The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1911-04-21
HOW PAVED
STREETS ARE
UNDERMINED
Inquiries of Permanent Paving
Comm SsiOn Directed to eau e
of Depressions in East Main
Street
Private Corporations Tunnel and
ROadbed SinkS-SeWer Work
on State Street-WoOd Block
Wanted For Barnum Avenue

The matter Of the permanent paving
of State street from Park avenue west
to Fairfield avenue, is still in abey-
ance. The Paving and Sewer Com
mission met last evening, but not a
peep was made about the paving of
the west end street, nor for that mat
ter any street in the city. This,
though the resolution from the Com
mon Council In regard to the State
street sewer was read at the meeting,
with the added resolution that the
street be paved as soon as possible,
with wood block as the preference
Preliminary steps into the better
ment of the sewer conditions in State
street, however, were advanced, Com
missioners Frederick Atwater and
Frank Il. Staples being appointed
special committee to observe the con-
ditions in the street in connection with
the city engineer and to report back
to the next meeting, Friday. April %.
It was shown that the sewers in the
street from Seeley street west were in
a very poor condition. In all, 2,64O
feet of sewer will have to be laid In
State street The commission voted
to advertise for bids for q sewer in
the same street from Broad to Park
avenue, which section is to be soon
paved WIN WOOOcIl DlOCh.
The commission discussed the brlck
pavement In South Main street, which
has gone bad in a number Of places,
particularly between the trolley tracks.
The Connecticut Co. will proceed with
the work Of repairing their section and
will then take civil action against the
General Construction Co. who had the
contract for the work, to collect. The
Construction Co. when they took the
contract for the paving of the street
in June, 1905, gave a five year guar
antee.
Commissioner ORourke called the
attention of Supt Chapman of the
Connecticut Co., who was present at
the meeting, to the many depress1ons
in East Main street from Stratford
avenue to Steuben street. Supt. Chap
man explained that the depressions in
the pavement between the tracks were
due to local contracting companies
excavating or tunnelling in under the
tracks without breaking through the
pavement. When the soil is returned
it is stamped and packed in horizon
tally When the earth settles. the
pavement above becomes depressed.
This year the company employs a man
whose sole duty is to traverse the per-
manent pavement of the company,
noting such conditions. Director
Kenny stated that he had received re-
ports on the streets and had sent them
to the superintendent OF the gas com
pany, but had received no reply. It
was voted to send the same report to
the president of the company. At the
present time the gas company is lay
ing new mains in State street prior to
the laying Of the permanent paving.
The contractor who has been award
ed the contract for paving the west
ern approach to the Congress street
bridge. stated that he was ready to
proceed with the work Immediately
The commission had to put off the
contracting representative until next
week. when the matter will be brought
before the Common Council at its
melting Monday evening.
DR.. w J. A. O'Hara, representing p
number of citizens in Barnum avenue,
appeared before the commission re-
questing that wood block be used for
the paving Of that street, that the
electric light and telephone wires be
placed in conduits, which are now
running in that street. and that the
wooden trolley poles be replaced by
iron standards. Supt. Chapman stat
ed that he would take up the matter
of the poles with his company.
The Pierce Mfg. Co. was awarded
the contract for the laying Of q short
stretch of sewer in Elm street be-
tween Broad and Harrison streets,
their bid being estimated at s1,287S7.
They were the lowest OF five bidders.