The times., 1897-09-24

The annual report of Capt. Lansing II.
Beach, assistant engineer commissioner,
and his estimates for the fiscal year 1899,
were submitted to the Commissioners
yesterday afternoon. His report as to
the amount Of paving done ON the city
streets states that during the year . 2.33
miles OF street, amounting to $3.50
square yards, We're newly paved with
asphalt; D:44 mile, or 9,272 square yards
were paved with asphalt block, and 81
mile or 5,33s square yards OF old pave
ment We're removed and relaid with asphalt;
1886 square yards OF original coal Ia;
pavement were resuifaced with asphalt
or replaced entirely with asphalt, and
! 5-05033 square yards OF asphalt block
were resuifactd with asphalt He states
that the department has given up the
,aying Cf granite blocks on account OF
their noisiness aud slipperiness. lie SAYS
that the department receives frequen.
requests 10 have the granite blocks now
DOWN removed No vltufied bIick was
Laid. Gravcing and macadanizing We're
used upon several of the outlying streets
for which there were no funds FOR d per
manent improvement.
As to asphalt blocks, Capt Beach ays:
The asphalt in this pavement is less liza
| ble TO decay than in the case of sheet
| asphalt, and the blocks can be laid to the
curb, forming their own gutter.
The first cost Of this pavement is some
what higher than that of sheet asphalt
but IL needs much less repair in the eases
where il has been used in this city, and
its ultimate cost is believed TO he no larger
/ The asphalt block has been used almost
entirely Upon asphalt streets Of light trar
iic, 50 that its behavior under heavy wea is
net vet definitel Y determined. II has been
| found, however, that this pavement gives
uch better results when laid In hot
weather Than when laid in cold weather
| the explanation heing that the block being
slightly softeaed by the heat the edges
compress somewhat under traffic, - is to
make what is in effect a sheet pa yement
with practically very fine joints, while IL
| laid in c,ld weather the block is brittle ina
the edges chip off Slightly under the wheels.
making the pavement more OF the charac-
ter of a yitrified brick pavement, where the
| bricks have beveled edges. 1t is needless 70
say that the pavement laid in warm
weather causes less noise than one laid in
cold weather"
Capt Beach calls attention 20 the fact
that some Of the street railroads entirely
disregard the law making them responsible
for the pa vement between and to a dis
tance two feet outside OF their tracks
The reads in the hands of receivers, he says,
pay uc attention TO the law.
He SAYS:
As remedy for this state of affairs
would propose a law by Congress requir-
! ing each street ear companyoperatiu. with
in tie District limits to deposit with the
collector OF taxes a certain per cent Of its
gross income, say 4 per cent, until this
deposit reached sum amounting to $ 900
per mike of track within the District; this
sum 20 be at the disposal of the Com
.missioners for pavement repairs, and to
be deposited with the treasurer of the
United states Ind held 10y him in the same
manner IS the guarantee retain OF 10 per
cent upon contracts is now held: thatis, If
the railroad authorities so elect, the amount
1 can be invested in bonds, the interest on
which viii be payable To the company, and
Ipon rendition Of bin for work done, pay
inent in cash can be made ny the company.
thus leaving the fund invested intact"
IF the company failed TO pay in cash
the bili rendered, sufficient bonds could be
sold n cover the amount, and whenever the
fund credited to any road was thus reduced
20 sum equal 70 $500 per nile OF road. the
! company should be again required to de-
post per cent OF its gross income until
the amount of $4,000 per mile had been
( reached. In case the company failed at
any tine to deposit this i per cent, hen
required, authority should devolve upon
the Commissioners to enforce its collection.
Where track is used by more than one
COMPANY the amount of 5000 per mile
to be deposited for this portion should be