The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1897-05-12

Houston. Texas, May 10 have read
with much interest the article of Mr.. Nc
Laurin on cost OF paving our streets with
L''sIrd granite. which appeared IN your
sunday issue. and while agreeing with him
US 10 the merits OF the material mem
| TONED for a suburban road. still do not
thlnk II would give satisfaction in the
city. The gentleman givos figures TO
| SNOW cost. hut is Ia error ia circulating
a cubic yard Of crushed stone 10 cover
| twelve square yards six inches tuck. In
fact, it Will only cover SIX square yards
or just one half without allowing anything
Tor The shrlnkage that takes place when
the road metal IS oompacted by rolling
TO proper surface.
Macalau would not recommend a
I thickness of less than ten inches for
heavy traitic and Telford urged binder
VI two inches in addition to this. Accord
ing to these famous authorities the fin
ished thickness after rolling would be
about twelve inches AMI would cost-tak-
Ing Mr.. McLaGrinS figures of $i.45 per
cubic yard-the sum OF Sl.iS Ia per
square yard. rather a high price for a
mere foundation upon which if desired an
asphalt coating could be applied.
For little more than half this amount
good concrete base six inches thick, com
posed of broken stones and hydraulic ce-
ment can be laid, making much superior
and permanent foundation, upon which IA
wearing surface OF asphalt or brick can
be placed,
OF course. on account of its noiseless-
ness and cleanliness asphalt is much SUI
pcrior, still on such foundation, especl-
ally where the traffic is light. brick Is
not without merit.
About tho proper width for street
there is difference of opinion but the
tendency is to restrict it to about thirty
or thrty-fivo feet and utilize the extra
arfu.
of laying water and gas mains and in some
cases sewers. This leaves the street I'M
disturbed. and Is of great value, not only
saving the cost OF repairing the trenches
but leaving the surface unmarried.
Allowing $50 feet for length OF blocks
and width of thirty feet. an asphalt
pavement can be laid for less than $4,000
FER block. guaranteed for five years. after
which 1t can be kept in repair for a nom
inal sum per square yard, so that While
at first it would cost more than brick, it
would be cheaper in the end.
The understandable pavement has not
yet been discovered. nor the one that will
last for centuries TO come" At the he
ginning of this century the roads OF Eng
land We're in sn impossible condition, and
remained so until relford and McAdam
brought scientific principles to their con-
siructon and repair. Indeed, 1t was no.
until 1910 that Walker laid what might
be considered the first modern pavement.
This was of granite. the stones We're three
inches broad and nine deep; they were
laid on n bed of concrete one foot thick
aud jointed with mortar
The use of Pcnmaur granite was discon-
tinued in London in consequence of its
slipperiness and noise. but tho Aberdeen
blue granite was and is still used 1t
wears faster, hut keeps a rough surface.
An authority on street payemcnts says.
"A vast amount OF ingenuity has been
expended in the effort to make street pave
monts that would be indestructble, but
the effort ia entirely futile. In the con-
slant uttriton of wheels and pavement
something must be worn. and If the pave
mcnt is indostructible the vehicle viii soon
be destroyed and another declares "a
community if educated to Il proper stand
ard will prefer TO spend a dollar well than
fifty cents in makeshif,s. and 1t should
be the duty Of every engineer to guide
them to that end"
C. L. DOnuely.