New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-07-18
MORE SMOOTH PAVEMENTS.
PLENTY OF THIS WORK GOING ON IN
THE CITY.
HOW ASPHALT Is USUALLY LAID-IONG THROUGH
ROUTES PRovIDED-NEw PAvEMENTS AC-
THoRIZED BY THE BOARD OF ESTIMATE


ROUTES PRovIDED-NEw PAvEMENTs Au-
THoRIzED BY THE BOARD OF ESTIMATE
THE USE OF BRICK.
1t Is necessary for one to travel about the CITY
good deal II he wishes to keep Thoroughly III
formed regarding what Is being done In the way
OF asphalt Improvements and see the Work VIII"
his own eyes. A report Of what Is going on NJ any
given time be regarded as accurate and stricty
UP to date only night. for each day when me
weather Is such to permit outdoor Work sees
an advance OF few rods on a large numoer Vi
streets. Only those in close touch With the bureau
of the Water Puryeyor know just the state OF inc
work ut any moment.
In most cases the asphalt Is placed on top Of ex-
listing granite Belgian pavements. but me rule
is that all such pavements must be reaid. IN or
der that an excessive crown may not be given
to the roadway. On some OF the streets "heie
asphalt has been put down II has been round neces-
sary to reduce the crown more than 90 per cent 80
as to provide a good foothod for horses In wet ana
slippery weather. After the stone pavement mas
been taken up the superiuous earth removed ana
the stones have been replaced. 1t is surprising 70
note with what rapidity the new surface can ne
applied
In the first place, the stones are swept as clean
possible-ceaner than they ever were swept ny
the indefatgable "angels" OF Colonel WarinS; then
the binder" mixture of coal tar and smah
broken stones Is put down and rolled carefully
until 1t is smooth and even In every part, ana
little later the final coating Of asphalt Is applied
with another scrupulously careful rolling. Within
few hours. hardly more than twenty-four al 'he
furthest the is thrown open to general ra1-
hc the pavement being hard and Arm as it ever
will he. A block OF asphalt WAS laid In this way
few days ago In the neighborhood Of the custom
House, and the street was closed to pubic Use ior
not more than two or three days.
Where a concrete foundation is provided, instead
Of placing the asphalt the old pavement
longer time is required for the concrete. which Is
composed OF cement and broken stone mixed. takes
several days to set" concrete foundation
however is used In this city only in exceptional
instances It adds to the expense and II IS De-
lieved by experts that the quality Of such pave
ment is not sufficiently superior TO justify the
extra cost
THROUGH ROUTES PROVIDED
While a large number Of short pieces Of asphalt
have been laid this year. excellent progress mas
been made In connecting short strips so as 10 pro-
vide routes OF considerable length and se'erai
long through routes have been completed or are
on the point Of completion The most important
Of the latter up to date Is First-ave.. which. when
the work is DONE will have an asphalt pavement
from Twentieth-st. to One-hundred- and -ninth-st
remainder will be finished about August l. TO
make this smooth pavement accessible at tne up
phaled from First-ave to Fifth-ave.. and that )op
Is expected to be finished about the same time -.
Near the lower end OF the asphalt In First,ave
there is a smooth pavement in Twenty-second st.
leading westward another Ink has d 6eeh Repeck
er-st. between Crosby-st: and the Bowery. Sec zee
other side of the Bowery only a few yards north
of Bleecker-st., and Muberryst., with its asphalt
bringing one to Centre-st.. short distance above
the City Hall, without the necessity OF going into
any of the crowded streets east OF the Bowery.
on account of is easy grades. First-ave Is p0und
in no cir "a
1t will have strong rival on the West SIDE wnen
is entire length Until within few days t was
hoped that The plan Of aying apnd IN
ninth ST. could be carried out this year but on a-
count Of the legal complications in which ne rall
Sesa 3Sund ,n be When this
will be the most important piece OF asphat WOE b
new pavement will be one hundred blocks or about
FIVE miles. The work planned for Kngsbridge RoaS
will also be delayed foi similar reason ai'houe"
the railroad company Is not the same sr.r, On the
The Gonra nf Parkave was signed few days
ago and orders have been given 10 the company "
begin work at once.
FOR THE BENEFIT OF WHEELMEN.
number Of recent Improvements are OF special
interest and importance to the wheelmen espe-
c,ally those which give to them better approaches
to the ferries. It Is now possible TO get within
few rods of the Fort Lee ferry. as there Is con-
tinuous asphalt route all the way across me cl.y
from Secondave through and aw
renee SITS. Dey-st has recently received coa.ihS
of asphalt more than half way from Broadway sv 70
nearly the entire distance from the Brookiyhi
Bridge to the Pennsylvania and Jersey central
1t is a good piece Of news that decision mas las
from Broadway to West Broadway. giving an out
let from the Bridge to the asphalt strips IN bud
The Roosevelt-st ferry is not much used by cy-
clists, but those having occasion to travel mat way
laid with asphalt from Water-st TO PARK fow,
where 1t makes near connec'ioh VIII" '"e "'p''
What many wheemen are hoping for is an IN, I'M n,
in the means Of getting ssy w 10 be- se srae
10 any one who gives them lift In that direction;
Board Of o Es'm o expe as SbeH % in
asphalt improvements, In addition TO those WIFI np,
have been reesrsd to- Ine G rTe Of bicycle rid
ers 1t is the placing of asphalt strips IN DeS
brosses-st.. from Hudson-st. to the PenhsS"an'"
iei'' NEW WORK AUTHORIZED.
The streets included in the list just passed on by
the Board Of Estimate is as follows the asphait III
all cases to be placed over the present pavementS'
One-hundred- a nd fourth-st., from Manhattan-ave'
to the Boulevard.
seventh-ave from Fifty-eighth-st to Fifty
nR,h,st; from Madison-ave to Lexington
"s sixty-nrst-st from Madison-ave to First-aye'
FIeventh-st, from Second lave; TO Fourth-aVe;
One-hundred and twenty fourth-st from Mad
from Firstave to Madison-ave
Fiity-sxh-st from Park; 1S,.d to Lexns'on-a'e
M re, sa,.onthst from Park-ave. to Lexington
ave and from Broadway to Ninth ave A.,
Scventy-sixth-st, from Columbus-ave 10 the
Boulevard. ., 49,. :. 1ox,ro.on-
49,. 4. ,o,,hoye
Thirty -nfth-st., from sixth-ave to Ninth,a'e
Eightieth-st from First-ave TO Avenue A.o,. non
The cost OF all this work Is estimated AT SZi4S'
In addition the Board of Estimate authorized the
Department OF Public Works to repave Iwen i';,
fo,irth-st from Madison-ave. to First-aVe. VIII
'j,rGad hr,rk at an estimated cost OF 900. X IL
not certain that this Will be done hGweyer Tito |I be
Question OF brick pavements, and the more nc
studies it the less no thinks OF brick as Pa ban
mi down on Manhattan Island. There is a niue
In Brooklyn and Mr.. North went over one cay iaS'
,u.eL IN look AT IT, His report was not favorable,
81 drove ali over the brick pavement IN Br2oh-
,,,, Ne cold on Friday land must say that 90