The Dillon herald. [volume] (Dillon, S.C.) 1894-????, 1910-05-05
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Best Field.

The repairing of holes in pave;
ments seems to offer the best field
for developing to the fullest extent
the value of first-class workmanship.
This has recently been brought homo
to those interested in street paving in
Chicago by Mr.. John B. McInerney,
superintendent of repairs and main
tenance. Before he took hold the re-
pair of an opening was usually made
in the cheapest way possible and with
little or no regard for how long it
would stay in place or give satisfac-
tion in any form. Now repairs are
made with great care under the eye
OF an inspector skilled in this sort of
work. A careful record is .ISxt OF
repairs made and at the first signs OF
failure the contractor is required to
make the repair again at his own ex-
pense. Mr.. McInerney has demon
strated that an opening can be re-
paired in such way that it cannot
afterward be found. This requires
great care but it is worth all the
time and money it takes.
The results of Mr.. McInerney's eff
forts are particularly noticeable in
asphalt repairs which are made in
the following manner: The dirt
from all openings is tamped back in
shallow layers and care is taken to
see that the top of the opening is
larger in horizontal area than any
other part The dirt is crowned up
slightly over the trench or opening
and the old asphalt laid on top. This
ic al1nwah fn nj In 90
eral weeks If the traffic conditions do
not make such course seriously OBJ
jectionable. The material above
sub-grade is then removed and the
concrete (nearly all asphalt pave
ments in Chicago are laid on con-
crete) is trimmed with bevel edge
SO that the size of the opening in the
concrete is one or two inches less at
the bottom than at the top in each
direction. This edge is then thor
oughly cleaned, wet and sprinkled
with neat cement. The concrete is
then well rammed in place, no al
lowance being made for settlement.
and no crown on the top above the
grade Of the original concrete. After
the new concrete has set, the asphalt
is cut to sharp line with a vertical
edge and three or four inches larger
than tho opening. This edge is very
carefully painted with asphaltic ce-
ment after the binder has been we'll
tamped in place. The surface mix
ture is always rolled with both a
light and heavy roller in such a
way that it is finally brought to tho
Of
original pavement.
Engineers are often called upon to
produce results without having a
voice in the matter of selecting ma
terials. This is a hard position, but.
II one has accustomed himself to TAX
ing advantage of every physical con-
dition and to getting the greatest ef-
ficiency in workmanship, he will be
able to make good" on bad job"
In laying brick or granite pave
ments the proper filling of the joints.
particularly along the rails of street
car tracks is (within reasonable lin
its) of considerably more Importance
than the quality of material used as
a filler. 1t may also be said that the
laying Of any pavement to a smooth
and even surface which drains read
lily has much to do with the length
of its life. In general an ordinary
material, intelligontly and carefully
used, may produce results very SUI
perior to those obtained by the use
of better material in the hands of
n careless or inefficient Workman
Good Roads Magazine.