Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-09-23
CAPT. BEACH'SREPORT
Assistant Engineer Commissioner Pre-
sents Some Interesting Facts.
OPERATIONS OF HlS DEPARTMENT
Recommends Changes in the Law
Governing Public Work.
THE REPORT IN ETAIL

The annual report of Captain Lansing
b. Beach, assistant engineer commissioner.
in charge of the surface department, as
well as sewers, was submitted to the Com
missioners this afternoon.
1t sets forth:
During the year 2.33 miles of street,
amounting to $3.50 square yards were
newly paved with asphalt; GA miles, or
9,292 square yards. were paved with as
phalt block. end OPT miles, or 523S square
yards, of old pavement were removed and
relaid with asphalt; 1886 square yards of
original coal tar pavement were resur-
faced with asphalt or replaced entirely with
asphalt: 5.050.33 square yards of asphalt
block were resurfaced with asphalt. The
total number of miles Of the different kinds
Oh pavements in the District is shown in
table + of Mr.. Hunts report
NO granite block pavements were laid and
II Is not probable that any more will be-
Inc nolsiness of those that are now upon
some OF the streets Is source of constant
eoniolaint from the people accustomed to
the Quletness or smoother Davements and
their shpperlIesS upon the sleeper grades
after they have been down a year or two
forms strong objection 20 their use This
snpperlness might not be 90 important in
other cities. but here. where, owing to the
moderate grades and mild winter climate
the horses shoes are. as a rule, unprovided
Win caiks, 1t becomes i, serious objection.
rue once Is constantly in receipt of re-
quests TO nave the existing granite pave
ments removed or covered with asphalt,
rms covering of granite block pavement
with asphalt has been tried several times In
ms CITY IN the past, but has never proved
satisfactory or economical. as there does
not appear to be a sufficient bond between
the smooth blocks and the new material
Win lhe result that in short time holes
appear, "hlch involve constant repair II the
street Is 10 De kept i'll proper condition.
VitriAed Brick Paving,
Nc vitrified brick pavements have been
laid upon the streets during the year.
There are some localities where 1t is be-
ieved that this material could be used
with advantage. although the residents OF
the city appear to be strongly prejudiced
in favor of asphalt.
Crawling and macadamiZing were used
upon several of the outlying streets for
which there were no funds for a perrna-
nent Improvement. The two terms were
formerly Used to express different methods
OF road making. but the experience of the
office tends toward a combination OF the
two consisting of a layer of broken stones
covered with a resurfacing of gravel. of
which Several good deposits are found in
different parts of the District.
Asphalt, Sheet and Block.
to be the paver ents preferred by the peo-
pie. and no other kinds were laid during
the year. In laying the sheet asphalt pave
ment the practice of making the cutters Of
vitrified trick has been continued, with
very satisfactory results. The reason for
this is that as all fluids falling upon a
pavement flow to the gutter, 1t is thus the
portion most exposed to their action and
the place where decay Of the asphalt is
mr. mt re Uyh
SressoS most rapidly.
On some of the older streets, where the
asphalt was originally laid to the curb, and
has decayed and has had to be renewed
several times. brick cutters have been put
in with a great advantage both tosecOnomy
of maintenance and effectiveness of drain
age. The first cutters were laid; with the
brick toothed into the asphalt but the diff
ficulty of making repair along the line of
junction when laid has caused later
cutters to be laid with a continuous joint.
This may expose the joint to greater wear
from the wheels of vehicles, but experience
has not yet been sufficient to say definitely
which is the better method.
Asphalt blocks used are twelve inches
long by four inches wide by five inches
deep. They are made of what may be
termed an asphalt concrete nodded under a
pressure Of 5000 pounds to the square
inch. The ASPHALT is required to fulfill
the same conditions as stated above for
street asphalt pavement. The blocks are
laid ordinarily upon gravel base. which
has answered all purposes to date. The
asphalt in this pavement is less liable to
decay than in the case of sheet asphalt,
ard the blocks can be laid to the curb,
forming their own gutter.
First Cost of Pavements.
The first cost of this pavement is some
what higher than that of sheet asphalt,
but 1t needs much less repair in the cases
where it has been used in this city, and
it's ultimate cost is believed to be no larger.
/ had hoped to give table showing the
cost of the different pavements for each
year of their life, but unfortunately have
been unable to have it prepared in time for
insertion here. The asphalt block has been
used almost entirely upon asphalt streets
of light traffic. so that its behavior under
heavy wear is not yet definitely deter
mined. 1t has been found, however, that
this pavement gives much better results
when lsid in hot weather tnan when laid
IL. cold weather, the explanation being
that the block being slightly softened by
the neat. the edges compress somewhat
Under traffic. SO as to make what is in
effect a sheet pavement with practically
very fine joints. while if laid in cold
weather the block is brittle and the edges
chip off slightly under the wheels, max
ing the pavement more of the character of
vitrified brick pavement where the
bricks have beveled edges. 1t is needless
to say that the pavement laid in warm
weather causes less noise than one laid in
cold weather.
St-aot In. (,o,nnuuSas