East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1908-07-11
COST OF MANY
PAVING MATERIALS

The first attempts to pave streets
with wood, three-quarters Of a cen
tury ago, were failures, and for years
after no satisfactory progress was
made, says a paving review,
The blocks were round, which left
large unequal spaces between them.
Their edge broke down and wore off,
the wood rotted, and the pavement
was soon uneven and rough, and
therefore difficult to clean and un-
sanitary.
At the present time, through the Sc
blocks into rectangular shape so that
their edges may lie close together
and treating them chemically to in
crease their durability wood pave
ment is better in many respects than
any other in common use. 1t is
smooth, quiet, resilient, easily cleaned
and easily repaired.
In wearing qualities it is superior to
I macadam, brick or asphalt, and in
ferior only to granite and sandstone,
In sanitary qualities it exceeds all
but asphalt.
No road surface Is easier to draw
a load upon, or, as it Is put in tech
nical language, none offers a lower
friction resistance" and none is
easier to keep clean. Creosoted wood
pavement stands above the average
in smoothness, freedom from dust,
mud, noise, reflection of light, radia-
ton of heat, and east of maintenance.
The first cost of creosoted wood is
greater than that of macadam, brick
or asphalt, but not so great as gran
lie or sandstone. on the other hand,
it must be remembered, it exceeds
any of the first group in wearing
qualities. Too must weight is some
times attached to the initial cost of
creosoted wood and too little to its
counterbalanclng durability, which Is
equally important in calculating in
vestment returns.
1t costs from $2.4o to $3.50 per
square yard, laid as compared with
an average of $3.50 for sandstone,
s3.26 for granite, $2.39 for asphalt,
$2106 for brick, and SO cents for ma
cadam, in number Of cities in which,
a study has been made.
Cedar has been extensively laid in
the middle west, and oak, cypress,
white pine. hemlock, western red ce-
dar, cottonwood, mesquite Usage or
ange, redwood, Douglas fir and tam
arack in various cities of the coun-
try.
Untreated American red gum, tried
in England, raised great hopes, but It
finally proved unsatisfactory Pave
ment Of Australian eucalyptus has
lasted for from fifteen to twenty years
in the streets of London. 1t Is more
slippery, however, than American
woods, and its cost, about IS per
square yard in the United States is
prohibitive.
In recent years the difficulties
which attended the use of wood pave
ment have been largely overcome by
better methods Of handling, treating,
and laying the blocks. Crosote is
the best of the preservatives In COM
mon use for wood pavement. Since
1t is insoluble in water, It does not
bleach out, and II sufficient amount
Is injected into the blocks 1t prevents
the entrance of water, which weak
ems the pavement. ., 4
The blocks should be rectangular
In shape. For heavy traffic their
depth should not be less than four
inches. The usual width Is three or
four inches, and the best length from
six to 10 inches They should be laid
with the grain vertical, on concrete
having thin cushion Of
sand or other material. Il