The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1906-12-13
A PUBLIC MEETING
ON THE PAVING
MATTER
Committee Of Commercial Club
Has Decided to Gall One to
Consider Material.
THE FEATURES OF BLook
Reports From Cities Usinr
Same and Some Of the
Qualities Shown.

The committee on paving of the
Commercial club held meeting at
the club rooms last night for the
purpose of further considering the
matter Of the proper kind of paving
material to be used by the city. The
following members were present:
Spriggs, chairman, Carrothers, Ian.
der, Day, Dinnie, Smith, Stinson. A
number Of communications from city
engineers where creosote blocks had
been used for varying periods Of time,
were read. They were in response to
letters of inquiry sent out by the
Commercial club. These letters on
the face were favorable to block paw
ing. Indianapolis has used the ma
terial longer than any other city, and
while it had failed in the earlier part
of the experiment, the city engineer
stated that under the present plan of
using blocks heavily treated they
were proving satisfactory. The gist of
these communications and the dis
cussion Of the same by the committee,
as we'll as the talk made by Prof.
Babcock of the university, was that
the creosote blocks is the most expen-
sive paving material to be used; that
the life and value of the block de-
pended entirely upon the character of
the treatment received, this ranging
from seven to sixteen pounds to the
cubic foot, while the quality Of the
oil used also had much to do with
the value; that If not made in the
best possible manner with blocks so
heavily treated as to exclude absorb.
ton, the blocks would swell and
cause the pavement to buckle. On
the other hand it was shown that they
were the least noisy of all the mater
ials; that they were reasonably clean;
that they were easy to take up and
replace for the purpose of making
water, gas and other connections. The
lasting qualities are something of an
experiment as yet. Indianapolis has
used the material for number Of
years and reports it still in good con-
dition. The majority Of the cities
which have reported on the matter
state that it has been in use for from
one and half to six years. That
which has been In use the maximum
time shows no serious wear.
Prof. Babcock made talk to the
committee on the several kinds of
paving material. He laid especial
stress upon the foundation, which is
recognized by every one who has
given the paving question any consid-
GRAFTON, as the important part. It is
conceded that in this city, with the
peculiar subsoil which we have as
we'll as its porous character that the
foundation must be of sufficient
strength to practically support the
surface paving. Prof. Babcock is in
favor of experimenting with several
kinds of paving materials, laying a
block of one kind and a block of an
other and so on, so that the life and
special qualities Of the several kinds
may be watched at home. 1t was
suggested in reply that the city would
have to wait ten years at least to get
this information, and while it was not
included in the suggestion, it is fact
that in ten years this city will have
10000 population and Minneapolis
will be sending experts up here to
see how we manage municipal affairs.
The idea is not a favorable one, be-
cause the city would become an ex-
detrimental station and the pavements
would be crazy quilt that would
make the most staid citizen believe he
had been to the other side and was
seeing things. The matter of vitrified
brick was discussed and while there
were many objections to its adoption,
principal of which was the noise, it
was suggested by Prof. Babcock that
a low grade brick could be manu-
featured from oar local clay. The
wearing qualities are low, as the
bricks chip easily. The committee
decided to call a public meeting of
the citizens at an early date probably
next Tuesday evening at the Com
mercial club rooms to consider the
matter and after the decision of this
meeting the matter will go to the city
council.