The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1905-01-13
and he suggested that a special meeting
be called to consider the matter.
Andrews Denounces Brick Pavement.


be called to consider the matter.
Andrews Denounces Brick Pavement.
c. n Andrews, who was present with
c. II. Saulpaugh and others, addressed
the council at some length. He said
that he appeared for those of the prop
erty owners who are in favor of asphalt
as a paving material. He said that the
previous council had looked into the
subject carefully and had decided that
asphalt makes the best paving material.
The present council had also looked into
it and taken trip to Winnipeg and else
where, and the investigation could have
been carried further without meriting
criticism on the part of the public. The
vestigations, independent of anybody
else. 1t is claimed that the property
owners along the street should dictate
to the council, but the law leaves it to
the council to use it's discretion, and the
fact that the petition may bear the
names of the owners of three fOurths of
the property does not relieve the coun-
ell of responsibility for the character of
the pavement laid. The council cannot
dodge this responsibility. The property
owners may be right or they may be
wrong-it is for the council to deter
mine.
Give Both Sides an Opportunity.
Mr.. Andrews said that both sides
should have an opportunity to discuss
the matter with the council at some
future meeting. He demurred to the
proposition that the land owners on
Front street should dictate a policy to
the entire city-that fifty men who own
the property on Front street should
override the ten thousand other peo
pie in the city who use the street. Front
street belongs to all of the people, and
the council should do what is best with
reference to all of the practical sides
of the question The property owners on
Front street are primarily owners for
purposes of renting, but those who
The owners will reimburse themselves
for the expense of paving from their
renters, and the renters from their pat
rons, and the public at large will have to
stand the expense in the end. Therefore
the voice of all of the people should be
considered as well as the property own
ers, who are to be presumed to be hostile
to all large expenditures for public i'm
Iprovements.
Brick Used in Villages.
Mr.. Andrews said that brick has had
a large experience in the past as paw
ling material, especially in the smaller vii
lagos of the country, because it is too
Expensive to put down a small piece of
asphalt paving. Waseca is a sample of
this. In larger places, where asphalt
has come into competition with brick as
a paving material, the tendency is large
ly in favor of asphalt. Mr.. Saulpaugh
and others are for public improvements,
but want them to be of the best kind.
Vitrifed brick has certain infirmities
from its very nature. The bricks cannot
be burned of uniform quality, and
!abOut twenty per cent are second class
and are laid aside for small jobs and
for sidewalks, etc. A perfect selection
cannot be made, however, so the surface
will not be absolutely uniform. There
will be defective bricks. The brick pave
ment also presents thousands of joints,
and there will be disintigration after a
year or two. In five or ten years the
pavement will be rough, somewhat un-
slightly and somewhat noisy. In cities
brick is rarely used for paving except in
the alleys or on streets where there is
little business, so it is said.
Travelling Men Denounce Brick.
Travelling men say that where there
is brick pavement around hotels is it
a decided nuisance and an objection to
lpatronizing the house. 1t has metal
lie ring that is not present with asphalt.
1t is this noise that has caused cobble-
stones, granite blocks and finally brick
in their order to be rejected. A noise
less pavement is a modern convenience
and a modern need. Tenants have an
especial interest in this, as well as the
owners. Brick becomes more noisy the
older the pavement becomes.
Mr.. Andrews said that as far as he
knew there is nothing in the talk of the
Barber asphalt company being back of
the present move for asphalt. That COM
many laid splendid pavement on Broad
street. He did not favor any particular
lasphalt or asphalt company. Bids should
be open to any asphalt that will come
up to the standard, the same as is done
in the large cities.
Asphalt Will Bear Heavy Traffic.
Asphalt will bear heavy traffic. In