The Detroit times., 1911-10-25
petroit. october tg. D.

secretary.
Detroit October ~, 1911,
no the Executive Directors, Detroit
Board OF Commerce.
Sirs--Your Committee appointed TO
make an investigation into materials
used and methods employed IN paving
The streets OF Detroit, begs leave 10
aubmit its report
The committee announced al It's htst
meeting that IL would investigate:
va fst The kind and quality or ma
tcrial which had been used Tor resnr-
facing.
Employed in contracting for snrfacinS
e material, both in respect to obtaining
real competition and the methods OF
Inspecting the material and the work
srd The materials used and meth
4 ODDS employed in constructing the
fodndations upon which the surfaelng
had been laid, and the methods used
In obtaining competition for such ma
ferials and for foundation work when
performed by contractors and the
method OF inspecting the materials
and the work as IL progressed
BRICK SURFACING.
4 The streets or Detroit surfaced
tory. This fact is due TO several
causes, which stated in the order 81
their importance. are:
TAD For many years BRICK surtaclns
was laid on natural cement founda-
lions that have proven defective.
tb) Brick re-surfacing has been laid
on these defective naturai cement
folndations when the better plan
would have been TO extensively repair
che foundations or entirely replace
them before re-surfaclng
"a tel Considerable poor material has
s been used in the last few years, While
tit cannot be said that Detroit has
been made dumping ground by the
manufacturers Of brick nevertheless.
been used I'm the surfacing laid within
the last few years.
(d) The lack OF well organized en-
gIneering and inspection deparPp
& In the Department OF Public Works,
resulting in improper specifications for
latinr. Insufficient specifications for
Gent Inspection OF material before
LAYING.
have nor been promptly repaired when
dcfects appeared. because there has
X hecn no VOL oiGanlzed repair depart
TpeDt In the department OF Public
Works, and because sufficient funds
haNc not been relueIteC or approprI-
nted for the purpose OF renairs,
ASPFNIT ET1Et-rrf REF MI,
Nj While AZ is true that prior TO the or
EanizutlOn I'm the Department OF Pub
nc Works OF q department having
charge Of surfacing with asph>lt. and
the building OF an asphalt plant by
the city fault was found with asphalt
a. a snrfacing material your commit.
Tee nor fads th-s since the orgnniza
ton Of this DEPARTMENT ana the build
Y.
reasonahiy be- found with asphalt sur
facing with the way In which n ~
laid in Detroit or with the manage
mcpt of he asphalt plant The streets
Anrfared with Asphalt arc kept in good
repair and thc cXHeHse for ----Tp-rt----t ~
lsshsonnbie. rs tFc Department pf pub
nc Works stated that II was anle to
kteB ir good repair .he present streets
EurfRced with asphalt with an annual
expsnditpre ~ ssS.0O0. which amount
toi,r c0pmittcN ra~"~sie p" reasonable
STRFACINC
Your COMMITTEES recommends that IN
fhe heavy traffic districts cf the city,
and particularly In the downtown dis
fficts where the streets are on a grade
rranfte or medina blocks be more gem
Fl orally pSed for the surface.
cREOSoTE BLOCK SURFACTNG.
While your committee does not rec
-Anltpend- the Wholesale adoption OF cree
fofc block az surfaclng material. in.
atmuch rs the trst cost IS large. never
fheiess. the experience ~ this city with
crcosote block as well 81 The experience
% other cities has been favorable
This material has It's important
,>ps. and should be especially used
wherever IL " essential 10 lessen
The noise, as Tor Insrance, about The
nlfqis and courts
An appropriation OF thirty thousa nd
ffae.oe0t iniitrs has been made by the
coOnctl and Board or Estimates for the
pilrDose OF establishing plant 20 pre-
I1lre creosote blocks with the expecta-
iien that the cost Of this material will
~ reduced.
FOUNDATIONS
Most az the foundations in which natir-
N cement was used have proven defective.
1871 III many cases almost wort HESS
IBID Foundations IN which Portland ce-
lHfni has been used have been satisfqc-
Ir|F Carr should be take IN tho fii-
t4tf tnst 'an examination OF the old na-
I.ru cemeu' foundations shculd he made
before fhey are re-surfhccd Wherever
||& Iruudafinn ~ ~ bad condition A Is
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