The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1899-09-07
PAVED WITH GLASS,
A Ssteet Il Lyons, France, Is Thus
Covered.
Signal Success CT an Experiment In
k'asV4I.sT Ace S.;li hot Ecrm
on the Rev and Durable
Surface.


with glass. 1t has been used exper
mentally for some months as payemen
in cne of the busiest streets in Lyon
with such success that contracts ar
being made by many cities all over Eu
rope for it to replace Belgian block. i
Paris an entire palace of it is being bull
Tor the great exposition.
The material, which is so strong tina
1t can withstand usage under whicl
belgian block crumbles away, was in
vented by French scientist in Chagn
burgundy, where he conducted his frs
experiments. It took a long time fol
him to get anyone to consider his in
vention seriously, and when he asked
the municipal authorities CT Lyons fol
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 a
few months ago he was authorized to
go 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 III 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 bis privilege. He paved only a ,cr-
ton Of one street. selecting for the pur-
pose crowded section Of the Place
de la Republique, 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 It was first put down. The ex-
pertinent has been pronounced bv the
experts, who were skeptical in the be-
ginning, as entirely successful, and so
thoroughly satisfied have they become
with the practical usefulness OF its in
vention 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 16 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
ment as developed so far are its resist !
ance, which is greater than that of
stone; its property as poor 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 4 report Oh the material
recently, in WHICH it said:
From the various forms in which this
material is presented, its use can be
readily determined for both practical
ana decorative purposes. On careful
examination we find that the Garci.ev
era1H1c stone is glass brought to a
SPECIAL molecular condition. In GER
tam sense 1t constitutes new sub
stance which resembles fla gstone, gran
lite Or marble.
This new product is obtained from
esoAeh glass heated to temperature
o1 LOU degrees and compressed in mat
f'ces by hydraulic force. The physical
of the glass is Que to
dev1tr11lcation under the process. The
of Identification produces
a sort OF dissolution more apparent than
rear Tor upon chemical analysis the /
aeVltflned glass-is found to possess all f
the intrinsic qualities physical and .
ehemlcaD Of glass, except the trans ]
while taking on an entirely f
aiHerent aspect. Furthermore. glass +
treated under this new method is made S
30 resist crushing. frost and heavy
Saocks, and to stand hard usage
apart from paving material there
lew Is being produced from old glass A
IN excellent building material. which
IS Being used for buildings and interior
aecefations, much as is cut stone. IT
possesses all the intrinsic Qualities Of
glass except transparency. and at The =
axe t1ne Is made to resist crushing, 6,
rust heaSy shocks and stand usage. +,
proposition to erect glass house. ~
luminous palace-for the Paris expo- i
ltlon next year has been accepted, and re-
ne building will present completely n,
ne possibilities Of glass. as a struc- +
ural material. Nh. Garchcv saws that
'e feels confident that within three g.
ears time glass houses will be so COM ~
non that they will not attract the SLIGHT '"
st attention. :"
Inc glass palace which he will build I've
u the exposition was described Tins -
y him: 20
ct, A. pa
IN the middle of a garden where M
feen sward is only broken by flower On
"a broidered, gravelly walks, lie paIa;s
immense will stand. It will throw ont ~,
ito the garden an ingeniously adorned
lhouetre resembling jewel set with m
he phosphorescent tones imbedded in .sh
rcen foliage and sward.
The principal facade, in the form sic
an immense portico roof, surmcunt- m,
with spires, and winged statue ren- pi
ssent1ng light, will be supported by #
easy columns. The ground floor.
'ached by double flight of stairs. will o,,
large exposition room. Right and 4b
the left will be large glass basins in tn
lass grottos. In the interior of the III ~.
all will be five large openings, in which H.
III be represented the five divisions bic
the globe, quintuple, polychrone s;o
sion; Europe bathed in the dawn d4s
the morning; Asia basking in the }.
ofden light of midsummer; Africa
18th sun burning in waves of Grim W.
n; America, lost in a mist of male -
7acinth and the tints Of sunset: Ocean- -.
a, In an atmosphere of lapis lazuli..- n,s
ashington Post. .ne