The times and democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1881-current, 1908-11-10
Orangeburg; S. c..
October" g.. 1905

/ Orangeburg; S. c.,
/ October" g., 1905
To Hon. City Councils of City of
Orangeburg, S. c. 2
Gentlemen: The committee ap-
pointed by resolution, of CGnci!,
dated 25th day of September, 4
D. 1908, to visit varferB neigflbor-
ing cities, to inspect THAR streets,
and Investigate their pavings,. as to
materials, cost, durability. etc.,, rE-
port that pursuant to said resorr-
tion tire committee visited' the ciEiies
Of Columbia, Charleston, Spartan
burg, and Charleston. Your: commit
tee found that much pavement GaI
BEEN put down in each of. said c1L-
lies: The kinds of pavements: used
in some or most Of said cities. were
.macadam, btulithic, vitrif1ed' brick
ON concrete base, and vitritfGd; brick
on sand cushion on soil. After care
full inquiry and thorough inYestiga-
ti0T yuur committee find that mac
adam IS not suitable for our streets.
It is not durable, soon becomes lln-
even,. full of holes and rough. T.
is condemned in most cities wtigre II
has been used. And in the cities
we, visited where it has been usef
it has been taken up and replaced
with. vitrified brick or bitulithic;;- for
instance in SpaTtanburg, where
thousands Of dollars had been ey-
pended in putting down and main
tainiiIg the macadam it has been
torn up and vitrifed brick om coil
crete! base, or the bitulithic pave
ment substituted for it.
We found thai the bitulithic pave
ment makes beautiful and smooth,
and IN many respects, admirable
driveway, at about the same cost as
vitrilied brick. But wee are told It
has not been in use over,eight. years.
And we are not satisfied as. to- its
lasting qualities. Then, too, we are
tolG it will require considerable
amnalnt to keep it in repair, and that
it can only be repaired by Skilled
labor.
We find that ravemeIlts. made of
vitrified brick on concreate base have
given almost perfect. satisfaction in
Columbia, Charleston. and Spartan
burg. In the city Of Charleston the
vitrified brick is not put down on
concrete base. Your committee be-
lieves that the most desirable pave
ment to be had is made Of vftrified
brick on the concrete base. The
only objection to this is the large
mgst. We find that while the City
of Charleston has non Vitrifled brick
pavement on concrete base, it has a
great deal Of pavement on sand
cushion on the soil. 1t is only put
down after the soill has been thoc-
'oughly rolled. Charleston frat
grades the street, rolls it thoroughly,
puts on a cushion Of sand about
two inches deep. hEs the buick
edgeways on that and then fills
the crevices with. sand. Pavenents
made that way. hare proved very
satisfactory i'm that, city. In Ch herles-
ton the following named streets'have
been paved with witrified bricks in
the manner above described: George
street, laid eight. years ago, with per-
feet satisfae.ion, and still in splendid
condition without any repair; CO.
lumbus street, which leads: to tae
Union depot. and on which. there: is
much he;%y traffic, has beer laid for
three. ye;rs,. is: in fine condition With
out any repair, and answers eVery
puropse:. R1tledge averae is now
being laid in this way.
We 1ecU1amend that tae streets be
paved. first being properly shaped,
made convex, thoroughly rolled, and
then sa.ad cushion be put down.
then good vitrified brick put thereon
held together with q tar filler to
make, them as far as possible fmper-
vious to water. If this recommends
tior De adopted anG followed we be-
liese, the city will have good pave
mgnts at as reasonable costs as We
can expect. All Of which is respect
fluly submitted.
w. G. Smith,
1. w. Bowman,
H. l.. Smoak,
J. X. Weeks,