Delaware gazette and state journal., 1896-05-14

great extent, TO tho careful aud con-
work OF our Street and
Sewer Department which from its in
ception. has been composed of ecrupu-
lousy honest and economic men who, !
at all timos have had tho welfare OF |
our city ut heart. Yet, with all
their endeayors to serve the tax
payers OF the city, their judgment has
not always been infallable They have
male mistakes. They acknowledge
them, and are using every endeavor
according to their judgment to correct
the same. Yet, this department since
its inception has expended an approx
mate total of 81, $50, 600 OF the city's
funds, and it is only natural that the
Board of Trade as representative body
Of tho city's tax payers should inquire
as to the expenditure Of such an
amount of money. Tho present NON
bers of the Board Of Directors of tho
Street and Sewer Department have
been exceedingly courteous to your
committee, and have given il every
facility in securing knowledge of tho
departments work and methods. We
have had full access to the depart
ment's books, and the clerical force Of
the department through the instruc-
tion of the directors have shown us
every courtesy and given us every help.
An examination OF the departments
books shows that the directors of the
department have uniformally shown
the same interest and economy in the
work of the department that they
Unll1 in spi n m ~ ira
The contracts have always been care
fully awarded to the lowest and best
bidder with proper preference; other
things being equal TO home labor and
home capital. Yet with all our high
regard for the department, our great
respect for its Judgment and Just
recognition of its earnest endeayors
your committee would respectfully
disagree with some Of the conclusions
arrived at.
Limiting the use of macadam to the
outlying districts the question Of paving
material for the built-up PORTIONS of
our city resolves itself into a choice
between the natural paving material Of
granite blocks and an artificial paving
material of some kind. While the
durability of granite blocks is ad-
mitted by all yet il is Just as well
settled that the uses of light driving
and bicycles demand some streets OF II
character more fitted for thoir use. 1t
has been the policy of the department
to use paving brick for this purpose.
But experience shows that they do not
prove TO be thoroughly satisfactory and
are likely to prove very expensive.
Such being the case the question
arises what can be used to supply the
place Of paving brick with equal or
better results and with greater
economy? Your committee had dill
gently inquired and used some time in
endeayoring to select some paving ma
terial that it could recommend to be
used in our city to supply the demand
for certain smoothly paved streets,
having at the same time a proper re-
gard for the use of economy in the eX-
penditure Of the city's money; and We
have definitely concluded that such re-
suits can be best obtained by the use of
asphalt. This can be laid at approxi-
mately the same cost as Belgian block
with guarantee for five years and for
slightly increased price with a
guarantee for 10 years. 1t was formally
objected that contract for laying
asphalt pavement could not be secured
unless very large contract was given.
This objection, however, is now over
come. Contracts can now be made for
such paving for 50 small contract az
o,OO0 or G,000 square yards. This
amount, however, would he required
in one contract for the reason that a
plant would be necessary before this
system of paving could be put into
operation. 1t has also been objected
that the gradient of our streets would
not allow of its use. With the oxcep-
tiun of very few squares in our city
We have no hesitancy in saying that
there would be no trouble from that
source Our consular reports show
that from statistics taken in London
fewer accidents occur from horses
falling on asphalt pavement than on
belgium blocks considering the same
distance travelled and the same grade
Of street And this, too, ON rock
asphalt, which is much smoother and
much more slippery than the Trinidad
Asphalt, which is mostly used in this
/ country, Your committee observed To
some extent the use of this pavement
in the city Of Philadelphia and there
| found streets paved with this material
/ subject to several times the amount of
traffic to which ii would be subject in
any part Of Wilmington, and vet, al
the ehd OF II years subject 10 such
Use, and with very little repair il
| showed 70 he in cXcellent condition.
Therefore taking into consideration it,
cost, its durability, its comfort foI
driving, its cleanliness and its genera
sanitary effect, ii is considered that
asphalt is the most satisfactory ma
terial to be used on our streets subject
to light traffic. Then again asphalt i,
the best known pavement for tho ugl
of bicycles, and when we consider tina
there are approximately 1000 bicvc q
in use in our city, representing possibI,
| eouu, 900 uf property, used by one il
every ton inhabitants, representing on,
in every two families, il must be seei
that iq street making and in stree
using tho interest of the whpelmen o
Wilmington demands and must receiy
due consideration. In the use OF thi
material for the securing of certain
smoothly paved streets for the use
above named proper plans should b
laid for the purpose Of securing sucl
tu'louSH'uluh through lhe length AM
breadth of orr city by designating cor
tain streets to be smoothly paved fror
tho eastern to the western limits an,
others to be smoothly paved from tn
northern to the southern limits OF tn
city. The bast results from such
plan would probably be secured b
designating one street on either silo ,
Market street and running paraI!,
Herewith, and one street on cithe
side Of Eighth street and runnin
parallel Herewith.
On tho subject Of street use III
things 10 he considered are rostrirriu
Of traffic, right Of way and prou,