The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1903-12-12
]. B. M,CABE READ
PAPER ON PAVEMENT
continued from Fifth Page.


Continued from Fifth Page.
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cal means by which propositions to pave
CITY areas may be set on foot and car
ried TO completion.
The first problem that confronts the
property owner along the routs over
which the conclusion. has been reached
that It is necessary for the best inter
ests OF the community that the same
be paved. is, of what material shall the
pavement consist? This question is of the
first Importance and too often it is de-
cided by the material men themselves,
and contrary to the best interests or
the property owners concerned, and the
citizens generally. In many cases, the
material men, their agents ana promo
tiers. procure the circulation Of petitions
designating certain material to be used,
and under our paving law it is neces-
sary for the mayor and council either to
let the contract for paving to the low
est responsible bidder on the material
specified In the petition, reject all bids.
This law practically takes all voice in
the matter of the choice of the material
to be used, from the city officials, some
Of whom, at least, by reason of their
experience and observation are competent
authority in the decision of this import
ant question. and leaves the decision to
material men, who, as experience in some
terial men, who, as experience in some
cases has shown, are apt to subsidize
properly owners along the streets to be
paved either directly, or Indirectly, by
agrseing that the pavement Of such per-
sons shall cost them nothing. In this
way there can be created a sentiment in
favor of a certain material, which other
wise would be rejected.
City of BuffaIo's Plan.
The City of Buffalo, N. Y, has mode
Of letting paving contracts which in my
opinion is a most excellent one. In the
first place the property owners take the
initiative by petitioning for the street
improvement over the desired route. If,
in the opinion of the city authorities, 1t
is deemed advisable that the street be
paved. the city engineer is instructed to
prepare plans and submit estimates for
the same, designating different kinds OF
material The city then advertises for
and receives bids for the construction
of the work. using the various kinds of
paving, curbing. etc, designated in the
estimates. After the bids have been
opened and tabulated, the property
owners have twenty days in which to
petition the council as to the material
which they prefer. AS may readily be
seen, such method has the effect Of pro-
ducing lively competition with the re-
suit that the lowest prices may be had.
while on the ether hand, if the kind of
material should be designated in the es-
innate, or decided upon by the property
owners before the opening of the bids,
competition would be stified and the price
paid would be higher For instance, in
Topeka last spring the people on q GER
tain street petitioned for Lyon county
limestone to be used in curbing their
street. On another street, competition
was open. My esIlmate on Lyon county
stone was so cents per lineal foot There
being no competition, the agent for this
stone bid the amount Of the estimate,
and secured the contract. On the other
street, competition was warm, and the
contract was finally awarded to Colo
RADIO Red Sandstone at So cents. The price
therefore had been Go cents per lineal
foot. Now. the people on the first men
toned street would have much preferred
the sandstone at IS cents, to the lime
stone, as it is much better stone, but
the former high price kept them from
petitioning for it, and had they specified
the Colorado Sandstone in their petition,
It would have cost them 60 cents in
stead of 50 cents.
A Good Pavement.
The first requisite of a good pavement
of any kind is a proper subgrade. Before
the preparation of the subgrade. all I'M
derground construction, such as sewers,
gas and water mains and services, should
ne done. Private corporations or indi-
ytduals should not be allowed to eXca-
vate and refill trenches in street under
contract to be repaved, after the sub
grade has been rolled. The settlements
occurring in our newly paved streets, are
nearly all over sewers and gas and wat
er services, where the work was done
after the completion of the subgrade the
back filling not having been properly
done. After the street has been reduced
to subgrade, the earth should be thor
oughly rolled and tamped, until the sur
face OF the road ben is firm, hard and
the roller, they should be property filed
In with suitable material and rerolled.
In deciding the question of material. the
following points should be given consid-
Grafton: the first cost, cost OF mainten-
ance, ease of cleaning, orableness TO
travel, and sanitary qualities. The con-
ditions Of each street should be studied,
and the kind of pavement selected for
that particular street with reference to
those materials selected for other streets
as no paving material viii meet all con-
ditions. If the street TO be paved has
very steep grade, or II the traffic over
the same is quite heavy. stone blocks
should be used for the season that they
afford better foothold to horses. and
stand the abrasion of heavy loads better
than other materials. If light or semi
heavy grades of traffic are the conditions
presented. asphalt, brick. or some kinds
of wooden blocks will answer the pur-
bose.
Roadways Too Wide.
The average town and small city lays
out its roadways much too wide. and
when they are TO be paved the question
Of cost is a serious one The narrow
roadway for wide residence streets is
gaining in favor for the following rea-
sons: all pavements, except brick re-
ouire a certain amount or compression
TO keep them in the best condition The
tendency Of traffic to follow the crown
Of the roadway leaves A large space OF
wide pavements untouched; n narrow
pavement forces some Of the travel ltpon