Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1901-03-17

Some five or six years ago the Regis
ter, familiar with experiments made in
some other cities, notably in Baltimore
and Philadelphia, suggested to the
Board of Public Works the ACCESSIBILITY
of trying the experiment Of thoroughly
cleaning and rolling one or two blocks
of cobble-paved streets in the resirence
district, and then covering the stones,
without disturbing either them or their
ancient foundations, with a sufficient
coating of asphaltum. The Register
even went so far as to suggest two To-
calities, one Chapline street, from Elev-
enth to Fourteenth, and the other Fiji
tenth street, from Eoff to Chapline,
and Chapline from Fifteenth to Six
tenth, thus surrounding the City Hall
and Court House on the north and west
sides, and commended that the plan
would result in a handsome street,
practically noiseless-a great consider
alton in the vicinity of a public build
ing, and that the change would not
only be appreciated by the public Off
Gals, but by the many attorneys whose
places of business are in the immedi-
ate neighborhood, as well as by the
congregations Of the contiguous
churches.
The suggestion met with considera-
BILE favor among members of Council
and city officials, especially when it be-
came known that in Baltimore many
squares of old bouldered streets had
been coated with asphalt, after having
been properly cleaned and rolled, and
that they had given complete satisfac-
ton for thoroughfares over which there
was but light travel. In Philadelphia,
in the old residence districts, the same
idea found favor, and the practice has
obtained to a considerable degree in
cities where manufacturers of paving
brick and dealers in Belgian blocks are
without a pull. Nothing of a tangible
nature was ever accomplished in this
city, along this line, however, although
the matter was several times discussed
informally in Committee and among
Councilmen and other city officials, but
the plan took a deep root in the mind
of at least one citizen interested in pub
lie affairs, present Councilman M. A.
Chew, and thoroughly convinced of its
practicability, he entered heartily into
the idea. Notwithstanding the polite
al turmoil that has lately ragged, Mr..
Chew has not forgotten the commenda-
tory features OF the plan, and in the
coarse of recent conversation he has
shown his beliefs iby enthusiastic ad-
vocacy.
There are many localities in the city
upon which the experiment might be
tried in addition to those originally
suggested by the Register, among them
Virginia street, Island, South Chapline
street, from Twentieth south-both old
brick-paved streets-Chapline, from
Twelfth to Sixteenth, Fifteenth, from
Eoff to Chapline, Sixteenh street, and
a number of other localities. An ex-
~perimental square or two would be all
that would be necessary at first. and
the expense would be small. A year of
time would demonstrate the local prac-
ticability of rehabilitating old and worn
out street at small expense and with
out disturbing the original foundations.
and it is earnestly to be hoped that the
new Board of Public Works, or the
Council Committee on Finance, or both.
may see their way clear to make a trial
of the plan during the coming summer.