The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-07-06
COMMITTEE REPORT WAS NOT ENDORSED Highland Ave, Property Owner Disagree About Paving MATTER IS UNSETTLED Some Want Wooden Blocks, Some Bituminous Maeadam and chert
 Is Good Enough for
 Others.

to exceed s1.S0 per yard, and when the motion was put to adopt the recommends tion it was lost by tie vote of ten to ten As 1t required majority to adopt the recommendation. 1t was declared lost J. c. Thompson and R. c. Redus were the principal advocates or the adoption of the recommendation of the committee, while Col. T. c. Bush and Robert Jemi- son opposed it to a certain extent, speak ing In favor of chert, or further delay until the matter could be more fully in- vestigated.
 The matter of paving the avenue will go over until there can be some con certed action, as it is not believed that the mayor and aldermen would pass an ordinance authorizing the Improvements until the citizens of the avenue were more unanimous in their opinions. Alder man Heidt stated at the meeting that street committee in favor of action on the paving at present.
 It seems to be the opinion of some of the property holders that the vote for or against the paving should be taken ac- cor6ing to the amount of property held or represented, but others thought differ ently and a motion to that effect was withdrawn at the meeting yesterday be- fore put to vote
 The report Of the committee was as fol- lows:
 Report of Committee.
 Mr. Chairman: Your committee ap. pointed at former meeting of the prop. erty owners of Highland avenue. to n- vestigate pavements and paving material beg to make the following report:
 That they visited the cities of St. Louis, Indianapolis and Nashville and made a careful examination of the streets of those cities paved with the creosoted wood blocks and also those paved with bitunin- ous macadam.
 In making these investigations In the city of St. Louis, your committee was greatly aided in its work by the board of public works and the engineer of the board of that city. In addition to making the committee their guests, and having them carried over the streets to be examined. the president of the board and their en- gfneer gave the committee a free and full discussion of the results of their large ex- perience with the different kinds of pave ments in use in the city of St. Louis. And in this connection 1t is well to say that they have tried every kind of known pavement up to this time.
 Wood Block and Bltuminous.
 Among the latest pavements laid there are the wood block pavements and bitu- minous macadam. We were also informed that the board of public works of the city of St. Louis has recently passed a resolu- tion that the city of St. Louis will not construct any more chert or macadam streets giving as reason therefore that they are difficult to clean, needing much repairing and not, on the whole. constitut- ing an economical and satisfactory pave nent.
 The committee found that the city of In- dianapolis has ia use about twenty miles of wood block pavement, beginning with the earliest forms of wood block pave ment laid in this country, consisting of tlocks at first merely dipped in oil. and coming on down to those of the year 1904, laid under their latest specifications, which require the wood blocks to be thoroughly creosoted with the best oil, containing fourteen pounds to the cubic foot of paving material.
 In Indianapolis.
 There is in this city no bituminous macadam laid, up to this time and we were informed by the city engineer of In- dianapolis, through whose courtesy we were given the opportunity of thoroughly examining their streets, that they have about twenty miles of wood block pave- ment in use, and the people are asking for more. Here we found the wood block pavements, which had been laid eight years, and on which the guarantee had expired in splendid condition. showing scarcely any sign of wear whatever.
 We were also informed through the city engineers office of this city that the wood blocks as prepared under their present specifications resist all weather conditions, and when pfoperIy laid, make an almost perfect pavement possessing the qualities of durability, noiselessness. freedom from dust. freedom from heat, smoothness, needing small if any repairs. and easily taken up for the purpose of re- pairing or improving. And. further, creo- sote being used as a disinfectant, the cre- csoted wood block, properly laid, Is per- fectly sanitary and promotive of public health, and requires no sprinkling to keep clean thus saving the property owners that additional expense. And, again, ,n- | spection of materials entering into the construction of creosoted wood blocks Is | easy and practicable, while the bitum- mo,,s macadam 1t is we'll night impossible The only objection found to this pave ynent in the city of Indianapolis Is that | if is slippery to drive over in the frost and to some extent when wet. It was further reported. however. that after the | frost has formed on 1t, 1t disappears from | the wood blocks more quickly than from inc asphalt or brick pavement.
 In Nashville.
 | In the city of Nashville, we found no wood block pavement, but several or their principal streets paved with Ditum- | inous nnacadam, which has been laid Tor nearly three years, and is considered sat- isfactory to the municipal authorities. Here we were also courteously aided by the city engineer and other municipal officers in our investigations and were given the benefit of their experience in using the bituminous macadam. | The committee, after a careful consider l ation and study of especially the creosoted wood block and the bituminous macadam with a view to their use on Highland | avenue. report their findings in the form of a resolution adopted at full meeting of the committee. held Friday. July l, viz:
 Resolved. That we recommend that Highland avenue be paved with creosoted wood blocks of { inches in thickness, laid on a finch concrete foundation, equal the India n a lfc