New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-03-17
ASPHALT IN BROOKLYN.
COMPARATIVELY FEW STREETS PAVED
WITH THIS MATERIAL

GOOD WORK IN CIINToN-AvE-THE PAVEMENT
IN BEDFoRD-AVE NOT Up To TIE MARK
NEED or A GOOD DRIVE FROM THE
HEIGHTS TO THE PARK.
Brooklyn now has fifteen miles of asphalt pave
ments. but comparatively few streets are paved
with this material throughout their entire length
one OF those recently repaVed is Clinton-aVe. IN
which the work done las; year. ON the
block south of Fulton-st. asphalt had been put
down before: the OF the street paved with
cobhlestones And when the change TO asphalt
was made the new material was not laid on the
two blocks north Of Myrtle-ave. Nowhere in the
city probably has an asphalt pavement been con-
structed with more care than the one in CLINTON
ave Mayor Schicren lives in Clinon-aVe Whether
there is any relation between the two iactS just
presented each one Interested is at liberty To judge
for himself Anyway, Clinton-aVe. presents i'he
example of frst-cass asphalt paving and furnishes
a model for such work in other parts oil me CITY
Another street which received partial coating
| OF asphalt last year is Ninth-aVe' Whc" was re-
| naved from the Park Plaza TO Third-st In other
! ,,or,s ., tho city one or two blocks will be found
! here and there with this Improvement, with oc-
! casonal longer stretches. Whether asphalt shall
no substituted for cobblestOnes is a matter largely
denendent on the property owners. II the majority
| Of the owners any block want asphalt they
| sign petition to that effect and send 1t to the
| Common Council agreeing to pay one-half Of the
cost out OF their own pockets If the Aldermen
approve resolution is passed, and the city con-
sents pay the other half of the expense. In due
time a contract Is made and the work done. Where
several contiguous nearby blocks paved at
time the cost is somewhat reduced. II is not
strictly correct to speak of substituting asphalt
for cobbestones, for the asphalt is placed over
the stones, which furnish good foundation for
the superstructure.
The longest stretch of asphalt in the city is
Bed but ha OF
is paved with this substance At end there is
a long section covered with granite blocks, and
at the other several blocks are macadamzed. tn"
asphalt portion is used much 10y heavy vehicles
well ligh; ones. and has been tori up ana
repaired often. that much Of it Is in bad con-
dition 1t would be an excellent thinS II i were
possible TO keep heavy trucks and wagons OH OF
Bedfor3-ave. between the two fountans-a distance
OF two miles or thereabousbut the parallel streets
on each side contain car tracks and are not well
paved; so such arrangement must be pronounced
mpractcabe in existing circumstances.
Near the city Hall and on the Park slope are
number OF aspha-cOated streets though IN most
cases no entire streets. unless they happen to be
very short. treated In this manner. Between
the two sections there ought to be good asphalt
roadway-a fact which pointed ont - IN"
Mayor by an influential delegation which visited
him months ago. The ordinary method "t
driving from the Heights region 20 the Park IS 10y
OF the short streets or places leading thence 10
Plaza st or the Plaza itself This route brings
one underneath the South Brooklyn hranch OF the
elevated road for several blocks in FlathuSh-ay".,
through which also trolley cars run. \ somewhat
longer way OF reaching the Park. but one rr'r
from obection-n fact. free as any That can be
thought Offs by Clinton and rnion SIS, provided
that both Of them were paved throughout WIN
asphalt. Cnton-st has asphalt for icW ni"'As
at It's northern end. but tn" rest Of THIS route -
granite blocks. The removal Of these and ne
substitution of asphalt and the exclusion OF trucks
etc. from the driving thoroughfare thus pro
vide! are worthy OF serious consideration. SIth
a scheme would, OF course involve IN" dhsoiu'"
prohibition of surface car tracks IN both oi M"
streets named.
Ninth-ave. furnishes interesting object lesson
made all tho clearer by the recent I"patlug ~ 10"
| eastern part OF II with asphalt \ lne ~ cars
| runs through this avenue alongside 81 ii"sptti
| PARK but the tracks not placed in the middle
Of tho Instead they are close 20 IN" IhIk
side leaving the fun width ~ e. narrow street On
tirev free for driving purposes. IN" afIdne"In"h;
| seems TO be an admirable one. ana on" wonder.
rh, II is not adopted eseW here. In broad street
like Atantic-aVe there would be decided advantages
~ ,.strictn9 the cars 10 q section on on"
side and II the Flatbush-ave extension scheme j.
"a rried through II will be wise 70 consider IN" pro
priety OF such disposition " the car racks ana
Indeed OF any elevated road that may be CON
structed OF course. the value Of property abu'ilng
on the side OF the street nearest the tracks wou.l
be affected, but 50 far as the city is concerned
that could readily be taken into account IN tie
fixing OF assessed valuations