Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1895-06-18
THE PAVING QUESTION.
vi,rified Brick vs.. Bubble Stone Facts
That Cannot he Disputed-A Golden
Opportunity Lost.

Opportunity Lost
MR. EDITOR Your issue of June
18th contains certain correspondence.
which has passed between the city and
the naval authorities, in regard To the
paving of those portions OF King George.
Hanover and Wagner streets, which
border upon the Naval Academy and
are yet unpaved. You tell us also, in
an editorial in that issue, that s'this cor
respondence is printed for the first time,
and gives the true statement of facts ON
this most important question: Also,
you add, that "as this question has been
made an element of our political war
fare, it will be well for all interested In
local affairs to read this correspondence
carefully and render true verdict in
their own minds, according &c the facts. y
Now, everyone in Annapolis is, or ought
To be, interested in local affairs,n aud
aud in having those streets we'll paved.
King George street. from College aven-
ne TO the bridge over College creek, is
now one of our principal thoroughfares:
ii is used not only for business commu-
nication with the country north of the
Severn, but it is the favorite road for
driving and walking aud for the rapidly
increasing number of those who use bi-
cycles. Everyone therefore must keenly
regret the deplorable result that this cor
respondence indicates. For il appears
from it that, in consequence of the ac-
tion which our city authorities have chos
ell to take, we have lost for the present.
and perhaps forever, Il golden opportunl-
ty of having that street and those others
paved with visrified brick, which is un-
doubtedly the most desirable paving ma
terial known Tor streets of that character.
While the published correspondence
gives "the true statement of facts,n so
far us ii goes, it does not give all the
facts necessary to 'sreuder true ver-
dict.n 1t does not state for example.
what is Il fact, namely: that while the
government agreed years ago TO pave
the streets of the city, which bounded or
bordered upon the Naval Academy, it
did not agree TO pave them with the
kind of paving material selected by the
city authorities; in other words the gem
eral government reserved to itself the
right to approve of the kind of paving
material which it should lay and pay
for. Nor does that published correspond
elfce state another important fact, name
ly. that the contractor offered to lay the
vitriiied brick OF blocks on a concrete
foundation, if the contract should be
awarded to him. But the city council,
only authority that had anything to say
in the matter, declined to have anything
but rubble stone, TO be laid by Mr.. jew
ell; and the consequence is the whole
community is to suffer, and the money
appropriated by Congress for the pur-
pose is, perhaps, covered back into the
United States treasury" and lost to us
forever. Uncle Sam s Golfers are not 80
full, Mr.. Editor, that we can hope to
get such an appropriation again for the
asking.
As TO the comparative merits of rub
ble-stone and vitrified blocks--the superb
ority of the latter is now unquestioned.
Over four hundred towns and cities in
this country are now using it, and many
in Europe: it has stood the test Of twen-
ty-fiye years, and is growing in p0ph-
hrity every day. The city of Washing
ton is the best paved city in this coun-
try, il not in the world, and yet in
Washington yitrified brick or blocks are
being used extensively for paving puT-
poses, and on many OF its streets that
material is being substituted for asphalt.
In point of smoothness, noiselessness
and durability, it holds its own with as
phalt and it is far cheaper anc less apt
| TO be slippery in winter. A report lies
before me as write, of the Philadelphia
Director of Public Works for 1895. 1t
states that in Philadelphia more vitrifed
brick is now being laid than any other
kind of street pavement, and that dur
ing the preceding year nearly ten miles
Of it were laid in that city on its best
streets. Their experience with it is 50
favorable that every year they lay more
of it than the year before. III anyone
wishes to see what this pavement is
like, he will find samples Of it recently
laid on the road-ways just within the
two upper gates Of the Academy.
| 1t is too bad, Mr.. Editor, that we
should have lost 70 good an opportunity
of getting an excellent modern pave
ment on King George street, and, if the
opinion of those who use that street for
vehicles or bicycles were taken, l be-
| lieve they would all he found infinitely
to prefer that the street should remain
as it is. unpayed, rather than that ii
should be paved with rubble stone That
certainly is the wish Of every property
owner on the street.
Respectfully,
j. WRIT RANDALL.