Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1899-09-19
PAVING DISCUSSED
Views Of Civil Engineer 7. Chalk
ley HattoD.
ASPHALTANDVITRIFIED BRICK
cellent. Dnesn't Like Block Asphalt
The Reason why. HIscAdam for
Suburban Thoroughfares.
ASPHALTANDVITRIFIED BRICK

Mr. T. ChaH1ley Hatton. engineer fol
the Delaware County Trust, Safe Dc
post an! Title Insurance Company. re.
turned sunday evening to Wilmington
Speaking Of street paving for New
port News. Mr.. Hatton expressed him
self specifically and at some length.
II should certainly think it would lie
best to pave at least the more ;mpo,
tant streets before winter he said
for, from whatI saw Of them last Win
ter. paving is desperately needed 4 &c
not know Of any reason. either, why il
can not be done.
II still think. ana my observation and
experience has been large. that sheet
asphalt Will make the best paving 70,
your avenues. / understand That the
principal objection against it is the
difficulty in repairing IL: now. OF course
II YOU put down any amount of as
phalt You Will have to have a plant
for doing repair work. With this plant
know of no pavement which can lie
moro chcaply. more easily. or more
quickly repaired. The plant will not
cost much. You will want small two
or three ton roller, furnace, etc. These
are inexpensive.
The fire clay OF vitrihetl. brick
makes q superb pavement and I would
certainly recommend it next to sheet
asphalt. 1T is a magnificent material,
durable. pretty. and easily repaired.
think il should be laid on q foundation
Of concrete. though. This foundation
is practically everlasting. Tarred boa, d
is used in lieu of concrete in some cit
les and understand 1t has proven cair-
~ successful. but in the nature of
things it will not last as long as COLI
crete, and then it is likely To decay il
spots where the moisture gets through,
ana make holes in Your streets.
If any good asphalt blocks are nado
confess that do not know where it
is. From all that l know and have seen
of asphalt block deem it VERY poor
paving material. l never saw any that
would not crumble. Tp in Camden
they started an asphalt block factory
The city. desiring to patronize home in
dustres, gave this factory large orders
and laid i good deal of the blocl.
which, it was said could be turned
Over ana reaid bottom up when the
top got Worn 100 much. Well it WASH t
long before The top did get Worn TOO
much and the street department went
forth to turn over the blocks according
to Instructions Each block as it was
taken up crumbled to pieces. The
council at its next meeting by 4 unari-
nous vote condemned the paving.
This is only one out of a number Of
instances that I might quote. It is
my personal opinion that no process
has yet been invented that can make
an asphalt block Which will last The
very nature of the material initiates
against such a-resuNt
Il believe that AIacAdam proper ly
kept up makes an ideal paving for sub
urban sections. But, in my opinion, 4
city should not put down much Of this
sort Of paving or roadway until It's
street department is thoroughly organ
lied and prepared for any emergency.
You see. the MacAdam paving requires
constant maintenance. If this constant
maintenance is not kept up, the road
way will get dilap.duted. as you have
seen in the case OF country roads and
then you'd better not have any paving
at all. If the City is prepared to keen
up iMaGAIamZed roads. I say let il
have as many of them as possible in
The suburban districts. a granite block
gutter on either side is better than
brick. for it constitutes Il curb in itself
Il hope to see the council commit +ee
in Wilmington in order to show it over
the City. ] don't know whethe: l shall
be able to DO it, though for / am rot
informed when they will be in Viii
minGton. ! DO not think the committee
Will learn anything by going to 13alti-
more. That city has very little up-to-
date paving within its limits"