The evening times., 1899-12-23
TRAP ROCK FOR STREETS
The Commissioners Secure a Quarry
Over the Maryland Line.
Mncadan, and GranOlithic Stone Now
to Be Delivered in the District at
Comparatively Small COst-Qunl-
ity and Adaptability of the New
Paving Mnterial-Grndes Affected.

The Improvement of the streets of the
District, which is always pertinent to the
Commissioners has been brought especially
to their attention by the recent arrange
| ments effected whereby new and better
grade of trap rock, for macadam roads and
laying foundations for asphalt paving will
be secured from a point near the District
in Maryland at a much cheaper rate per
cubic yard than the local stone which has
heretofore been used.
The superiority of trap rock for read use
is universally acknowledged, and the pro-
ject of securing this material was inaugu-
rated with the expectation that its cost
would show a liberal increase over other
stone obtainable. which would be only JUS
titled by its much greater merit as a ma
terial. After many obstacles had been
overcome by patience and perseverance, the
result has been that very fine quarry has
been secured. and contract has been exc
cuted for quarrying and delivering maca
dam and granolithic stone for 20 cents per
cubic yard, delivered in the cars at Dicker
son Station. The railroad company has
fixed the freight rate at such figure that
the total cost of the material cn cars, III
the District of Columbia should not eX-
ceed about N.25 per cubic yard. This cost
is lower than that of the much inferior To-
cal stone, and ii is claimed, yindicates the
labor and expense that have been devoted
to accomplish the result.
A report on this subject was recently
filed in the o.ice of the Engineer Commits
sioner by the Superintendent of Materials
of the District in which he states the quail
e.. a aln,.i he roo IN fhS1
District needs. After reciting the facts as
above he states:
In connection with the fortunate cir
cumstances that this excellent material for
street and road construction is now avail
able, it is indicated as proper procedure
to enlarge the use OF broken stone for
building roadways to an extent not hith-
erto reached. The anticipated economy OF
repairs and expected excellent surface OF
such roadways, in connection with their
comparatively moderate cost, suggests its
substitution for gravel constr dction gen
-rally within the city and well-built-up
suburbs as well as on the more important
county thoroughfares The new provision
of law that streets in the city on the
schedule for improvement by macadamiZ-
ing may be paved. when reached, with
asphalt or similar material. in the discre-
tion of the Commissioners. and the ex-
pressed ptllcN OI lUt OliiCt " idIStlN dNdlI
itself of this discretion, presents further
the propriety of undertaking the macada-
MIXING from the general appropriation for
repairs TO streets" of such streets as are
not en- the schedule for improvement and
yet by their circumstances and surround
ings are worthy of roadway improvements
without long delay such as would result If
placed on the schedule for paving to await
their turn The cooperation of the prop
erty owners on a square so situated, TO the
extent of a majority request for new curb
and sidewalk under the assessment sys-
TEN. will be under this policy reciprocated
on the part of the District by the improve
ment of the roadway with cutters and
trap-rock macadam.
Special attention has been given. and
will hereafter be given in an increasing
degree, 10 the improvement of the grades
of thoroughfares beyond the city limits.
The profiles of Connecticut Avenue just
vest of Rock Creek. OF Benning Road just
west of Benning Bridge causeway. and of
the Queen Chapel Road near the District
line have been greatly bettered in this re-
spect as a result of the past years opera
tiens. while other established thorough
fares are marked for similar treatment at
an early date. Notably. within the limits
of Rock Creek Park current operations
will shortly result in the substitution OF
newly constructed roads on easy grades
for number of existing roads whose
grades are so heavy as to justify large ex-
penditures to improve such conditions. As
a fact. however the work being done will
be of slight cost, and the programme in
this and other localities will mark this and |
the Immediately succeeding years as very
notable for the general and considerable |
of road profiles within the |
Net r;n