The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-07-12
PAVING AWARD IS
MUCH CRITICIZED
Merchants Ask for Rchearing
on Broad Street I'm
prOVelnent.
THINK BEST NONE TOO GOOD
Prefer High Grade Asphalt
Block TO Sheet
Bitulithic.

on the ground tina: the best is none
too good Tor Broad street, the pride OF
the city and its most handsome thor
oughfare. members OF the Retail A1er-
consideration and hearing on the action
OF the street Committee in awarding
the contract Tor paving TO the Atlantic
Bltultnlc Company. When asphalt block
similar to that laid ON Grace. Erankllii.
Monument Avenue. Tnirty-lourth ana
other streets could have been cbtaiEcd
1t very little greater cost The mer-
chants who arc dissatisfied make no
attack on the Warren formula pave
ment or on the Atlantic Bitulithic Com
panN. its southern selling agency. They
consider IL Il good paving. which tho
city might well use III some sections.
hut altosether unsuited TO the traffic
conditions. appearance and value OF
Broad street II The street Committee
does not grant rchcaring there Is no
doubt but that the award OF contract
VIII be attacked in the Council. y
hat Yesterday that Notwithstanding the
recommendation OF the committee. no
bituilthic paving would he laid on
Would Wait for New Board
PROMINENT merchants say that If the
committee does not propose to rcpave
the street with the best and most dur
able paving ohtainablc they would
rather havo it remain as IL is and put
their case before the Administrative
Board next year.
lt Is conceded mat the question OF
FIRST cost is of small Importance COM
pared with the question of dur;l bility,
maintenance and the cost OF replace
ment where the paving is removed TO
get q water pipes or conduits. The
hitulithic people give only - fve-year
guarantee. some of the asphalt block
has been in use in Richmond seventeen
years and is now in excellent coadi-
ton The block on Broad Street by the
City Han, down fourteen years, is to-
day an excellent sample of the best IN
paving constipation The hitulitAic
offers wearing surface three inches
thick Asphalt block three inches thic<
can be secured at but cents yard
more. but the city Engineer recon-
ments Tor Broad street block four
Inches thick. treated under hlsh pres
sure ID withstand the wear OF tranic
Cost Of Repairs.
Inc Bituiithlc Company demonstrated
TO those Councllmcn who were its
guests on the recent trip to Atlantic
CITY that pipe cuttings could be replaced
without leaving a sink or unsighily
place. but no estimate has been given
OF the cost OF making such replace
mcnts. II would require much new
material. while. with the asphalt block
where water pipes have been laid IS
per cent. of the old blocks have been
replaced This obviously could not be
done with any form OF sheet nav
Ing. More than $500, 00O OF the asphalt
block has been laid in Richmond in tho
past seventeen years with "a total re-
paif cost IN that period OF $3.50. There
nave been conflicting statements as to
whether the bituhthic paving has to
be recoated every few wears Certain
" that has been done in some cities.
though II is stated that It is NOT always
necessary The asphalt block recon-
mended By thu city Engineer as the
best paving obtainablc FOR the street
costs S2,S3 per square yard The btu
was S2.5o per square ward Tha BID of
the Crawford Paving Company on prac-
ucAlly thn same specifications as the
pituiitnic- making what the CITY Enci-
ncer Describes as identically the same
pavement. was Se.3O per square yard.