Spartanburg journal. [volume] (Spartanburg, S.C.) 1900-1906, 1906-09-06
THE FINEST BOULEVARD IN THE
WORLD.


NJ. Gerard Commissioner General
of France lat the Worlds Fair held in
st. Louis last year, after inspecting
the Bitulithic pavement of LindelI
Boulevard in that city, said:
1T is the best paved street l have
ever seen and would be a credit 10
Paris, or any other city, This is
praise indeed, coming from so high
an authority, and particularly from
the fact that Paris, as is we'll known,
has the finest streets in the world.
The adoption of the Bitulithic pave
ment by st. Louis, in which ever
"enty miles have been laid, was net
decided upon hastily, but after long
and careful investigation of street
pavements by the mcst competent au-
thCrities. Experts visited the cities
in which 1t had been laid, the labora-
tory of Warren Brothers Company at
Cambridge, Mass, was critically in
spected, the method of testing mate.
rials employed in the construction of
the pavement was examined by the
ablest chemists and when no definite
defects in theory or in construction
could be found. the Bitulithic pave
ment was adopted for the streets Cf
st. Louis.
Rival paving companies brought
suits against the city of st. Louis on
the ground that they could furnish
pavement equal in all respects to
Bitulithic, and expert chemists from
all parts Of the country were secured
as witnesses, but not one could be
found among them who claimed that
he was able to duplicate the btu
mems that are used in the Bitulithic
construction. Judge Wood, before
whom the suit was tried, dismissed
the proceedings, saying in his de-
cision that up to the time the case
was brought no one had been able
to produce the quality of bitumens
called fer by the ST. Louis speciAca-
tons except the Warren Brothers
Company, and, therefore, the conten-
tion CT the appellants had not been
sustained What was true at that
time still remains the truth-no paw
ing cements have yet been discover
ed equal to those produced by the
Warren Brothers Company, and as
their process of refining is patented
it cannot be duplicated and all imita-
tions have proved failures.
The wisdom of the Board of Pub
lie Works of st. Louis in selecting
the Bitulithic pavement was later sus-
tanned at the Worlds Fair by the
Supreme Jury of Awards. In the
Model City at the Fair. samples of
all known pavements were laid, and
as may be supposed, these samples
were the finest that workmanship
could produce. The Jury of Awards
of worldwide fame for technical
ability, and their verdict was unani-
mously in favor Of the Bitulithic
pavement, as the nearest approach
to the ideal. This verdict was later
unanimously confirmed by the Supreme
Jury of Awards. and to the inventors
of the Bitu!ithc Pavement was CIV
en- the gold meds.. This was the only
award for pavemcnts CT any class
made at the Fair, and asphalt, wood
block, asphalt block, and brick, were
amCny the cCmnetitorS
At the present time there are two
large plants constantly employed in
the city CT St Louis in order to
complete the contracts for Bituli,h-
ic which have been awarded This
year the aggregate of these ccr-
tracts being over 100000 square
yards. Petitions for the Bitulith'c
pavement from property owners For
many Thousands of yards more as
now pending before the Board &C
Public Works.
How well ST. Louis is pleased with
this pavement may be inferred from
the following letter Of Charles Var
relmann. Street Commissioner of st.
Louis fer p years, to c. F. RAJ d.
Co, Pueblo, Col:
I'm answer 10 yours of the 18th
asking fer my opinion as to the war
in gqual;ties Ct Warren Brothers Bit
ulithic Pavement. | would say tlai
the same has given entire satsfac.
tiCn to this department, as we'll as
to the property owners on all Of he
streets on which the pavement has
been put down"
BITCIITUIC PAVEMENT IN RIR.