The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1909-05-18
Barre Board Of Trade is
Strong for II
INSTEAD OF MACADAM
Well Attended Meeting. Last Night Dis
eussed the Merits Of Road Material
for Use on Bar res Chief
Stress.

A meeting Of tho Board Of Trade was
held at the manu- facturers' rooms last
evening to discuss the merits Of different
kinds Of street par Ting. There were about
40 members pres ent and after a two
hours discussion a motion was presented
and carried, with but three votes in oppo-
sion, recommending block paving as the
best paving for Main street from Depot
square to Blackwell street.
The discussion of the evening was
opened by 9. w. Melcher, chairman or
the committee on municipal affairs He
said that in the Ia years Of the city's
existence we had had nine street commits
sioners, and seven out Of the nine han
recommended block paving for Main
street, two being non.cOmmittal. Gran
ite maeadam, be said, was the poorest
macadam road built, with a life Of from
to years; trap rock maeadam would
wear from to years Maaadam was
suitable for side and residential streets.
but hardly suitable for Main street.
Granite blocks would last from 20 to SO
years. A few years ago Barre bad a
concrete street, which Is certainly bet
ter than macadam, but it lasted only
four or five years and everyone was glad
when it was removed.
Someone called for r. s. Carrrier coun-
ty road superintendent. Mr. Currier told
Of his experience and studies in road
making, and Of the investigations made
by the city council before the first paw
ing was laid in Barre. This investigation
developed the fact that granite block
paving is the cheapest street IN the end.
He stated that ia Massachusetts. where
the maintenance Of macadam roads cost
that state $40 q mile nine years ago,
the advent Of the automobile had in
creased the cost to 5000 a mile. Mr..
Currier stated that macadam roads laid
only last fall in Montpelier, with a
tar binding, already had sink holes in
them. II costs twice or three times as
much to clean naacadam al it does gran
ite block paving, and macadam is tho
most unsanitary street cities can lay. If,
as all authorities figure it out, block
packing is the cheapest street we can
lay, why does not the city continue to
lay itf
A. S. Martin, F. r. Cutler, B. w.
Hooker and Henry Moore made brief re-
marks and asked number Of ques-
tions
George A. Reed, city engineer, said he
did not speak in his official capacity,
but simply as member Of the Board
Of Trade, He said from what knowledge
he had gained from study and experience
be could not recommend macadam road
for such a street as North Main street
as far north as Whitcomb Bros He
thought the city could not find any au-
thority who would recommend such a
street for road that has the travel of
Main street He quoted numerous an
thorities and said the United States
government tests showed block paving
rated at II per cent, as against 55 for
macadam.
George Z. Mcfarland spoke for the
macadam road. He thought the experts
would draw different conclusions in
Barre. They would have different ba-
sis to figure on. The Jockey Hollow
macadam road cost "A cents a SQUARE
yard, and that on Brook, Washington
and North Main streets less. Block pay.
ing cost $500 a square yard Further.
the conditions under our streets were not
40 NyvA as III VtHcA pistScss 4it ItiL tlhC
macadam road was the one TO build and
maintain in Barre He thought another
thing to be considered was the comfort
OF the people on the street,
Jas. Adie told how in Albany. N. ".
a block paved street had been torn up
to be replaced BY asphalt. and that in
two years time that was replaced vita
macadam, this latter TO be replaced in
two years more time by the first dis.
earded block paving.
II 7, Cutler told Of the cost of Cottage
street, which was macadamized. and was
a very satisfactory street. He did not
want block paving in front Of his house
because Of the noise. He said every
abutter on Main street but four signed
q petition for macadam
John Mcdonald. J. T. CallaRhan and
others spoke on the subject. On motion
Of Mr. Callaghan il was voted the board
recommend paving blocks for Main
street from Depot square TO Blackwell.
street and the committee on municipal
affairs was delegated to convey to the
city council this view of the matter.