Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1913-05-15

! After several months investigation
of the satisfaction rendered by wood
block paving in various cities through
out this country, the street and pave
ment committee of the Board of
Trade has filed its report with the
secretary, James NJ Reilly.
In compiling the report the Trade
Board committee was assisted by
James w. Howard. c. E., a consult
ing engineer of international reputa-
ton, engaged by Mayor Jacob Hauss-
ling as a personal adviser in the mat
ter of the proposed Broad street paw
| ing.
Mr.. Howard, who lives at 234 Mt.
Prospect avenue, this city, is an ac-
tive member of the paving commit
tee of the Trade Board, and it was
| only through his assistance that the
committee were able to make such an
! exhaustive investigation of the re-
liability of wood block paving. He
is an expert on paving and municipal
engineering work and for several
months was consulting engineer for
the city of Berlin, Germany, and
other European cities.
The report is as follows:
1.-THE data indicate there may be
grounds for believing,
First, that the proposed specifica-
| lions may require the use of mo-
nopolized or controlled product.
Second. that the product may give
some inferior or undesirable result.
Third, that the specifications may
exclude several kinds of good wood
pavements, which compete with each
other. as well as with the one de-
scribed in said specifications, which
other kinds have been in successful
use under heavy traffic and under
severe climate conditions in many
other cities during more than ten
years.
First. AS to possible monopoly
and controlled product being re-
CURED:
"a. There is no monopoly in any
of the ingredients required in the
concrete foundation nor the founda-
ton itself.
"b. AS to the kinds of wood or
woods the specifications state that
Southern yellow pine shall be used.
This is very general requirement
and suggests no monopoly. 1t might
be more specific and require COM
mercial long leaf yellow pine or the
equivalent quality of short leaf yellow
pine or both and no monopoly would
ever then exist as to good wood.
&C. Practically all wood preserving
works and paving contractors seem
ready to use such woods and such
good creosoting oils or even bad pre-
servatives' as any specifications OF
any city require.
I'd. But as to the preventative de
scribed in the proposed specifications
we are almost persuaded that, fol
practical purposes 1t requires con.
trolled product, and does not permit
the use Of dead oil of coal tar com
monty known as creosote oil (words
used in other speciflcations), which
means creosote oils in successful use
for many years in many wood pave
ments in many cities. The proposed
preservative does not seem to have
been in use for so long time.
Some Of the grounds for believing
that this proposed preservative ma!
be, for practical purposes, a monopo
lized and controlled product and on
which may give inferior or some un
satisfactory results, as well as pos
sibly enhance the cost of the pave
ment, are found, among others, in tn
following publications.
"a Difficulties in Practical Worl
Of Creosoting Timber by 'Captail
John C. Cakes, y. s. A., states a
follows: An oil having a specifi
gravity as a whole, or more than 1.0I
should be looked on with suspicion
and investigated. Unless 1t is almos
wholly lacking in the low-boilinl
| fractions, 1t possibly has some har
pitch or undistilled coal tar nike
with it.
"b. Street Pavement Laid in tn
: City of Chicago. An inquiry int
. paving materials, methods and re
suits Report of the Chicago burea
of public efficiency. June. 1911.'
1.-THE Chicago specifications for o
to be used in the preservative treat
ment of wood block are such as
eliminate genuine creosote oil, whic
has been used successfully for a ha
century. On the other hand, tn
specifications require an oil which
higher priced and of which large
quantity per cubic foot is recon
I mended and used.
Some of the dissatisfaction ths
has attended the use OF this MOI
costly product is denoted by til
i criticism I'm recent issue of the loo;
dailies, as quoted below, which