The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-10-06
PAVING DISCUSSED
 BY NEW YORK MAN
H. C. Innes, an Experienced
 Civil Engineer, Talks
MODERN WOODEN BLOCKS
Examples Pointed Out In Favor or creosoted Wood as Paving Ma terial-People, He Says,
 Have Confused Ideas.

II. c. Innes, a prominent civil engineer | of New York city who was fifteen years | ago connected with the engineering de- | partment of the Alabama Great Southern i railroad Is at the hillman. MT. lnnes talked Interestingly last night to repre- sentative of the Age-Herald on the sub feet of street paving, explaining partic- ularly the merits of the creosoted wooden blocks. Said he:
 "The work of paving Warren street In New York with the creosoted wooden blocks has proven so satisfactory that the authorities have entered into con tract for the same kind of pavement on Murry and and on Courtland streets and the work is to be completed as rapidly as possible. The United States Wood Ere serving company which has this contract paved the new Brooklyn or Williamsburg bridge and treated all timbers in that great structure with the same material all to the entire satisfaction of the pup lie The Manhattan Street railway com pany Is using these creosoted wooden blocks between it's tracks and will oontin- ue the work.
 Confused Ideas.
 "A great many people are confused with the ida that this modern pavement Is similar to the old style round wooden blocks which proved a failure, or some times with the Nicholson pavement whereas there Is no similarity. The yellow pine wooden blocks are by the most approved method vigorously treat ed with tar, rosin and formaldehyde from ten to twelve hours in a cylinder air tight and 120 feet long. By pumping process and under the action of the chem icals every particle of destroying matter is removed from the wood. Yellow pine is best, because while a hard wood 1t contains open cells which admit the creosote freely thus destroying all germs and perfectly preserving the timber.
 "The jointing process Is so perfect that nothing whatever can get between the blocks and there IS no swelling. In point of sanitation the materials used constitute perfect disinfectant. No germ can live about 1t. As to durability there are streets In Europe where 1t is used that have stood the test of many years On one street paved with this wood in Paris, where forty .--yusand vehicles pass | each day, there is not a mar to It's sym metry; and 1t Las stood the test of l years.
 Noiseless Pavement.
 "This pavement is noiseless, smooth and l easy to repair. In fact, 1t Is meeting in every respect the demands of this pro- gressive age in all progressive sections of the country.
 Your Highland avenue should not be called an avenue. It is boulevard and with the finishing touch of a creosoted wooden block pavement would be one of the most beautiful thoroughfares in the | United States
 "Your property y-holders most interest | ed in the subject of paving should read the United States government reports on the creosoted wooden blocks, and I am sure doubt would no longer finger in their minds as to what kind of pavement should be placed upon your streets. ave- nues, boulevards and even alleyways.
 AlIeyway Sanitation.
 By the way the alleyway has been a subject of much concern and study by sanitarians, and I am sure the creosoted wooden block paving with it's infallble | disinfecting feature Is solution of that problem"
 MT. Jnnes will probably return to his home in New York today He expressed much interest and pleasure in the wonder full advancement Birmingham has made since he was here twelve or fifteen years ago.