New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-03-08
SMOOTH CITY sTREETa
A PROSPECT THAT no OTHERS WILL pl
LAID AFTER A FEW YEARS.


LAID AFTER FEW YEARS.
II Il most agreeable vision Of the future stresl1
Of New-York City that Water Purveyor z. =. North
sees for the benefit Of wheelmen. InciaentAny. tt
revolution In municipal pavements that u now u
nroerpss "a of Importance to others than cycusta
It has seemed natural however. to think nrst Of CO.
cling interests in connection with Improved road.
w,vs for they have been most active In the agits,
ton At the same time, they could have done
little unless backed up by the community at large
And this change IL Of course Of wide economic In.
portance and will affect all business IN which trucks
or delivery wagons are used
II might be mentioned In passing that Mr. North
IL that oficial of the Department OF Public worhu
who has charge Of the reIaying OF pavemenn. He
"a known as the Water Purveyor. because formerly
his ONCE had something to 40 with the water sup
py There has bsen shifting OF the lines Of
work. however and now the title Of Water Pur.
vevor Ia a complete misnomer However. Mr.
North doesn't bother about that so no one else
need do so.
As tn. result OF his experience with materials for
street paving and his study OF the SUBJECT as II has
heen ha nd!ed in other cities at home ana abroad,
Mr. North believes that smooth pavements VIII IL
49, .,a r. virtually the only ones laid In this city
Even a. the present day. he sees little choice be-
tween granite and asphalt for the so-caed trucking
thoroughfares With hfteen-year guarantee. no
thinks that asphalt Is now signify cheaper than
Granite. The advantages Of the use OF asphalt are
growing in a twofold measure; the quality ID I'M
proving and the price IA declining. II tnese 'enoen'
cies continue-and there seems to be no reason
whv they shouldnt-the Use OF granite docks WV
probably be largely done away with.
THE TROUBLE IN WINTER.
r,.ro :. ono respect in which the smooth material
T., objectionable that is its slipperness when GOV.
o-ed with Ice Under certain conditions norses
h.v. the greatest difficulty In hauling loads over
osnbalt The insecure footing not only causes them
70 fall but prevents their getting purchase winch
will enable them to exert their fun strenstn. MI.
Nortns remedy for this is simple sprinkle tae
st .h 1ca he saws This Is done In Paris with me
with rs ce The Street Cleaning Department could
% The work e ,nyo, u DerVe'''0" u " ~
TS nreat economic value Of smooth. paving lee
in the heavier i9aas stmate based on actual ex.
nerment is that horse can nau. ~ per r.o osn'
nor more aS az Of asphalt really bad road
one Of deep ruts or plenteous mud Is, o, course:
much greater An - T"ods within the city To in.
crsase the amount Of the load one-naI Is 70 save ave."
the commerce Of nth the S si5y be Accomplished With
no greater expenditure than rough pave'"e"S
indeed .s ,1s cost Of s SoSrs 0 the city, will
lay asphalt. the s:ippernsesssd ~ difference q
increased ensneers in the service Of the city
as to whether this material sh1sn ns eighth ana
nou between One-Huuu
nsd 'bat the decline was great as to make
asphalt unfeasb!e and he had MS way
WOOD VERSUS ASPHALT.
=, .. ,ossthle that wood will be used TO some a.
,ent in having the streets OF the city. IL oeaoens
The sound of horses hoofs. which make srea'
ds.I ~ cIatter on asphalt. but wheels make rather
~. uo,sa an the asphalt, Wood Is the more ex'
noas,,. N.cadam costs too much TO keep iq re.
pair 10 be available for trucking streeIs. ~ u
likely 70 be confined TO the PARKS ana SssSS~H
and to shoroushfares ABOVE
There is already considerable besnning to.ara
masnS annropraton OF 100000 available last
Year for repaving, and the same sum s Is 20 os ~
eore nr viii 90 for asphalt Contracts for paw.
ing number Of streets have been iet; one wSss
Y, With be the thoroushiares shows tha.
Considerable part OF New-York City below one:
hundred. al twenty Afth-st. is already provided
The amount Of asphalt paving laid or aoous 20
laid east Of the BGwerS Except near hs
East River virtually all that reg;on viii oe PAVE.
with ssph By ,a s Ts's the is
neshborhoods streets at once which can De s.eanea
thoroughly and easily THIS Is San,saay me- Eas;
side but residents OF the city generally as an
epidemic which broke out in these aoodes OF sme
moor would be serious matter TO the Wnoie COM
munity.
WEALTHY PEOPLE MUST WAIT.
The wealthy people are anxious to have the
streets in which they live paved with asphalt"
said Mr. North. land It Is sometimes hard TO re-
fuse their requests. But they can and do 90 OUT
OF town IN the hot months, while the poor families
east Of the Bowery have got to live here all the
time. therefore believe that the streets In which
there are tenement or apartment houses shouia
have the preference am also In favor OF paving
blocks on which there are schools or hospitals with
asphalt soon possible
The sight OF asphalt streets In the northern PAN
OF Manhattan Island where there are few houses
has often led to the remark TIE property-owners
here must have had great pull to have that
asphalt nd" AS a matter OF fact. much OF this
paving wds paid for entirely by the landowners
Under the law. they pay the nrs; cost OF the
original pavement. and may choose whatever
material they please. After that the city must
bear all the expense. or course In former admins
trations there was n great deal OF favorsm IN
this matter. but not as much as one ignorant Of
the facts would suppose.
The general extension OF smooth pavements will
also render more feasible the employment OF self
rropeling carriages. trucks and wagons and while
for time II will tighten the burden OF the horse.
may be the means of driving him out OF most Of
the to which he is now nut.