The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1907-02-07
PAVING IS POPULAR
SUBJECT JUST
NOW
Citizens Greatly Interested in
Discussing Relative Merits
Of Different Kinds.
OPINION SEEMS DIVIDED
What Crookston's City Officials
and Citizens Think of
Asphalt.
OPINION SEEMS DIVIDED

The subject of paving is being dis
cussed at present to an extent only
rivalled by the weather, and, as in the
case of the latter, the discussion Is
not confined to any one particular
sect, sex or sphere. In the clubs, ut
the lodges, in hotel corridors and oc-
casionally on the street citizens may
be heard talking on the subject. Not d
single person is to be found who does
not insist that Grand Forks shall the
coming season begin laying new paw
ing-the best and most durable that
money can buy. But here is where
comes the parting of the ways.
what is the best paving%
1nasmuch as recognized authorities
differ, it is not to be wondered at that
citizens also have diversified opinions
Some want concrete others favor brick,
others creosote blocks, some bitulithlc,
some hasaam, others asphalt, and 50
on. But SO far no one has been heard
to favor re-paving with cedar blocks.
The Evening Times has at various
intervals within the past two months
relative merits of several different
classes of paving, with view to CIV
ing readers all information obtainable
on this all-important subject.
OF late there has come into exist
ence quite marked sentiment which
favors the use of asphalt. Paving ex-
perts practically agree that more as
phalt is manufactured artificially from
bitumen, pitch and gravel, or from
brown bituminous limestone. When
employed for paving it is melted in
huge caldrons and laid hot. 1t is
smooth, impermeable to water and dur
able, and is easily repaired.
An official of the city who is maxi
ing it his business to secure all in
formation possible on all kinds OF paw
ing materials, and who was DESTROYS
of learning something of the wearing
qualities of asphalt, wrote to Crook
ston-the only city in this section of
the northwest using asphalt-with a
view to getting opinions of business
men, taxpayers and others.
The following communication address
sed to The Evening Times, and Sign
ed by city officials and citizens Of
Crookston in general, is self-explana-
tory:
Crookston, Minnesota, February 4,
19O7.-Evening Times, Grand Forks,
N. D. Gentlemen: We, the under
signed business men and property
owners of the city of Crookston, Min
nesota, wish to state that the asphalt
paving laid on our main business
streets during the summer of 1903 has
been entirely satisfactory. This paw
ing was put down under ten year
guarantee, but up to this time there
has been no expense connected with
1t in the way of repairs. either to the
city or the company which laid it.
We find that this paving is easily
taken up and replaced when street
repairs are necessary, as was shown
recently when all telephone wires III
the business center of town were plac-
ed under ground.
There has been considerable more
paving of the same kind petitioned for
in diffrent parts of the city, and we
are heartily in favor of putting down
asphalt paving in preference to other
kinds.
Respectfully, w. E. Mckenzie, w.
E. slocum, Rosenthal & Falk, E. NJ.
Walsh. G. Oliver Riggs, G. E. DAM
pier. E. w. Jones, G. G. Chesterman,
j. E. Carroll, Christianson & Strander,
A. M. Childs, J. F. Fournet, G. c.
Wien, Tom Morris, ]. E. O'Brien, s. A.
Wallace, H. G. Misner, c. v. Braley,
L. D. Fosaltt, G. M. sumpkin, Stair
McConville Co., v. L. McGregor, w.
A. Marin, c. w. Newbery, s. U. Wheel
err. G. M. Anderson, F. Fournet, A.
Brosseau & Co., A. Chabot, J. H. Ruet-
tell, James H. Maybury, c. E. Glider
sleeve, Carl Riettsel, F. M. Brown,
J. D. McPhee, Bert D. Keck, Hans
Larson.