The Fargo forum and daily republican., 1912-03-13
MISAPPREnENSION
As TO PAVING
STATEMENTS MADE AT MEETING.
LAST NIGHT SAID TO HAVE.
BEEN BASED ON MlsAPPRE.
HENsIoN OR IGNORANCE OF
FRANK C. CUTTER,

To the Forum: At the meeting of
property owners in the Fourth ward,
held at the courthouse last evening,
statements were made to the effect
that pavements similar to the con-
struction which would be laid under
the bituminous concrete specifications
which were recommended for adoption,
had been laid to the extent Of $4,000
square yards in the City of Grand
Forks, and further, that pavements
under the specifications recommended
for adoption had been in use for
eighteen years and more at various
points in Iowa and Kansas.
It is only fair to assume that these
statements were made in good falth,
but it equally certain that they were
based on either ignorance OF exact
conditions, or Misrepresentation.
1t is an absolute fact, which can be
verified by investigation, that not one
inch OF bitiminous concrete construct
ed in accordance with specifications
recommended for adoption last even-
ing, has ever been laid in the city of
Grand Forks. and it will be absolutely
impossible to construct in accordance
with the Fargo bituminous concrete
specifications. a pavement similar to
any pavement which has ever been
laid in the city of Grand Forks.
It is impossible for any one to pro-
duce q specification similar to that
recommended for adoption, or to
show pavement constructed under
a specification calling for proportions
as specified in the Fargo bitiminous
| concrete specifications, having Q
greater age than four years.
1t was stated last evening by Q, re-
presentatiye Of this form Of construc-
| ton that his first experience in laying
this pavement was in 1903 in the city
| of Topeka, Kan, and that the speci-
fications in Topeka were based on ar
analysis Of pavements laid in Pitts
burg eighteen to twenty years ago
/ IT is a fact that at that time in Pitts
i burgh certain pavements were laid II
| which small amount (less than
4 per cent? of mineral coarser than one
/ quarter inch, which was the excess O
i the mineral specified to be used II
the binder course, were thrown int
i the wearing surface mixture in ordel
that the material might not be vast
ed. The pavements In pittsburgh wer'
constructed by Booth g. Flynn an'
i others. under specification callinl
for asphalt pavement. which requires
the use Of a binder course betweel
the foundation and the sheet asphal
wearing surface.
An investigation at the city OF NIL
waukee, where construction has beel
laid somewhat similar, will prove con
clusively that the pavemerts laid i
1910 and 1911 show serious evidenc
OF disintegration.
AS stated above. the statement
made as to the use OF this form 9
i construction, were undoubtedly mad
! in good faith, but the property own
, err who must bear the burden of ex
! perimenting with this practically uii
, tried form OF construction, owes It t
. himself to investigate before signing
petition for this anomolous construc
tion which is being sold on the mis-
j representative statement that it is q
t good as, and the same as, bitulithi
d payements which have been in use fc
b eleven years to the extent Of 100000
n square yards.
al Those who must pay the freigf
i without the right or rejection on dc
VI livery. owe II to their pocketbooks
investigate. 1t is not too late fc