The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-10-06
BRICK THE COMING PAVEMENT
The Advantages IL Possesses Over
O6her Paving Material.

A problem with which all cities that at
tain any prominence are sure TO be con-
fronted, sooner or later. is how TO pave
their streets in a manner which viii sat
isfy all Of the conditions and problems
which at the time arise or may arise in
the future. The opinions and objections
should be first heard from all interested
property holders. or, in fact, from every
citizen, and carefully considered. The OBJ
1ect Of this article IS. therefore, 10 fur
nish your readers with some Information
and suggestions concerning a material
Wnlch the writer considers 10 be the COM
ned brick.
The value and desirability Of any pave
ment must depend on the rank IL has
wnen compared with others as TO first
cost, durability, cost of repairs and MAIN
lenance, sanitation, smoothness and the
IOOtlng % auOrds for animals and pedes-
trans. without going into wearisome de-
talls, II VIII be sufficient to state that
Wei iald brick pavement will cost about
Ohe-tnird that Of granite blocks, One-half
that OF asphalt about the same as cedar
or cypress blocks, a trifie more than mac
adam, ana double that Of well built shell
rhere IS only one material more dura-
Die than vitrifed brick, and that is
granite blocks, but the age Of the for
mer IN city with a travel no greater
IMAM exists in Savannah viii far exceed
that OF any of its present inhabitants. To
o1bSNdHAldlb LQ1S statement. some expert
ments made by Prof. Ira o. Baker of the
state university of Illinois are given.
by comparing the amount of traffic to
winch his bricks had been subjected
with the known travel in certain cities
ne has computed that the best paving
prick would last thirty-eight years, If
lald on broadway, New York, or lR years
on Locust street, St. Louis Granting
this calculation to be correct, and the
Information reliable, this material would
last IN savannah at least 200 years.
The street commissioner of 81. Louis
subjected inferior paving brick and first
class asphalt to equal travel applied by
machinery, being equivolent to about
years service in st. Louis. The asphalt
was worn away per cent. and the brick
2 per cent Another SGT Of brick of a much
better grade, treated in the same
manner lost only 3 per cent. The durabil-
ity of this material can also be shown by
pne following examples laid years ago,
bot II must be remembered that Vitri-
fection which it has since attained.
Bloomington, ILL.,. had several miles put
IN IL years ago, at a cost of $2, and 1T is
practically as good as when laid.
CIrton, Ia, has many miles. The oldest
OF which was laid 20 years ago at a cost
Of $l:29, and the wear is given in reports
as slight.
At steubenVille. o., the cost was only 81
and has been down seven years. The wear
is given as one-quarter of an inch.
The ease with which these paVements
can be torn up and repaired Is too apparent
to make comment necessary, but II pos
SeSSeS Out HlLie superiority over granite
IN this regard, while the cost of mainte-
nance might be a trife more on account
OF the possible necessity of removing an
occasional bad brick that might have es-
capped detection on the original inspection;
as compared with asphalt the difference
is decidedly in favor of brick.
There is no question concerning the SUI
periority Of asphalt as to smoothness,
but this difference Is not as great as is
generally supposed. The bricks being laid
on edge, and having perfectly even sur
faces, present very little obstruction to a
passing wheel. A person driving over a
first class brick pavement for the first
time will invariably express surprise at
the ease of travel.
There may De a difference of opinion
concerning the santa ton, but if the bricks
are laid with cement or asphaltum joints
there is no reason why 1t will not be as
good as asphalt. This material, unlike
common brick, will absorb no more liquid
than granite blocks.
The small size of paving brick affords
an excellent footing for ali animals, while
the individual surface of each is usually
as hard and unyieding as iron.
Whether the clay in this vicinity can be
utilized cannot be told until it has been
analysed and thoroughly tested. The diff
ferent elements must not occur either
also be very fine clay and almost entirely
free from injurious substances, such as
lime, etc.
The manufacture of vitrified brick is an
entirely different process than what is
generally supposed. After grinding and
tempering the clay 1t is made into the
proper form under heavy pressure, and
placed in an oven or furnace, In which
a uniform temperature can be maintained
for from one to three days. After being
annealed and toughened, the best brick
from the most experienced manufactur-
ers have stood a greater strain, both
bending and crushing, than the best OBJ
tainable granite blocks. A. s. Cooper.
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