Evening star., 1913-12-03
Municipal Asphalt Plant.


street railway tracks.
Municipal Asphalt Plant.
The District has in operation a portable
asphalt plant which cost $1,000. and the
plant. including street-repair equipment,
which is used in minor repair work. rep
resents total capital investment Of $1,000.
The plant has been operated In making mi
nor repairs to asphalt pavements for pc
riod of about eight months ending July 1,
1913. and the total output has been 1O3, 145
cubic feet, which is at the rate Of about
10000 cubic feet per annum. The labor
cost for operating the plant, including
the haul of the product and overhead
charges, is 26 cents per cubic foot This
does not include the cost of material.
The cost of the top mixture turned out
at the plant is $O227. which, added to
the manufacturing COSTS gives q total
cost of sO.4S7 laid on the street against
the contract price for this mork of $O.57.
The cost Of binder mixture is $0141.
which, added to the manufacturing cost,
gives a total cost laid on the street of
so.401 as against the contract price Of
30. 43 per cubic foot. The elements Of rent
al value Of site of plant, taxes and con-
tractors profits are not charged in these
costs. The operation of this plant has
plant, but 1t is essentially less economical
than a larger permanent plant, which
has been recommended by the Commits
sioners. All work Of repairing asphalt
pavements, except where the roadway is
entirely resurfaced, is done directly by the
District instead Of by contract. Resurfac-
ing is done by contract. The plant is also
authorized to be used in the repair OF
macadam streets by placing an asphaltic-
macadam wearing surface upon them and
in constructing asphaltic-macadam wear
ing surface on concrete base when this
work can be economically performed by
the use Of the plant.
Suburban Streets and Roads.
For the construction Of suburban
streets and roads s129,525 was spent dur
ing the year. and for repairs to suburban
roads $4,000, exclusive OF an item OF
SGT 900, which was spent in grading to
provide q new entrance to the geological
Park at Quarry road.
Approximately 5000 was expended for
dust prevention by oiling on the more
heavily travelled suburban roads and
streets.
The use Of bituminous macadam, built
by the penetration method, was almost
entirely discontinued. In new construc-
ton roadways with bituminous surface
were used in sections where permanent
conditions had been reached: Asphaltic
macadam will be used extensively during
the present year. as this class of pave
ment has been very satisfactory.
Sidewalks and Alleys.
The sum of $225,OO0 was expended In
paving sidewalks and alleys abutting
private property, one-half the cost of
which is covered by assessment; and
the sum OF $1,000 was expended In plac-
ing sidewalks and curbs around govern
ment reservations for which no assess
ment was levied. Sidewalks. are con-
structed of cement and the work is done
under contract. Alleys are paved with
asphalt block or vitrified block and the
work is done by day labor; 41,636 square
yards of alley pavement were laid, of
which %. 422 square yards were of vitri-
fled block and 1924 square yards were
asphalt block, both being paved on a
gravel base.
The prices paid under contract for lay
ing cement sidewalks during the fiscal
year of 1913 were as follows:
For large jobs adjoining paved streets. per
For large jobs adjoining unpaved streets o
and for all small jobs, per square yard. 1.20
For the fiscal year 1914 the prices are
as follows:
For large jobs adjoining paved streets.
For large Jobs adjoining unpaved streets
and for all small jobs. per square yard. 1.l6A
One-half of the cost or laying side
walks is assessed against the abutting
property. and ordinarily the Commits
sioners await petition from the owners
of more than one-half of the frontage
along a block before ordering the work.
An exception is, however, made where
walk becomes dangerous: in such cases
the Commissioners order the work done
without awaiting for a petition. The
law requires the Commissioners to ad-
vertise for two weeks their intention to
lay sidewalks and curb and to pave
alleys, and, after hearing, to order the
work done when. in their opinion ii is
necessary for the public safety, health,
comfort and convenience. The demand
for laying sidewalks and paving alleys
is quite constant.
Bridges.
No large bridges were constructed dur
ing the year. Authority was granted for
the construction of a bridge across Rock
Creek on the line Of Q street northwest,
but owing to the delay in securing title
to the land for the approaches to this
bridge it has not yet been constructed.
Bids for the bridge have been received
and contract let. The estimated cost Of
this bridge is $o75. 5.O0O. and an appropria-
ton OF this amount has been made by
Congress.
An appropriation of 100000 has been
authorized for the construction OF
bridge crossing Rock Creek on the line
of Pennsylvania avenue northwest. Plans
are now being designed for this bridge.
At the request Of the Secretary Of
War. an item for constructing a draw
L. ,f~,na IN