Lewiston teller. [volume] (Lewiston, North Idaho) 1878-1900, 1899-12-06
For a Gravel Pavement.

OF Riverside avenue i'll Spokane is cited
again. Crushed rock on that street was
dismal failure. This special remedy
prescribed for our mud, by our city
engineer was prescribed by professional
engineers III that special instance and it
proved TO be even worse than no pave
ment. 1t became necessary to remove
the crushed rock, after it had been in
place one year. Crushed rock in this
case was at least no better than gravel.
There are exceptions therefor To the de-
| auctions of science and if the Spokane
| scientific engineer were not infalable
| few year ago. ours may not be now.
On the other hand there is an example
here from which logical conclusions NAV
be drawn. On Main street there is road
that meets all the scientific conditions
required of perfect paving material
This road bed is impervious to water
smooth, strong and durable No pave
ment i'll any city i'll the United States
would resist the wear of heavy traffic
more perfectly than the road bed on
Main street i'll this city has resisted the
test of this season, and under the most
trying conditions. Engineers lay down
the rule that asphalt brick and macadam
must be subject to constant care, keIt
clear of loose rocks mud and water; and
| he 10 tS,
prevent breaks that cause friction that
will result in holes and ruts i'll an I'M
credibly short time in any pavement
when heavy wheels begin to drop into
any kind of depression or jolt over OBJ
structions on the surface. 1t is evident
to any Observer that the accidental pave.
ment on our Main street, has a wonderful
power of resistance to the wear of hoofs
wheels under unfavorable conditions
More is not claimed for any scientific
pavement than is demonstrated i'll oui
accidental road bed of cement gravel.
If our street bed is now strong, durable
and smooth, the only remaining require.
| ment woult be grade and contour. These
conditions can be met at a trifling cost
and without risk Of unforeseen obstacles
that come iii many special cases like tina
encountered on Riverside avenue il
: Spokane.
. Our mud is not in any sense a condi
ton resulting from the gravel used i'll thu
. road bed. The mud is an eXtraneous &C
emulation that must be contended with
even should we pave our streets will
gold.
If Main street can be given the required
grades and still possess the qualities @
durability, smoothness and strength at
small cost, the problem of pavement
: solved as far as logic, example and eS
pertinent can afford a solution. Such
). pavement would possess more advantage
S than even the books ard professions
e engineers claim for their theoretical
d constructed streets.
IS | will grant that our city engineer ma
II have waded through volumes of lor
d while l was wading in mud; and l wi
admit that he has learned many thing
which l have not, but hope that he WI
be charitable and admit that may hay
learned by observation and experiment
one thing not in his books. | modest
CLAIM to have observed the existence
b" Lewiston of a cement gravel that
peculiarly adopted to the construction
!" payements. This is natural deposit
concrete with all addition of clay to Il
e ordinary sand, gravel and lime.
c. makes when subject to pressure a ro
ig bed possessing the combined qualities
I'd concrete and asphalt. 1t is not rig
he enough to crunble like the ordlna
ey mixture of lime and sand, but it is flexit
e. to degree that it is not fractured b,
rk lar, and yet firm enough to afford me
IL resistance than asphalt
This material is widely distribute
:: 1t has been the wonder Of scientists.
=, is one of our special natural resour'
- and we should of course profit by its
:, at this time. This Lewiston vail
n. concrete has already been sent abroad
T., car load lots for paving purposes and
n will be one of our sources OF rever
after its value has been demonstrated
a home. believe every city in the nor
west will some day use Lewiston val
, y concrete for payements.
=, The stock arguments against gra
-. payements are not applicable to
Lewiston concrete. Ours is spe'
article, as Portland cement is special
&c the commercial world. The gravel
ma our cement deposits is crushed rock
the every sense; and not worn gravel.
be possesses all the advantages OF macao
yer with the addition of the other quail
tric cited above. II the city engineer
Ice agree to apply scitntihc-test-to
Use, cement deposit, will supply him '
ay- samples. If he will take pick and
be
m dig hole in the road bed of \
The street, he will find a pavement
and poss ,sss more of the qualities discr
ige, in his books as the requisite of pei
hne navement than he can find in the ma
am asphalt. brick or Nicholson p
meuts, of any city in the west