The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-01-13
STREET PAVING DURING 1896.
SAVANNAH PUT DOWN FIVE KINDS
LAST YEAR.

LAST YEAR
The Cost of the Work, Except the
South Broad street Contract 500
561-The City Paid S9,557-The
Brick Pavements Being Closely
Watched-COmmissi WilIink
Satisfied With the Rock and ebert
PavInE-NO More Shell Payements
to BE Put Down.
Commissioner of Public Works Willlnk
has prepared an additional report on street
paving in 1896, which has been incorpor-
ated with his report to Mayor Myers.
During 1896 12,5OO.s square yards of pave
ment were laid, at total cost of $40, SCI. 6S,
and work was well under way at the close
| of the year on pavements, aggregrating
about $4,000 square yards, on which the
city expended up to that time 5I4110.7O,
making a gross total of about 1880 square
yards. The following tables show the
completed work:
Abercorn Street-Material, vitrifed
brick; S,5Ol.7 square yards total cost, &c.,
4S4.27
Habersham street-Material, vitrided
brick; 1896 square yards; total cost, S.
1888
Bay Street. Observation-Disclosures, rock and
ebert; ATT square yards; total cost, ST.
1926
Wadley Street-Material, granite blocks;
! 1926 square yards; total cost, $9141S.
The division of the cost of this paving
was as follows:
Abercorn Street-Cost to city, $4.166 "a;
| erty owners. $1,276O7.
Habersham Street-Cost to city, 81, $685.;
railroads proportion, $2,241.51; cost to
property owners, $1,6174.
Bay Street Extended-Cost to city, ST.
2OO.92; cost to property owners, $4,2SS.33.
Wadley Street-Cost to city, 1904. 70; cost
to property owners, $609.45.
Total cost to city, s9,55752; total rail-
roads proportion, So, 283.17; total cost 20
property owners, $7,740.99.
The average cost per square yard of paw
ing these streets, which is the cost at
tached to paving and not including euro
or catch basins, is as follows:
Abercorn Street-Cost of paving, S., 521SS;
cost per square yard, $1.5T.
Habersham Street-Cost of paving, So
92S.47; cost per square yard, $1.72S.
Bay Street. Extended-Cost of paving,
$5Ol4.35; cost per square yard, $1.O0S
Wadley Street-Cost of paving, $91418.
cost per square yard, $1.569
Vitrifed brick was used for the first time
in Savannah. Paving pitch, instead of
sand, was put in the interstices forming
quite an item of cost. BY using sand in
stead of pitch, Commissioner Willink es-
Inmates that the cost would have been
reduced by about u cents per square yard.
The pavements have proved very satisfac-
tory, the commissioner states and have
been favorably commented upon by both
SaVannahianS and visitors. The mainten-
ance and cleaning of brick pavements will
cost, in all probability, about the same as
on granite block streets. The objections
about noise raised prior to the laying of
the paYements seem to have disappeared,
as there have been no complaints urged
against brick on that score since these
two pavementS were laid. Comm issioner
Willnk is watching the two pavements
closely, and a the end of the present year
expects to be in position to speak more
definitely and with some authority con-
corning them.
The pavement on Bay street extended.
ebert surface of three inches on crushed
rock foundation of six inches, is highly
| spoken of by the commissioner. The cost
! of this paving, it will be noticed, is very
I moderate 1t makes a very durable and
pretty pavement, superior to shell in ap-
! pearance, and costing less in maintenance.
| The cost OF streets in the citys built up
! section, with better facilities for handling
| the materials, would doubtless be even
| less, and the result an even better look
| ing and more satisfactory roadway. The
rock bottom once down, is there for many
years before it would ever require atten-
ton, and the top dressing, whether it be
ebert or gravel, can be kept in good or
! der at a small expense. These kind of
pavements, owing to their cheapness,
beauty, noiselessness and wearing quail
ties, are probably destined to become the
popular pavement for all but a few main
| thoroushfares hereafter.
The experience of a year has demon
strated to the satisfaction of the commits
sioner that no more shell pavements
should be put down in Savannah. That
appears to be the impression of all who
have made a study OF the question and
who are acquainted with the cost of keep
ing up such streets
The Louisville road, the paving of which
from the Ogeechee canal to the Augusta
road is now nearing completion, will be
another fine example of the use of rock
and ebert The paving of South Broad
street with asphalt, will add about % $50
square yards 10 the area of this class OF
pavements. The contract price for this
pavement, $1.95 per square yard is the
cheapest at which work of this character
and quality has ever been done in Savan-
nah. The city, as usual, laid the curb on
South Broad street. and put in the catch
basins. The asphalt company does the
grading and paving.
Commissioner Willink has estimates on
the cost of paving several streets with
different materials. During last year he
got together considerable information
from other cities on the paving question