The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1901-02-23
ASPHALT PAYMENTS.

There is probably no one feature IN the
development OF the modern city that has
added more in appearance and utility
t:1an the introduction of asphalt pave
ments.
For pavement that is durable, smooth,
sanitary and that can be easily cleaned.
it has no rival Its success in relieving IN
a large measure the noise Of traffic III a
crowded city is one OF its foremost claims.
1t is n weil-est ablished fact at the pres
ent time that city streets must be Kept
clean; when they are paved with asphalt
this can be accomplished at q minimum
cost.
An asphalt pavement is made up of
three component parts-the foundation.
the binder course and the wearing sur
face. For the first hydraulic concrete
base six inches thick is most satssac-
tory. The binder course is made of hard
crushed stone, mixed with sufficient pay
ing cement to coat the stones and bind
them together, but not fill all the open
ii,es. a thickness Of one inch will suf-
fee.
The wearing surface is concrete of
sand and pulverized mineral matter, ce-
mented together by prepared mineral as
phait. The latter is scattered pretty gen
orally over the earth S surface. The pr.n-
ciral deposit from which material is OBJ
tained for payements in the United States
are Trinidad. Venezuela and California
1t was at first thought that as asphalt
could not be used in small towns, on ac-
count OF the cost of mixing plant. rms
difficulty has been overcome by the use
of asphalt blocks and also of plants,
built on railroad cars, that can readily
be moved from one town to another.
The cost Of an asphalt plant depends
on its size and elaborateness. The city
of Detroit contracted for an adequate
CITY plant last month for $1,000, includ-
ing building complete.
one of the chief objections to asphalt
paving is that it presents a smooth sur
face, which, in damp weather, or when
there is a thin coating of snow, becomes
so slippery that horses find difficulty in
retaining their footing. But this is easily
=--------
TEMPERANCE AND EXTREMISTS.
Mrs. Nations crusade in Kansas draws
attention to the fact that there is a
vast difference between the true temper
ance man or woman and the extreme
,srohibitionist. Mrs. Nation and her fol-
lowers believe that alcoholic liquors are
Gil
IL not criminal for any man or woman to
taste the unc!ean thing When Cardi-
nal Gibbons said the other day that the
temperate use of liquors was not to be
condemned, Mrs. Nation replied that the
Cardinal was speaking the message OF
the devil and that it came straight
from hell Mrs. Nation thinks that alco-
lli,i i: a curse, and she would not hest
tate TO destroy it from the face OF the
cartl., f she had the power. She does
not believe in temperance. She believes in
absolute prohibition and, if she could, she
would doubtless make it a criminal Of
fence tor any man or woman to take d
glass cf liquor for q beverage
N proof of her contention that alcohol
is Il curse, Mrs. Nation points to the
number of lives it has wrecked, the num-
Der of homes ii has destroyed, the poy-
erty and wretchedness it has brought up
on its victims. Alcohol is indeed q curse
to those WHO become slaves TO the drink
habit. But how many drunkards are there
in the world in proportion TO the number
jofn .hSfa
crs are there in Richmond? How many
men arc there in the city who drink mod
erately and never think of becoming in
toxicated? Richmond is a very sober
city. 1t is rarely that YOU see a drunken
man on the streets It is so rare an oc-
Invariably attracts attention. Yet we
venture that fully nine-tentbs Of the men
and wcInen OF Richmond drink alcoholic
liquors to a more or less extent. Some OF
them drink it freely and frequently be-
come intoxicated. but the number is COM
paratrely small. Others drink it every
day and occasionally get drunk. Still
others, and the number is comparatively
large, drink upon occasion, but never to
the point of imtoxication; and finally
there are those who do not indulge in
such drinks las q beverage" but take
a little OF the crater every now and
then for their oft inhrnities.''
1t is plain from this that the great bulk
OF the people drink tcmperately and are
not hurt by the Indulgence, if such it may
be called, while very small portion of
men and women drink to excess and come
to grief. 1t is also plain that if the small
number of drunkards would initiate the
exa,nple'cf the large number of moderate
drinkers. the liquor evil would disappear
II seems TO Us. therefore. that what the
world needs is good temperance work
Men and women ought to be taught to
i,e temperate in all things, to control
their appetites and passions Of whatever
Kind, and this season OF Lent is good
Tine to so into training
But Mrs. Nation does not teach tenn
perancc in anything She is an extremist.
She does not believe in moderation. She
IS total abstainer, a prohibitionist and