New-York tribune., 1911-03-25
DISAGREE WITH M'ANEM
Experts Say Weather Is No Ex-
cUSe for Poor Streets.
URGE REPAVING OF CITY
Henry Sanderson, of Automobile
Club, Gives Letter OF
Criticism.

l1eury Sanderson. chairman o. spec'aI
committee of tho Automobile Gun OF
America. whose duty il was TO inquire INTO
the condition OF tho city streets. made pun
liz yesterday two letters on the subject
One vas in reply 90 statement mane ~
Mr Sanderson and his committee by hor-
cugh President NcAreny. IN which the iat-
ter maintained that he had done all that
was pnvsiealiy possible during the pa st
winter % keen the streets in proper repair
IN his reply Mr. Sanderscu said that 10 had
consulted expert engineers and the nsd
advised MIN that the repairing Of holes in
asphalt pavement during the winter vas
not impossible. No matter how unfaVorah's
the weather conditions might he. and FUR
ther that the cost Of such repairins Wouo
not he prohibitive.
One of nc letters upon which Mr. san
darson based his reply to the Borough
President was from Dow & Smith. Of 10 y
Fast 21st street Il reads ss follows.
You have asked our opinion on the ques-
ton Of whether or not - has peen pre-
tical mpossihiiitv for the cltv onclais o.
Manhattan 10 nave avoided the street con-
dition rith respect TO holes in the same'
the existence e which h. matter o. COM
mon knowisdge.
~ oltr opinion Inc % rUiSNlr VI .i.,
should never have been allowed 10 ta.l ll'o
tho condition vhi-h thev exhibited durlr<
the pas winter. Further man rms. tprli
condition had a. n vas. could nave ueeh
remedied - any time during The past Nih-
ter Holes in asphalt pavements ere -
psirs bic under sny and al condinons -
weather when necessity demands y ana
when evrAnse is 2 minor consideration ~
rainy or N cold weather appliances exist
bv means of which holes N asphalt pave
ments may be satisfactorily repaired ne
coldness of the weather necessary ~
crsases the expense but IL l. not 8 physical
mpossitility 10 repair holes ~ asphdH
streets in any kind OF weather
The general condition in which the city
of New York nov hnds Iself reg'l'res, ~.
permanent rectincstion First. the ahon-
lion Of relsid granite blocks IS 2 founda- b.
ton for sheet asphalt pavemsnts. seconl'
the adoption of modern and etfcient SIecl-
ncatiOnS Tor the lsyinE OF these PaTerlents.
which would permit the use of such maze
rials as are recognized as sultahle. Snd
third. the adoption Of intelligent ana en-
Cient methods of De rinG Inspection An1 me
employment Of competent men for this pur-
nose This inspection should 10 carried on
noin ~ the streets and the plants where the
paving material is being turned ont ...
The repav1Ue ~ this city I'M its 6niretN
must necesSsriiv to 2 matter of some Years.
The streets however should and can he
repaired 81 once IN such \ manner a. 70
avoid The present discomrorts to the travel
Ing public snC the jar end damage 10 Fe-
hicles engaged in traffic With proper en-
ersv and Commercial activity - has been
and Is possible - keep tine holes in the
psvements filled NJ How long the h'ife
viii remain filed NJ depends 20 some eF
tent upon III quality OF tho asphalt and
the methods employed IN repairing II Even
n the hole breaks ont again ~ can Ne again
repaired In other words. - Is physi"alf
DOesit'e 20 keen the streets IF the city
whole hv = proper'v organized force of
competent employees and appliances winch
may deal with the situation promptly from
cav 90 da, as II develops
Following the situation Np IN TINS 4
perhaps may increase tho apparent expense
hut II must he understood that hv SO. deal
ing with IL the amount ot work required 10
the end is diminished.
We believe that fh" CIT" requires smooth
p5Vemont,. eGd that these smooth pa
meuts should he kept m proper condluon
This is merely question of giving detects
immediate attention as soon = they appear
such "a method of repair would, n literally
carried out he very expensive and might
NOT perhaps ha IN al' cases iusf1nahls, hut
il u.s. nevertheless. an engineering possihi'-
ity The expense ~ repairing defects should
in o. err instance ho weighed against the
expense to the city 81 large Of deferrinC
repair work until tho weather conditions
vere Favorable This we believe has not
heen done and the city at large has suf-
fered great damage as a result during the
past winter We arc ready 20 at any time
send Won facts and figures IN 5uhS'antiation
If the above statements