Webster City freeman. [volume] (Webster City, Hamilton County, Iowa) 1884-1946, 1911-12-19
s PROVEN SATISFACTORY

The Important Thing is Right Spec
iAcations and Strict
Compliance.
The Freeman-Tribune is in receipt
Of the following self-explanatory let
ter:
Detroit, Mich, Dec. 16.-Freeman-
Tribune, Webster City, Iowa.We
are very glad to have your letter
about concrete paving in Webster
City and to do whatever we consci-
entiously can do to further the use
Of concrete paving Concrete will
have to fight its way to recognition
as a superior paving material, just
as 1t has had to combat every step
OF the way FOR adoption for other
structural purposes by sheer force
Of merit.
Perhaps the greatest obstacle in
the way lies in a popular notion
that concrete is variety Of mud
thrown together out of a. hetero-
geneous mass of materials with a
little cement thrown In to hold the
pieces together. It was only the
other day that New York newspa-
per, in its editorial columns. referr-
ed to concrete as variety Of mud.
The most important thing in lay
ing a good pavement of concrete is
in having a good specification to
start with and strict supervision
throughout the entire operation.
The fact that concrete Is made out
OF such common materials as gravel.
sand and broken stone, the quality
Of which however is highly import
ant, makes 1t possible for the un-
scrupulous contractor to skimp his
work and turn out product which
gives black eye to the whole in
dustry.
Concrete pavements have been
successfully laid In many cities and
In some cases have been down long
enough to prove beyond a doubt
that the material is lasting one
for the purpose.
Bellefontaine, Ohio. and Rich
nond, Indiana, are two OF the first
places in this country to lay con-
crete pavements. The Bellefontaine
pavement was put down more than
seventeen years ago, and the Rich
mond pavement. thirteen years ago.
Both OF these payements are in ex-
cellent condition today. Concrete
paving is by no, means restricted to
the small city. Thousands Of yards
are giving excellent service under
heavy trafic in Chicago, Washing
tom. Philadelphia, and elsewhere.
The Bellefontaine pavement con-
sists Of A. Portland cement con-
crete base made of Ia machine
mix OF cement and gravel, and a q
wearing surface consisting of IL
mixture of cement and screened
black sand. The base concrete was
mixed rather dry and we'll tamped,
and on this the top coat was laid
Immediately, or as fast az the Sec
ond gang could follow the men lay
Ing the base. The concrete is made
In strips s. wide, parallel with the
curb and extending the full length
Of the area paved. These strips af-
forwards were cut crosswise so that
the pavement really consists OF
blocks s. square. No expansion
joints were used. The top was CIV
en- a smooth. sidewalk finish. The
aggregates were carefully selected.
The pavement laid In Mason City.
Iowa, which has given excellent sat
isfaction. consists OF foundation
course S" thick, composed OF part
Portland cement, 2 parts OF clean
sand and parts Of "" to " "
screened stone. On top Of this Is a
wearing surface e. thick composed
OF 1 part cement, parts clean,
coarse, sharp sand. Expansion Joints
were made along the curb and trans
versely across the pavement every
twenty-five feet. In between these
twenty-five foot sections a contrac-
ton joint was provided for "
wide. The expansion joints were
filed with asphaitic filler and the
contraction joints were carefully nm
ished OF so that there would be no
sharp edges to chip.
The Mason City paving cost $1.25
per square yard. which includes z
OF excavation. Crushed rock. deliy-
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