The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1901-02-16
Weekly Letter on
Municipal Rffairs
XXXVII.-ROAD AND STREET
BUILDING IN AMERICA.

II HE ROADS Of Great Britain and Continental
Europe are incomparably better than those
n of America but the contrast is not so
great when comparison of the paved
streets is made. There is a good reason why
the roads Of the old countries should be so
much better--they have been constructing for a
thousand years The epoch of road building III
The United States dates back about one bundled
years. When this country has had five hundred
years more of road building the contrast, il any
| exists at that time, will he in favor of the
I progressive Americans.
| With long, swinging, easy strides most of the
cities and several of the states are marching
| on to the general improvement of streets and
roads. Take the matter of asphalt paving alone.
In 1876, the first successful asphalt pavement was
laid on Pennsylvania avenue in the city OF
Washington, by the late General William W..
Avcrcll. Several attempts We're made previous
to that date to lay an asphalt paN emcnt, but
none succeeded in withstandng the great changes
in temperature incident to this climate. The
| invention Of General Aycrcl stood every test.
and marked new era in the construction of
pavemens. Since that date more than 900
square yards OF asphalt payemcnts have been
laid in the cities vi the United States alone.
Other materials have been utilized, including
yitrihed brick, medina stone, block, cobblc and
wood, with varying degrees uf success. The pro-
portion of paved streets TO the total number Ui
| miles OF paved streets in American cities lis
almost equal TO European conditions, although
Europe has been in the business OF street and
| road improvement nearly thousand years longer
than cities on this side Of the Atlantic. Condi.
| tiCw are so variable In this country that each
locality presents its particular problem to over
! come in the fight for good roads and streets.
For example, asphalt pavement has not yet been
! perfected sufficiently to he thoroughly adapted
| to the extremely warm or cold climate; both
| extremes seem to have a dclctcrious effect upon
| the pavement, which causes more rapid disintc'
! grafton and a consequent shorter life than the
| more equablc climate.
In road building, California and New England
! represent the antpodes OF conditions found in
America, although both have somewhat sim
liar conditions along the coast lines. Out in
| California the fying dust and shifting sand
| has afforded, until recent years, an almost in
| sulmountahle obstacle to the construction OF
| good roads and pavenents except when the most
! expensive street imrrovcn ent was used. oil
I is used in many of the smaller cities and on
many of the long drives to allay the dust nuis
ance and keep the road and street in proper
| shape and condition
For the last two years the oil treatment o
| streets has been praCticed with unqualified site
cess in the little city Of Redlands, Cal. In fact
| it has settled the dust question. The city au
thorties were driven to this eNpcdient two year,
| ago account OF the scarcity of water ana
| the extreme annoyance experienced by the flying
! clouds of dust At first there were feN>
! Complaints from bicycle riders, principally wo
| men, who experienced some annoyance from soil
| ing their skirts with the oil, but improved
| methods of using the oil soon surmountod al
difficulties in tins particular as well as Others
| SO that now, writes the mayor of the city, eve
| have not a single complaint from any persol
| IN
| satisfied everybody much better than water and
| what is one of the best features is it protect
| the roads in the rainy season and keeps then
| In perfect condition.
| Continuing, the mayor says; "Thcre is moth
| ing whatever detrimental in the use Of oil on tn,
| streets and the more use il the better w
| like it. In the matter of expense, we hav'
| found that IL is much cheaper than water Th'
| oil has to be heated before it is applied TO th
road, or street. A patented machine is used t,
| apply it to the road The machine is about 81,
| feet wide, and has an attachment which permit
a small amount of sand or dust to be sprinklet
over the oil which is applied and 1t gives tn
| best satisfaction when there is about an inch o
dust on the street. 1t is better TO put il on il
| hot weather because then it runs more freel.
| and spreads more evenly, and in day or Nv,
after its application the street will be in plim
condition TO use. When we first used it on on
streets we would treat only one side of
street at a time, protecting it by barrers bu
now we cover the whole street and permi
people to drive over 1t immediately II the,
choose IL sticks a trifc to the tires OF tn
vehicles for twenty.four or thirty'sx hour
after it is laid, and then that trouble disap
pears
"we apply the oil three times year. "
paid S4.i2i for oil used in this way last year
including a royalty on the machine OF sl5 pc
mile, which kept eighteen miles of streets Il
perfect condition The oil is crude with al
asphaltum base, and costs from - to sl.25 pc