The Birmingham age-herald., 1906-05-24

the committee Ono member of which wis., ited the city hall today up to noon), from it's veW preparation to the laying of It. the cutting and repairing of it, and the streets where it had been laid for three or four years and had never yet required repairs. It was stated by the street com- missioner John M. McCartin, that within the four years not even as much as s50 had been spent In repair of the streets paved with bitulithic. which are very numerous and very lengthy.
 The representatives of the company had portion of the pavement cut out and replaced, in order to show the vis- iting inspecting committee how readily repairs can be accomplished and how hard and durable the pavement is. It required an hour and half for the work men to cut out a block two feet square, but 1t required only few minutes to replace the space cut out
 John Meyers, the local molasses and syrup merchant, who is about to erect a s15.0o0 residence on Prytania street. where 1t is proposed to lay the bitullthio pavement and who was with the party on the tour of inspection, declared, Mayor Behrman said. that 1t Is the one pave ment for him. He wants it by all means.
 The inspecting party called on Mayor Ward of Birmingham. who received them most cordially and extended an invitation to dine with him. but. having already agreed to attend dinner at Hotel Hill- man they were of necessity compelled to decline the honor.
 Chief O'Connor, who accompanied the party as related. stated that he was satisfied that bitulithic is the very pave- ment suited to our needs. He had been informed by Chief Bennett of the Bir mingham fire department. that 1t is the best pavement he has ever known. Others whom Chief O'Connor met had expressed similar approval of the pavement. The streets that had been down one. two, or no wear at all. There were no ruts, not even next to the car tracks, notwith- standing the fact that traffic Is heavy in Birmingham. though certainly not as heavy as here. The drivers of vehicles there do not constantly take to the tracks as they do here-they keep to the road ways on the side. and this. in a measure. may account for the absence of "cutting" and trucking beside the tracks. The pavement, Chief O'Connor declared is ab- solutely the finest thing of the kind that he has yet seen. The scarborough surface prevents the slipping of horses hoofs and wagon wheels when there Is frost. dew or ice, yet is not noticeable when one is In vehicle.
 Speaking of the Birmingham fire de- partment Chief O'Connor declared that 1t Is one of the finest and best equipped. in every respect that he has yet in- spected The engines are all large and perfect. and the stock and houses are all of the finest The engine houses are all big, roomy places with two exits one for the engine and one for the hose wagon or any other fire vehicle. The fire mems quarters are all roomy and airy and neatly kept thoroughly modern In point of equipment in every respect
 There are fire mains and plugs. Chief O'Connor declared. from one end Of every street to the other, and each plug has three pipe or hose connections of varying sizes. The mains carry a constant pres sure of 70 pounds to the square inch Birmingham the chief declared. while having a fire force rather small for the size of the city, yet can boast one of the best equipped departments in the