The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1897-05-29

Ia tho Editor of The Post.
| 1t would seem that the proposition in Mr.,
| Iorters communication in The Post Of tho
pod Instant has failed to elicit single
approciatye response from property hold
crs HIS offer To pay one half the cost Of
40 asphalt pavement along the front OF his
| property evinceS highly coum"ndable
| public spirit, inasmucl as this particular
! Kind OF pavement is of the highest priced
order and Of doubtful adaptability to our
clmatc.
| II the city Is ia experiment with this ma
| tcrial out OF the public funds IL rs but
reasonable that it's advocates should as-
sumo one half the cost, and thus reduce
| the cost to the general public 10 that Of
| The least expensive ana very best and most
| durable OF matorigl--srrconed erayol. as
set forth In Mr. Hatter'a very Interesting
communication in The Post Of the I'M in
slant, or of the granite m1cndam the merit
OF which is SO confidently claimed by MIR
McLauriu thai he offers TO put down u
sample block at his own expense for public
inspection and intelligent Judgment
IN other words. II high priced fancy and
ornate pavement Is 10 be demanded for
the smooth and easy driving OF pleasure
vehicles ana bicyclHts, the excess 10 the
cost OF such paving over that required foe
general business traffic should be willingly
borne by its advocates. or n not willingly
borne. should be imposed upon them.
A durable pavement al minimum cos;
can be extended over "A maximum area to
the greDtest advantage OF the greatest
number OF our people. ana this surely
should bo the Predominant aim and cffor,
Of uuF city government TO .chirYe.
II Is TO bn regretted. however, that in
the advocacy Of his policy. Mr. Porter steps
aside 10 uee tho sledgc hammer style o.
argument IN dlsposing Of gravel as paw
ing material with the startling assertion
hat Main street II today a disgrace to
Houston. The street surface H. reeklng with
poisonous mattor" Now. II such we're the
conditions of our principal tborough!are,
which can not DO admitted mud which are
not sustained by the facta a proclamation
nf them through tho public press would
bo most iniudicious and impolitlc. How
much more 80, then. when the alleged con-
dillon Is but a fiction OF the ifnaglna tiOn.
That style of argument will hardly cue
coed In proselyting those IN tnvOr OF get
Ding ten miles OF paved streets instead of
five for the came outlay of money.
Mr.. Porter knows az well IA any one that
tho gravel was heretofore put down with
a large admiXture Of fnc ciayey earth,
which. under pressure during rainy wealth
or oOzed TO the ~rface ar mud. and hence
the prejudice against gravel. No one wants
gravel put down agsn Ia the old way. MIR.
Hatter's communication above alluded 10
very seDsIbly advocates gravel screened 10
three sizes and Deposited in-succe6siye 10y
ers from the largest al the bottom to the
smallest at the surfsee-a plan hardly to
DO improved upon unless by covering OF
sand 10 act as binding agency as II grad
uslly settles into the inlerstioca below.
Nor can such pavement be objectad 10
on account Of any inequalities Of surface II
may undergo thereafter. as any common
WAGNER with HIS load ~ gravel can easily
and quickly apply the remedy.
The brick payements are now thickiy
spotted With inequalities which will very
soon have to undergo extensive repairs at
many times the cost OF gravel pavement
repairs on account both OF cost OF material
and intelligent labor involved.
II is 10 be hoped that Mr.. McLaurin may
bo permitted to put down his block OF
granite maoadam. and that Mr. Halter may
deem II to bis interest 10 put down block