New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-11-24
REPAIRS QUICKLY NEEDED.
SOME RECENT ASPHALT WORK NOT SAT-
ISFACTORY.
CONTRACTORS HELD TO A STRICT ACCOUNT AND
UNDER OBLIGATIONS TO KEEP PAVEMENTS
~ aeon CONDITION FOR FIVE YEARS

CONTRACTORS HELD TO STRICT ACCOUNT AND
UNDER OBLIGATIONS TO KEEP PAvEMENTs
IN GOOD CONDITION FOR FIVE YEARS.
Complaint was recently made by a man living on
one Of the uptown streets In Brooklyn mat the
esphalt put down there last summer was not
standing up well. Now" said he. I'VE paid
for a good Job and We ough. to have It, But TINS
pavement has been down only two or three months
and already shows signs OF hard usage After
rain 1t IL easy to two wheel tracks or ruts
running the whole length OF the block. When the
navement is dry they would not attract attention
except on careful examination. but the rain brings
them out every time don't know how my neigh
bors feel about IT, but am convinced that IL this
pavement Is not what II should be 1t ought TO be
ripped up and a good one put in Its place am
willing to walt awhile thoush' anu eee "o" J"
wears"
When this complaint was mentioned at the De-
,artment Of CITY Works It was said that the
trouble probably arose from allowing wagons to
90 on the asphalt too after it was laid.
"Of course" said the official who gave the In
formation when a street has been closed up Tor
a month or more all the people on the block are
anxious to have 1t thrown open to general use Just
as soon as possible. All the tradesmen VINO nave
been compelled carry their stuff TO their custom
ers for several weeks are also exceedingly desr-
GUS OF using their wagons again Then people
been awaiting delivery for some time: hence there
10 q general demand that the asphalt be used just
az soon as II is laid II Is rot an uncommon
thing for the half of block that Is finished hrst
70 be opened to the public while the remainder or
the work Is being done 1t is unfortunate that the
contractors yield to the demands made upon them.
Really such a pavement; ought TO lie two or three
DAYS before being used. so that the asphalt may
get thoroughly set Ten days would be better
still There are drivers who will not hesitate to
take down the barriers set up by the contractors
and drive on such pavement II there Is no "a'ch-
man ard no policeman IN sight
''If there are ruts such as have been complained
of-and this is the first case that has been brought
to my attention-they have undoubtedly been caused
In this way. OF course, the contractors are re-
ouired not only to do good work. but they are
compelled to keep the pavements In repair for hve
years Obviously. then. 1t is to their interest 10
make the repairs small as possible by making
the pavement in the first place as good as they
can make 1t. Under the present law a part or the
contract price is withheld for year TO see how
the pavement wears and for the rest Of the guar
antee period they have to give satisfactory bonds
that the pavement Will be kept In good condition..
In connection with this sub1ec; 1t may be noted
that the asphalt laid only few weeks ago on
has already been undergoing repairs before being
accepted from the contractor by the city authori.
ties The other day tho newly laid aspha!t WAS
cut away around ali the manholes, and in various
other places patches were cut out-nfteen or twenty
in all-and new asphalt laid II was said by the
man IN charge of the repairs that the pavement
had been made too high In places. ana that the
whole had to be put in good condition before being
turned over TO the city:
II is possible that where such repairs are made
soon after a pavement IS completed they VIII not
detract from fits general goodness or interfere win
its wearing qualities. II looks botchy however,
should be so treated Still the City Works officials
would be justified In requiring a contractor to tear
up the whole asphalt coating and lay new one
II he failed TO do his work properly.
The latest bids received for asphalt pavements
mark the lowest prices yet quoted in Brooklyn
The group OF streets for which bids were recently
opened comprises nearly 10000 Of work, and fof
almost all OF II concern put IN bid az 81 IL
square yard. Owing TO competition. which has been
stimulated much possible, the price mas Deen
reduced nearly 80 per cent, and Is now FAR below
that paid In New-York. The difference between
the latest bids received In the two cities Is eX-
planned by Commissioner White as due in the first
place 10 the absence of competition In Newly ork as
compared with its sister city, and In the second
place to the difference In specifications New iork.
FOR example, requiring guarantee for nrteen
years while in Brooklyn the limit is five years.
In Jersey City. however, the specifications are
almost precisely the same as In Brooklyn but the
bids received is 70 or so cents yard more than In
Brooklyn, because there is less active competition
The Jersey City officials have been anxious to
learn how It is that Brooklyn can get hrst-class
work done for less money than they are com
PEELED to pay and will probably try TO get bids from
the same concerns the next time they want work
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