
costing $3.50 432; this includes the cost of
curbing and other matters, making the vari-
Gus improvements complete.
1T is astonishing how man of Mr.. Den
nys intelligence could make the statement
that the cost is as two to one in the face
OF these figures There is no money sent
abroad for asphalt paving, except for the
asphalt itself. which is less than one-third
OF the cost OF the work The same is true
or brick, which is not manufactured in Indi-
annapolis at all, and the same is also true
OF cedar blocks, which he is advocating so
strongly. His statement in regard to there
being no competition is also untrue.
DR.. Todd is reported as having said that
North Delaware street, from st. Clair TO
seventh, which had been paved with red
cedar blocks. was the best street in the
city. 1 hope, for the sake of the Doctor
reputation, he was not reported correctly.
to be an expert in asphalt, and made the
assertion that asphalt had been abandoned
S BUS Pa and 6y St kous and G0u
Louis, were paved with asphalt in 1888. The
traffic on Pine street is over 1900 teams
per day. and both of those asphalt pave
ments in excellent condition to-day.
Large quantities Of asphalt pavement have
been laid in st Louis from time to time
since then, a large amount was made last
year, and large amount will be laid this
year These facts can be easily ascer-
tanned by looking at the reports, and it is
astonishing how men of prominence will
make such assertions in public meetings
without having some definite information
In regard to Columbus, i quote from the
Columbus Herald of May A. 1890, the follow
ing in regard to brick pavements: To set
an idea how friedrich pavements are wear
ing one has only to examine State and
Fourth Streets two of our most prominent
thoroughfares, and il will be seen they are
filled with holes and rutS. In some places
the action of frost and the grinding of
wheels have reduced a great many bricks
TO powder. Fourth avenue, a residence
street, was paved with West Virginia brick
only last year at big cost, and now the
property owners have signed a petition ask
ing for the roadway to be resurfaced with
aSDlalt thew n
way, as the brick has given out
LAS far as the company represent Is con-
cerned, IL courts an intelligent discussion of
the paving question 1t is matter that all
property owners of the city are interested
in. but there is a spirit of fairness that
in order that they may be of bensfit. and
when men Of public reputation and good
standing in their respective professions
make incorrect statements that could be
avoided by a little investigation 1t is a
matter to be deplored"