Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1904-10-10
PUSHING
BETTER
STREETS
Salem May See First
Permanent I'M
prOYement
Arguments In Favor of the
New BithuIitic Street Con-
Structi n Process

The Waters administration is doing
all in its power to promote the con
struction Of better streets. A short
time ago Mayor Waters and a commit
tee of aldermen and County Judge
Scott went to Portland to inspect some
streets that are being constructed on
a large scale by what is known as the
bithulitic process, crushed rock and
coating Of bituminons material, that is
far more durable than asphalt, it is
claimed.
w. l.. Arcbembeau, practical street
pavement man, representing the War.
rem Construction Company, has been
in the city the past week interviewing
number of business men and city Of
fcials in the interest of the pavement
He made a very favorable impression
for his kind Of street, and hopes TO re-
turn soon TO our city and close a con.
tract. This pavement is now in use in
more than so cities, and seems to stand
the test of heavy traffic and the erosion
Of time. IL seems peculiarly adapted to
our kind of streets, and would utilize
ell the foundation work that has been
done. In an extended argument before
the committee the following statements
were brought out in reference 10 the
foundation required for bituminous or
asphalt pavement;
The competitors Of the 'Bitulith.
ie," or Warren Bituminous Macadam
Pavement" endeavor to make a point
against it by stating it is not laid on
concrete foundation. 1t is not laid
on concrete foundation. II is not
laid on hydraulic concrete, but is laid
on base Of crushed stone and bitumi.
nous cement, which is in actual use
and still in good condition under pave.
ments laid in the city of Washington
80 years ago. The fact is that hydraul.
&c concrete, in point of durability, is
an element of weakness Of the ordinary
sheet pavement, for the reason that IL
does not unite 60 the surface and pro.
vides line Of separation between the
Foundation and surface, the tendency
Of which is TO cause the blanket TO
"slip or "roll' 'on the foundation
under the rolling effect Of traffic.
IL is very common thing to see
sheet pavements which have rolled into
waves or billows, and ON examination.
60 find that the blanket has slipped ON
the concrete to such an extent that the
upper surface Of the concrete aud the
lower surface of the sheet have become
polished as smooth as glass. To over.
come this n "binder" course OF
hne stone aud oil lail laid between the
concrete base and the blanket surface
has been used during the past few
years. The binder course only partial
ly overcomes the slipping and opens
new element OF weakness The bind
er Is more watertight than basket
and provides a course between the
foundation and the blanket surface
which easily holds any moisture which
works into the pavement from above or
below, and permits the moisture to be
taken up by the semiporous surface.
causing the same to rot.
The bituminous foundation of the
Bitulithie" pavement provides
rough surface OF the same character as
the Bituli,hie" wearing surface, SO
that under pressure Of the l5.ton roller
used, the foundation and surface be
come thoroughly knit together with
no line Of cleavage or separation be
tween the two, 50 that slipping or roll
ing OF the surface on the base is impos
sible. Except that We add the hi
luminous cement 20 IN efoundation IL
is the same as the foundation in the
regular maeadam pavement. No one
ever heard Of a properly laid macadam
pavement on well-rolled subsoil fail.
ing because Of settlement OF the fonn.
dation. The weakness OF the ordinary
maeadam is in the surface and not the
foundation.
Regarding the foundation used under
cur hitehihAs pavement Prof, A,
w. Dow, Inspector Of asphalt and ce
msnts of the Unitcd states government
az Washington, says;
The Massachusetts, avenue, Wash
ington, pavement, which is now ~
years old, was laid on bitnminous
foundation, as Is also our oldest as
phali pavement, oa Nermont avenue,
,and numbers Of oar oldest pavemeats.
The hituminous foundations are mara.
cdly superior for bisuminous pave
ment 90 the concrete base,
TO show what the pavement win
stand 10 the way u heavy loads, we
quote from letter Of Mr. l. Cameron