The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1901-01-03
GOOD s,l.,:.1sIs.

The people of Richmond who dwell in
the residence sections have suffered for
years from streets that were not suited
for heavy teams or, constant traffic. Nor
has Richmond been alone In this matter,
for the question of city streets is one that
concerns the welfare of every town in
America and Europe. The cobble-stone
has long since given way to the Belgian
block for heavy hauling, and except for.
the wooden pavements of London the
Belgian block has proved the most SER
viceable of any form of street construc-s
ton. When the asphalt streets OF Paris
were laid it was thought that the problem
of street paving had been solved, but
later experience in the heat of asphalt in
the summer and it's other drawbacks have
shown that it is by no means an ideal
pavement. Our own experience here In
Richmond with 1nacadam and. gravel
compared with the Yitritied brick on
Franklin between Second and Third
Streets and in front of the Jefferson have
shown us what q difference there is be-
tween good and bad streets.
In the subjoined article, which we take
from the London Times there is great
food for thought for our Street Commit
tee, for there is nothing, next to giving
Richmond clear water, that will SO help
the city as giving it good streets:
The United States Consul at Hamilton,
in Ontario, states in Il recent report that
the city authorities there have, alter y~ars
of experiment, discovered q pavement for
streets that is durable, excellent and
cheap. The tests, which nave been made
over a number of years on business
streets, show that tarred macadam makes
not only a smooth and solid roadway, but
that it can be maintained and repaired at
very little expense. The first cost in
Hamilton, where abundance of limestone
is near at hand, Is from 10 cents to ~
cents per square yard, and the authori-
ties estimate that the cost of repairs in
streets with heavy traffic is. less than !
cent per yard per year, while asphalt
costs over cents. By the addition Of
tar the road becomes imperWous to
water, it is proof against frost in winter,
and mud and dust are prevented In sum
mer. 1t is easily repaired, and does not
require scrap.ng, so that much OF the
wear of the surface is avoided. A block
Of tar macadam on a business street with
|
after being laid down year. In resi-
Dental quarters, the tar smacadam road
ways are in good condition eight years
after they were laid down, no repairs
having been done in the meantime: Sue
cess, however. in this. as In all cases of
composite work of the same character,
depends on the care with which the road
is laid down at the outset; and the Consul
obtained from Mr.. Barrow, the head Of
the public works of Hamilton. informa-
ton as to the process employed. Either
stone or cement kerbing is placed before
the road is commenced. The base consists
of cement laid on broken stone or gravel
which is freely rolled with heavy rollers,
the curve being designed to carry off
water quickly. Upon this a solid bed of
stone at least six inches in thickness, is
placed, the interstices being filed with
small stone and gravel, we'll rolled in.
Over this comes Il coating of gravel,
rolled hard. and then a layer of stone
saturated with tar, the stones not ex-
ceeding two inches i'll diameter. These
stones before being mixed with boiling
tar eight to twelve imperial gallons to
the cubic yard, must be thoroughly dried.
either In the summer sun or by exposure
on heated plates, until all the moisture
is expelled. After a thorough rolling an
other stratum of tarred stone OF the same
thickness and dimensions is added. rolled,
and covered with layer OF gravel and
quarry chips, also mixed with tar. Atop
dressing of screenings is then added. and
il q light color is desired it can be OBJ
tanned by adding cement. Most of the
stone used in Hamilton is machine
crushed: limestone is used because it is
abundant locally, but granite or flint
would absorb less tar and bear more wear
and pressure.