The Bellefontaine Republican. [volume] (Bellefontaine, Logan County, Ohio) 1855-1905, 1899-09-26
DeCayed Stone VS.. .Vitrified
Brick.
MEN WHO LIVE IN FINE HOUS-
ES THROW STONES AT THE
POOR AND HUMBLE
WHO WANT W.T.
RlFIED BRICK.
Old Fogies of the Stone Age Op-
pose Modern Improvements.
INTERESTING REPORT OF THE
SECRETARY OF THE MEETING.

BELLEFONTAINE, Sep. %, '99.
To the Honorable Council of the City of
Bellefontaine:
GENTLEMEN:-Your honorable body
having decided regardless of cost to
yourselves, that the property holders on
Chillicothe avenue should improve said
5horoughfare, nolens, volens, by paving
its roadway, and embellishing the same
with Paris green sidewhiskers;
And having kindly left to said prop
erty-holders the option of deciding what
paving they would prefer for said ave-
nue.;
A meeting of the supposed property
holders their sons-in-law and brothers
in-law, met Friday evening in the Coun-
ell Chamber of said city with the same
kind of pavement in their eye that the
road to sheol is paved with.
The meeting was not as well attended
as Sunday School the Sabbath before
Christmas, but those who were present
WCIS ttll tuCIV. anu IL uOU UlClI ldulU
that those who were not present, were
absent. If silence gives consent, the
absence of about nine-tenths of said
property-holders, ETC., gives you very
large consent to go ahead and do as seems
best in your righteous judgment.
On motion of one of the property
holders who was present, Mr.. Levi
Wissler was called to the chair-the
best in the room.
On motion, Mr.. J. Q. A. Campbell
was selected to write the history of the
meeting.
Mr.. Wissler, the gentleman who had
been wisely chosen to preside over the
meeting, stated the object of the large
gathering, and suggested that remarks
were in order-likewise motions.
Mr.. ]. G. Wonders, the City Engineer
being present, was invited to stay, the
sergeant-at-arms promising to make
room for him.
Mr.. Wonders was called on for inform
alton, and showed that he was full of it
| in the abstract and the concrete-es-
pecially the latter. He stated that a
roadway, thirty feet wide, with concrete
foundation, curb, vitrifled brick, and
green sidewhiskers, could be put down
for about $500 per lineal foot; but he
advised that the roadway be narrowed
to twenty-seven feet, which would make
reduction in the cost and allow an ex
pansion of the sidewhiskers. AS to the
cost of the curb, he answered that hare
stone would cost more than cement, ant
he meant it. AS to putting brick dowr
on rolled gravel base, and rolling it
he said that it was often done, but al
authorities now advised putting bricl
on concrete base. Mr.. Wonders il
one of the wonders of the world-ht
understands his business.
The writer of this history was asked
if he had not gathered some facts tina
might pave the way to a right under
standing of the subject, and he admit
ted that he had some borrowed inform
alton on the subject, all of which h'
acquired from others with their con
sent.
He stated that he had written t.
friends of Bellefontaine in Marion
Springfeld, Lima, Des Moines and Co
lumbus, inquiring what kind of pave
ment had been put down in those cities
which was best, which was most desir
able, and which was least likely to weal
a hole in the taxpayers pocket. Advice
is always cheap, and he got a plenty o
it for the asking.
First, he found that brick was laid OF
a gravel base in Marion, and that tn
} city paid two per cent. of the expense
but nothing was said about the success
of such base-whether itshad held III
well or not.
From Lima he learned that brick wa
put down for 1925 two years since) fo
twenty-eight foot roadway, and at S4.3
for fifty foot roadway; and asphal
thirty feet wide at $3.50.
From Springfield, he learned tina
they had no asphalt streets, and tina
: brick on six inch concrete foundatio
!; cost from SLIGO to 81. y per square yari
i From Des Moines this testimony came
$ 'The people of Des Moines almos
unanimously prefer paving of vitrifie
brick to any other. Asphalt paving
fine when it is perfect, but it breaks il
to holes and crumbles, and it is almo:
impossible to mend it. 1t is very slil
lpery for horses, and will not bear heav
q traffic. Concrete is necessary bas
p for brick paving. In this city, all bric
paving not on concrete is settling Ill
evenly. in holes and ruts. Curbing
generally made of Portland cemen
Brick paving with concrete foundatiC
costs S1.40 to Sl.50 per square yar
Don't fool away your money on al
kind of work not laid on heavy co
e crete base"
a Mr.. Julian Griggs, Chief Engineer
" Columbus, writes that asphalt in tn
city, on concrete foundation cost 81.
per square yard. In his letter he say
''The streets in this city, prior
1899, except asphalt, were laid on
:. foundation of eight inches of crush'
y gravel or eight inches of crushed linn
D. stone. We now think that concre