Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-09-16
Col. Biddle's Statement Re-
garding the Project.
DA M A GE
EFFECT OF WATER ON THE AS
PHALT PAVING.
Area to Be Flushed Embraces SOC, 900
Square Opinions Of
officials.

Col. John Biddle the Engineer Commits
sioner. today forwarded to Commissioner
West a statement from the engineer depart
ment as to the problem of flushing the
streets and the possible deterioration of the
asphalt a result of the excessive use of
water. The superintendent of street clean
Ing, Mr.. Warner Stutler. recently called the
attention of Commissioner West to the fact
that when the contract for street sweeping
and flushing was entered into the area to
be flushed was materially cut down because
of the possible injury to asphalt. It was
understood the engineer department would
watch the matter closely and report the
effects Of the flushing on certain streets.
Mr.. Stutler said it was necessary to have
a report before he could make UP his esti-
mate for flushing during the next fiscal
year.
Col. Biddle forwards a report from Mr.. c.
B. Hunt the engineer of highways. state
ment from Capt. II. c. Newcomer. assistant
to the Engineer Commissioner, having
charge of the surface division. together with
comments by himself. The Engineer Com
missioner declares 1t Is impossible to tell IN
the short time that has elapsed since the
first of July last how much damage will be
done to the asphalt pavements as result
of the flushing. He says 1t Is difficult
problem at any time. The engineer OF nigh
ways, Mr.. Hunt, in his report says:
"A definite statement as to the effect OF
tho flushing already done under contract
cannot be made. 1t Is not believed that
flushing roadway which has g2oa
drainage grade without depressions which
impound water Is to such degree injurious
to the pavement as to contraindicate such
flushing, provided the same is found to be
in any way an advantageous method OF
cleaning the pavement In other words,
under such conditions, 1t is not thought
that objections to the wetting of the pave
ments should relatively outweigh any
known advantage in the cleaning of streets
by flushing.
Defective Surface.
TN the case Of pavements which. on &C
count Of defective surface conditions, I'M
pound water, the objection to flushing
would become pronounced to such degree
that the advantages of the cleaning by this
ages which would result from the increased
deterioration in the pavement.
Unless there are good reasons for pre-
ferring this method OF cleaning streets. and
unless this method Is applied to roadway
SUI faces favorably constituted as above de-
scrbed 1t Is the belief Of this office that
the flushing method should not be preferred
since the known liability of asphalt to
deterioration under exposure to moisture
would indicate that where no Objectionable
results are noted in the flushing treatment
the best that can be said is that the dam
age has not been proven"
Capt. Newcomer approved this report and
forwarded it to Col. Biddle, with the fol-
lowing statement: 20,
THE amount of damage to asphalt pave
ment caused by flushing cannot be precisely
determined. Years of experience would be
necessary to arrive at even roughly ap-
proximate estimate. 1t is a pertinent fact
that in st. Louis, where great deal of
dirt is brought on the asphalt streets from
the large area of unpaved thoroughfares.
so that the streets are profusely Sprinkled
to lay the dust the life Of asphalt pave
ments is given by the city officials as about
five years. In most other cities 1t Is given
at about ten to twelve years, while in
Washington the average runs from fifteen
to twenty years.
Reason Assigned.
"One of the principal reasons assigned
for this remarkably short life of asphalt
pavements In St Louis is the fact of their
being kept wet so much Of the time. 1t is
by no means expected that the proposed
flushing would shorten the life Of our pave
ments to the same serious extent, but. on
the other hand, there can be no doubt that
some deterioration will result. Unfortu-
nately at present this must be said to be Of
indeterminate amount 1t should be I'M
derstood. however, that the policy of flush
ing the pavementS will entail an increased
which will offset to a greater or less ex-
tent the advantages of flushing as a method
Of cleaning
The Engineer Commissioner has approved
both these statements and in commenting
upon the subject says
1T Is impossible to tell within this short
time, and it is difficult to tell at any time
how much damage will be done asphalt
pavements by flushing. There are many
causes that lead to the deterioration of
such pavements. At the same time. 1t is
known that asphalt is much affected by
water-that being probably the principal
reason of its Northumberland there can
be no doubt that it will be affected in the
older pavements by flushing.
Area to Be Flushed.
1.-The amount to be flushed will be about
100000 square yards. The original cost of
this pavement was $50 per square yard,
making the total cost $54o, 900 The average
life of the best of these pavements is about
eighteen years. which would make the cost
of the pavement $4,000 per year. In addi-
ton to this. the average cost of maintain
ing the pavement in good repair is about
cents per square yard per year, the yearly
cost of repairs for this amount of pavement
averaging about 5000 This makes total
of $4,000 a year. which these 300, 600 square
yards of pavement would represent
eff the flushing shortened the life of the
pavement from two to three years the cost
to the District would be from $4,000 to
81. 600 year. If the cleaning by flushing is
that much more economical or that much
more advantageous to the District the
money is well spent.
I'm the newer pavements we are using an
asphalt that Is considered to be less acted
upon by water but this Is not in the section
where the flushing is being done.
1T Is recommended that the superintend-
ent of the street cleaning department sub
nit his estimates for this year, and that the
whole matter be explained to Congress
when the estimates are submitted OF
course. the above estimate is very general,
and the figures may have to be modified