The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-07-18
RAILROAD STREETS PAVING.
The Improvement n DimcuIt One, But
Well Done.

Well Done.
Railroad street, which has for 50 long
been the worst highway inside the city
limits, is in fair way soon to become one
of the best.
The work of improving the roadway IS
going ahead rapidly, and Judging by what
has already been accomplished. will be
well done. A force Of 70 to 50 men is now
at work on the road and the paving by the
Central depot is already nearly complete.
The greater part of the grading has been
done and the work will now be pushed
rapidly.
The grading of Railroad street was the
heaviest portion of the work. The street
has for years been used as a dumping
ground for debris and brick bats, which
were used to fill in the road when there
was no idea OF paving it. The road
was several feet deep with this material,
which had boone hard and packed in the
course Of years. An immense quantity of
this material has been removed. but a
great deal yet remains to be done.
The Tom Davis" the citys new steam
road roller. named in honor of the chair
man Of the streets and lanes committee
Of council, has done valiant work in re-
moving this debris. The roller Is a fine
piece Of machinery, which can be oper-
ated easily on unpaved as well as paved
surfaces. heavy pillow, specially con-
structed for the purpose, was attached to
the roller and the work Of tearing up the
rocky road bed was made easy. The
movement of the excavated earth and de-
bris was accelerated by the use of double
team scoops. Some idea of the heavy
he VUh
is known that from West Broad street TO
and beyond the western end of the Central
railroad passenger shed the excavation
averaged fully three feet. There is some
be done the curb which has
already been laid, being four TO five feet
under ground in places. This heavy grad
ing was made necessary in order to re-
duce the steep grade Of the hill. which
rises abruptly from the creek bed below.
When completed the road will be credit
to the city, and a great advantage to the
public, both for purposes of business and
pleasure. Until this connection is com
pleted the splendid ebert roadway built
by the city to the limits and the fine
roadway of the Louisville road beyond
will be OF little advantage.
Both Chairman Davis and Commissioner
Of Public Works Willink are giving the
work their personal attention. A Morn
ing News reporter visited the work yester-
day in company with these gentlemen
and found a busy scene. Work was be-
ing pushed on the paving from West
Broad street to the end of the passenger
shed, in order not TO inconvenience the
traffic at that point any more than it was
possible to do. Express. mail and bag
gage wagons were allowed access to the
DEPOT by this pavement last night, and
by Monday night il will probably be
thrown open to general use.
The 300 linear feet of the pavement al
ready completed is probably the best spec
linen of Belgian block pavement in the
city. The blocks were closely laid flied
in with sand, rammed and then rolled with
the heavy steam roller. The bicyclists
viii find little to complain OF In this pave
ment. When the pavement is completed
a splendid roadway will be afforded from
West Broad street, out Railroad Areet
and the Louisville road for several miles
The present wooden bridge, the supports
of which DISTRICT the center OF the street
at its narrowest part, win shortly be re-
moved by the Central railroad and an
iron span bridge substituted. fT