The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1898-04-22

document and clearly reveals the nature
and extent of the department during
the fiscal year of 1897
To the Honorable the Select and Common
Councils of the City of Scranton, Pa.
Gentlemen: / have the honor to submit
you herewith my fifth annual report for
the fiscal wears 1897.
According to instructions from your
honorable bodies, by some seventy or
more concurrent resolutions served on
me during the year Chose for pavements
called for estimates for dIlfere"t kinds
of pavemenD, there has been consider
able work done in this department in
making plans, specifications and esti-
mates for paVements, sewers, retaining
walls, grading, sidewalks, curb, cutters,
etc, as shown in tables
The actual amount of work performed
during the year, under the supervision
Of this department, and for which bills
have been approved, is as follows:
PaVements OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES. ASP SS
sewers OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES. 22,GGi U6
Grading .,,...,.................... 1,S9i :}
ripe drains .......................... ia 50
DuiNtItS '''''.''''' '''''''''''''''''''... IIl ~
Retaining walls etc ................ $50 no
Total ..........,................ .$62, ,0}0 GO
In addition to the above there was con-
siderable grade and line given for side
walks, curb, cutters and grading. which
work was done by private parties.
About 6,3522 lineal feet of conduts were
constructed by the Central Pennsylvania
Telephone and Supply company under
the supervision of this department, as per
ordinance, and which required great
amount of time and labor on account of
lack of data in regard to the location
and depth OF gas, water and other con-
duits.
GRADING.
There has been but little work done un-
der this head during the year. for rea-
sons outlined in previous report.
PAVEMENTs.
The number of miles of paved streets
In the city is as follows, figured at an av-
erage width of "a feet except the cobble
stone or boulder:
Sheet asphalt on a concrete
base OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES. 219 miles
stone Dlock OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES. ,b96 miles
Nitrihed brick ...,................ .6S3 miles
Cobble stone or boulder Va-
flouS WldthS) ................... 2l65 miles
Wooden block CWyckofO ...... .OlS miles
Total. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. $50 miles
Showing an increase of l.J5S miles dur
ing the wear.
Mulberry street was the only street
paved during the year. During the pros
ress of this work considerable noise
tault-hnding and even attempts to cause
trouble were made by the parties in
charge for the contractors and those re-
cruited on their side by giving influential
men employment, or contracts to fur
nish material supplies, etc. With all
their ISLANDERS and ignorant criticism
tsome of which appeared in the public
press) | continued to discharge my luty
as public official to the best of my
ability, my sole object being in this. as
well as all other city work under my
charge, to insist that the contractors
should live up to and perform nearly mot
more than what the specifications called
for and what they had contracted to do
after considerable VeXatious delays and
inconvenience to the public, due to slIo-
contractors failing to furnish materials
as required. the work was finally COM
pleted to the satisfaction of all con-
cerned. Time only will prove the true
merits and quality OF this. as well as
other pavements in this city. Upon an
inspection, few days ago, of this work
the results so far We're favorable.
Asphalt as a paving material is rapidly
growing into disfaVor in this city Uhs
Is plainly shown by an examination of
the paving petitions out at present by
the large majority of property owners
favoring brick). This should cause no
surprise when the deplorable condition
OF some of our asphalted streets is taken
into consideration. The councils should
Insist that the companies place the pave
ments in pro per condition at the eXpira-
tion OF the guarantee period, before ac-
cepting the same. Had this been done
in the past we would not now have so
many streets in such an unsatisfactory
condition.
The guarantee period on pavements
should be extended to at least ten years,
and then councils should insist on the
work being satisfactory before final ac-
ceptance.
As our paVements grow older and the
paved surface becomes more extensive