New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-12-12
Nineteenth Street and Sixth Avenue.
THE END IN SIGHT ON FIFTH-AVE
WORK TO BE COMPLETED BY THE CLOS
OF THE YEAR. OR SOON AFTER-THE
USE OF CORK BLOCKS ON
MURRAY HILL

Slow but steady progress Is being made with the
work In Fifth ave. which has been so much In
evidence before the eyes Of NEWCOMERS for many
months. and there is some hope that u, may be
completed before the city II transformed into col
lection OF boroughs. The pavement, so far as
1t has been laid Is satisfactory TO those who have
been interested In seeing this fine avenue made
comfortable for driving and wheeling by doing
away with the rough and uneven grants blocks.
with the Inevitable noise and joltns. II has been
a tedious process. blu. at length the end seems TO
be in sight. II has not been the repaving that has
consumed 80 much time. but the laying or big
water mains and the readjustment Of steam. water
and gas pipes TO say nothing Of electrical conduc-
tors
No definite date Is yet set by IN. officials for the
completion of the work. since the weather is an
importan; element. There have been some bad
days lately when all outdoor labor had to be sus-
pended. but within the last week there were sew
cral days that were all that could be desired by
contractors and Public Works officials The latter
say that IL weather OF this latter kind continues
for the next two weeks It will be possible to turn
Fifth-ave. to the city in its finished state by
Christmas. 1t will certainly be an acceptable
more likely that "hnis" viii not be written the
undeer'aKns unt'i ABOUT the enc OF the hrst week
People who have gone up and down the avenue
HIN between Ia,rty-fourth and TRirty-slx,h SIS,
beer covered with blocks composed OF a mixture of
graduated cork and bituEIen. This species OF
pavement Ia not only noiseess, but II Is said that
II is impossible for horses to slip It, unless II Is
creased. To keep horses from slipping when going
up down hill the main purpose OF using IL In
Fifth-ave.. but. sngularly enough. those who have
taken pains to note the effect OF this special pro-
iision for horses report that many drivers guide
their horses the smooth asphalt rather than the
allowed TO do they please they prefer the asphalt
as rule The explanation given by one driver Is
that horses have got accustomed TO the smooth
pavement since the great Increase In the amount OF
asphalt used in the city, and naturally choose TO
20 on 1t when they have chance.
The cork blocks are almost absolutely noseess.
and In the opinion o: experts. make an Ideal pave
This puts cork pavements on any large scale out
OF the reach Of the city at present. The strips In
FIfth-ave. are the only public pavement Of the
kind In New-York. barring small area In First
ave where cork blocks were put down about a
year ago in an experimental way. They stood up"
so well that Consulting Engineer North had no
he in recommending their use on the Fifth
teen years guarantee the same the asphalt
pavements under the control of the Department OF
Public Works
There is some prospect that a cheapenng Of the
cost of granulated cork blocks will occur before
long since successful experiments have been made
with another material as substitute FOR purposes
where the cork preparation has been extensively
employed and In that case II Is not unlikely that
II may become successful rival Of asphalt and as
The cork blocks In Fifth-ave. are the same as
those used In the courtyard OF the Astoria, where
the noiseless pavement has attracted admirins at
tentiOn