The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1913-01-10
PAVE PARAMOUNT QUESTION
President Caufield Appointed Com
mittee at Special Meeting Tuesday
to Ascertain Cost and Durabil-
ity of Amiesite.

lby VI huIeSltt.
At a special meeting of the town
council held last Tuesday evening
in the town hall, at which all mem
bers we're present with the exception
of S. 7. Ham, action was taken re-
garding the paving of Main street.
In addition to the members of the
council and Solicitor G. A. McCarty,
the street and highway committee of
the Greater Honesdale Board of
Trade was also in attendance. The
committee was represented by it's
chairman, j. D. Weston, G. P. Searle
and S. A. McMullen, Jr.
The object of the meeting was to
discuss the paving of Main street
which the Greater Honesdale Board
of Trade recommended in a special
report to the town council last
April. The matter of paving Main
street from the State bridge south
to the Gurney Electric Elevator
plant was discussed at length. No
definite action has been taken since
last May when the council appoint
ed Burgess G. A. McCarty and Coun-
Gilman George w. Penwarden a COM
mittee to wait upon State Highway
Commissioner Bigelow to ascertain
what aid the State would give to-
ward paving or macadamizing Main
street.
The paving of Main street with
brick from the State bridge to the
elevator works, which is about 49,
333 square yards, is claimed to cost
in the neighborhood of $4,000.
This amount does not include
drainage nor curbing. 1t will re-
quire 5000 lineal feet of curbing at
about 81 per foot. At this point of
| the discussion, M. T. Coakley, rep
resenting the General Crushed Stone
company, of Easton, was introduced
to the council and Board of Trade
committee. Mr.. Coakley presented
new kind of road material, called
"Amieste." 1t is crushed rock and
is coated with composition of fluid
asphalt. Mr.. Coakley demonstrated
| to the board the many good feat
ures connected with the material
that is claimed to make it in great
| demand. The new composition is a
waterproof pavement. 1t will stand
wear, is free from dust and is not
affected by heat or cold. 1t is not
| slippery nor does the calks of
| horses feet indent it. Mr.. Coakley
| told of several cities and towns
where Amiesite is in use In Will
| for eight years. Three streets in
Wilkes-Barre have been treated to
| the composition. Easton has sever
al roads treated with Amiesite,
while section of road near Dalton
| is being built with, Amiesite.S All
roads have proBensto be highly sat-
isfactory and where once tried sew
eral other yards of the material have
been laid in the same city. Amiesite
is considerable cheaper than brick
and not as noisy or slippery.
Chairman Weston claimed that he
has heard several remarks made by
out-of-town people concerning the
condition of Main street. They
speak in words of highest praise of
Honesdale, but draw the line when
it comes to the muddy streets.
"The mud is blot on the town."
remarked Mr.. Weston. Honesdale
voted for mud or brick a few years
ago and mud won out. To-day the
! feeling has entirely changed and the
sentiment is strong for paving or
another road as substantial or dur
able.
1t was expressed at the council
meeting that all members favored
improving Main street, either by
paving or otherwise. The members
realized that it will improve the
town and as a result enhance the
value of the abutting property own
ers. The council want to do what
it feels is right and proper for the
/ interest and betterment of Homes
dale. President Caufield was so en-
| phatic in his assertions concerning
paving that he stated that if he
could afford it he would do it him
self. Under a new law enacted at
| the last session of the State Legis-
lature it gives the borough council
| power to pave Main street without
obtaining a two-third vote OF the
taxpayers of the town. In all prob
ability the council will advance un-
der this act, although it may not. 1t
is evident, however, that the only
way to pave Main street is to pave
| it, The council has the power to
act.
| President Caufeld appointed two
members of the council on a special
committee to ascertain the cost OF
brick and Amiesite pave, their
durability and receive the sentiment
of the citizens of the towns in which
they are used as to their wearing
qualities, etc. The committee is
composed of G. A. McCarty, G. w.
Penwarden and w. H. Kreitner. j.
d. Weston of the Board of Trade was
later added to work in conjunction
with the committee. He was also
asked to visit the several towns and
cities where Amiesite is in use.
Amiesite consists of the best grade
of crushed stone obtainable. 1t is
coated, without heating, with an as
phalic cement composed of natural
and refined asphalt containing about
500 bitumen.
High School Program, Friday.