The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-04-13
THE BOULEVARD PAVEMENT.
SOUTH BROAD STREET PROPERTY
OWNERS ASK FOR ASPHALT.

They Prefer IL as Cleaner, More At
tractive and Less Noisy, and They
Are willing TO Pay "A Little More
in order 10 Get the Best Pave
ment-ChaIrman stone of the Park
and Tree Commission Does Not
Think That Asphalt VIII XIII the
Trees-The Commission VIII Inn
prove the Green on south Broad
IL the street Il Paved-A Bicycle
Road Suggested.
The question Of asphalt or vitrihed brick
for South Broad street will probably come
before the city council Wednesday night,
and an effort will be made TO have
the material 10 be used in paving the
street changed from brick TO asphalt.
Many of the residents and property own
ers OF South Broad street have declared
that il the street is to be paved, largely
at their expense, that they prefer asphalt
as the best paving TO be obtained. II has
been suggested that the council furnish
estimates Of the cost Of the two pave
ments and then obtain a consensus of
opinion from the residents and property
owners on the street, and allow the pre-
,ferences Of the majority to decide which
material shall be used in improving the
street.
The bids for furnishing the vitrified
brick for the paving as called for are to
he in the office of the commissioner of
public works at noon to-day, and will en-
able a close calculation Of the cost Of the
work to be made
The difference between the estimated
cost of the brick and asphalt pavements
Is about p cents per square yard, so that
each property owner can estimate the diff
ference IN his assessment ii the better
paving is used. For a thirty foot lot the
difference in cost to the owner would be
between $l4 and SIC.
Dr- George II. Stone, chairman Of the
park and tree commission, was asked for
MS views for the improvement of the
street He declared unqualihedly in favor
1T has been stated" he said. that the
2Sphalt pavement would Kill the trees on
South Broad street. 1t has not done so
on Liberty street, and l do think that il
would do 50 on South Broad street. 1t
might possibly Kill out the water oaks,
but more would consider this
an advantage, as we could then replace
the water oaks with live oaks which are
much more desirable in every way. 1t is
the intention of the commission 10 make
South Broad street an avenue of live oak
trees throughout, anyway 1t Is true that
the asphalt would shut OFT the water
which would fall on the streets, but a
brick pavement properly laid would do the
same thing. The vitrihed brick are not
porous, and the interstices between the
bricks would admit very little water to
the soil below. If much water got under
the pavement II would soon be washed out.
The trees bordering on the green in the
center of the street would get ample water
from the uncovered surface of the green.
As the trees bordering the sidewalks will
be within the grass piats they will catch
a certain supply of water from the sur
race OF the grass plats, and then consld-
cradle water percolates through the side
walks which are of porous bricks loosely
laid Another thing is that while the trees
have surface roots they also have deep
roots, and there is always a strata of
water present in our sandy soil a few
feet below the surface"
DIR. Stone was asked what the park and
tree commission would do in the way of
improving the South Broad street green
if the street We're asphalted.
IF South Broad street should be paved
with asphalt" said DR.. Stone, THE at
tention of the park and tree commission
would naturally be drawn TO II at once.
1t is our intention to improve the trees
on the street as rapidly as possible The
first thing, of courst, would be to supply
the green with grass Sward. l think
the poverty of the present sward is due
largely to the fact that the grass has not
been watered and cared for. With the
soil fertilized and set with Bermuda grass
and regularly watered, l believe we would
soon have a greensward from one end
of the street to the other. 1t might be
a good idea to construct a promenade
down the center. of the green with seats
under the trees"
1t has been suggested that in improving
South Broad street council should take
into consideration needs and convenience
of Tho growing army OF bicycltSts by pro-
viding a bicycle roadway on each side
of the green for the exclusive use of hi
cyclists, the roadway for the use Of We
hicles being outside the bicycle roadway
1t has also been suggested that the center
of the green he converted into a BIZ
cycle roadway where there would be no
possible chance for the vehicles to en-
croaoh upon 1t.
''The army of bicyclists is constantly
on the increase" said Dr. Stone, and the
time Is rapidly approaching when they
will exercise considerable influence IN the
Improvements of streets and roadways.
DR.. r. b. Harris said that he thought
there is little danger of injury to the
trees by an asphalt pavement. The per-
collation. of water through the soil I'M
derneath the asphalt would furnish all
as fell upon the exposed surface, he
thought, from sanitary standpoint, as
phalt was far preferable to brick or any
other pavement, he said.
An argument in behalf of asphalt will
be submitted to council by A. l.. Alex
ander. Esq, the local representative of
pany. in the shape of pc
tition from the majority of the
property owners on South Broad street,
urging the adoption of sheet asphalt. The
petition suates that asphalt is more at
tractive, cleaner and less noisy than brick,
and Is but little more costly, and they
ing one of the most important, and being
the most beautiful boulevard in the city
should be paved with the best paving
material. The following names are at
tached to the petition: Henry Blum, es-
tate Of r. c. Anderson by J. Il. Anderson,
Charles Ellis, for the estate of c. New
ell, c. r. Woods, f. A. Cuts Mary J.
Raines. J. c. Postell. trustee. I. NJ. Gun
ningham, j. c. Cunningham, d. Hops,
George II. Stone, L. H. NJ. Cinch, Mrs.
Mary Webb, Mrs A. X. Wilson, the
Misses Miller. McHenry estate, by Jacob
Rauers trustee Henry r. Jackson, Thorn
as Haligan. George w. Allen. Matthew
+. Dunn, Mrs. r. S. Burnett, G. c. SUIT
cliffe c. e. Sutcliffe NJ e. Branch. I.
p Warning, executor of the Wariug es-
tate. w. Duncan. Mrs. f. T. Bryan,
Samuel A. White, II. Schroeder,
j. h. Fernandez, A. p and j. NJ. Solomons,
Lawrence Kelly, George J. Mills, chair
man for the Independent Preshy terian
church and parsonage, Beirne Gordon, n.
Paulsen, w. f. Reid, NJ. NJ Sullivan, r.
V Walker, J. Mendei w. w. Gordon.
j. c. Rowland trustee; C. c. Taliaferro,
trustee, by Albert Wylly. agent; John d.
Robinson. John II. Ruwe, Mary Wake
field, by Charles r. Wakefield. attorney;
T. ] charlton John Screven, trustee Chat
ham Academy; Joseph Herschbach.
These Names" Mr.. Alexander says