The Republican., 1899-06-29
GLASS PAVING STONES.
Success of New Road Covering
in Street in Lyons,
France.

III one OF Inc busiest streets IN Lyons
with such success that contracts are
being made by many cities all over Eu-
rope for it to replace Belgian block. In
Paris an entire palace of it is being built
for the great exposition.
The material, which is so strong that
it can withstand usage under which
Belgian block crumbles away, was in
vented by a French scientist in Chagny,
Burgundy, where he conducted his first
experiments. 1t took a long time for
him to get anyone to consider his in
vention seriously, and when he asked
the municipal authorities of Lyons for
permission to pave the principal streets
of that city at his own expense he found
it hard to get them TO assent. However,
after persistent effort, he won, and
few months ago he was authorized to
60 ahead with his novel experiment.
Perhaps such a permission, at least
without more convincing practical re-
suits to back it up, would never have
been granted in an American city. But
the French are nation of experiment.
ers and always ready and willing to try
something new. Louis Garchey, the
inventor, took conservative advantage
of his privilege. lie paved only a por-
ton of one street, selecting for the pur-
pose crowded section of the Place
de Ia Rcpuhlique. which is crowded day
and night with heavy traffic.
Under his direction the pavement of
"ceramic stone" was laid and finished
in November last, and it is now as sound
as when il was first put down. The cN-
pertinent has been pronounced by the
experts. who were skeptical i'm the be
ginning, as entirely successful, and so
thoroughly satisfied have they become
with the practical usefulness of its in
vcutiun that they are preparing now
large contracts for similar pavements
in other European cities.
The glass pavement is laid in the
form of blocks. eight inches square.
each block containing lG parts in the
form of checkers. The blocks are fitted
together so closely that no water can
soak between them.
The advantages of the glass pave
mgnt as drycloped so far are its resist
stone: ns property az a Door conductor
Of cold. owing to which ice will not
form on it readily: its resistance to
dirt. which does not accumulate on it
as easily as on stone, and its quality
not to retain microbes.
The Central Architectural society of
France made report on the material
:.
From the various forms in which this
material is presented. its use can be
readily determined for both practical
and decorative purposes. On careful
examination we find that the Garchev
ceramic stone is glass brought to a
special molecular condition. In a cer-
tain sense it constitutes new sub
stance which resembles lagstone, gran
ite or marble.
This new product is obtained from
broken glass heated to a temperature
of 1850 degrees and compressed in mat
rices by hydraulic force. The physical
Transformation of the glass is due to
identification under the process. The
phenomenon of identification produces
- ~ Ni''''' u 'icii Iiipi Nlll lllCi IL
real, for upon chemical ANALYSIS the
devitritied glass is found to possess all
the intrinsic qualities (physical and
chemicaD of glass. except the trans
parency, while taking on an entirely
different aspect. Furthermore. glass
treated under this new method is made
to resist crushing, frost and heavy
shocks, and to stand hard usage"
Apart from paving material. there
now is being produced from old glass
an excellent building material, which
is being used for buildings and interior
decorations, much as is cut stone. 1t
possesses all the intrinsic qualities of
glass except transparency. and at the
same time is made to resist crushing.
frost, heavy shocks and stand usage.
proposition to erect glass house
a luminous palace-for the Paris expo.
sition next year has been accepted. and
the building will present completely
the possibilities of glass as a struc
tural material. Mr.. Garchey says that
he feels confident that within three
1ao,e' +i,,,o ,rl,.s. l,o,,,o,z ....11 60