Smyrna times. [volume] (Smyrna, Del.) 1854-1987, 1909-05-05
COUNCIL INSPECTS SOME
NEW JERSEY STATE ROADS
INTERESTED IN "AMIESSTlTE." A
NEWLY PREPARED MACADAM

Also See a Section of Street in Will
mington Constructed of the Same
Material-Council Still At Sea.
Smyrna Town Council held
special meeting last Wednesday even
ing for the purpose of having another
discussion on street material. Mr..
Amber of the Amber. Davis & Co.,
Philadelphia Contractors was pres
ent and said he was ready to put
down any street material that
the town wanted. He refused to
recommend one material over another
but talked at length about vitrifed
brick and amiesstite. - The brick
he agreed to lay on Main street for
81. 90 a square yard, offering to do il
cheaper now on account of a slack
spell. The section between Hamil-
tons Lane and North street would
cost the town approximately S18, 600.
Amiesstite an improved macadam,
chemically treated, Mr. Amber would
not guarantee for he knew too little
about it. He said it looked good to
him and he thought it would be dur
able road material. This he offered
to lay for SIPS a square yard. Mr..
StOckly who is so much interested in
amiesstite piled Mr.. Amber with
many questions. Finally Mr.. Amber
invited he Board to join him in Phila-
delphia and take trip over into New
Jersey and see the piece of amie5stiate
roadbed laid at Magnolia a suburban
district about 20 miles outside of
Camden. This was satisfactory to
Council and Friday was fixed as the
date on which they would 60.
Council Visits Roads in New Jersey
Mr.. Amber met the members of
our Council (who were all present
except James c. RObinson) and escor-
ted them in an automobile to Magno-
liza. The weather was damp and
rainy, an excellent time to see t he
weather effects on the patent road
In the party with Mr.. Amber and
our Councilmen was Prof. Amiess,
the inventor of the new road material
who answered all questions put to him.
Council was royalty entertained and
was served diner at the Manufacture
ers' Club an annex of the Bellvue-
Stratford in Philadelphia. In the
afternoon Messrs. John P. Hudson,
James H. Roberts, John C. Stockly
and Joseph H. Wright stopped at
Wilmington to witness the amiesstite
road put down on 18th street five
years ago. They came home deligh-
ted with it as we'll as with some
splendid testimonials concerning its
wearing qualities. President Samuel
j. Reynolds and Secretary H. B.
Grieves came on home and did not
stop in Wilmington. The latter saw
enough at Magnolia to impress them
that it was not the road material we
need in Smyrna and were opposed to
making an experiment of it. They
feel as do most of Smyrna's progress
sive citizens, that it will be a wiser
move to pave Main street with vitri-
fiedbrick and make a permanent job
of it rather than experiment with
patent road materials.
May Postpone Street Improvement
Council will hardly take another
|. discussion of the subject until the
next regular meeting of Council. In
the meantime there is great deal
/ of discussion among our business men
and prominent citizens who seem to
be of one opinion that Council had
better do nothing this year, if it is
not to be of permanent character.
Some members of the Council enter
tain this same view.