Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1914-01-22

tions, nor permit the alternative bid
ding on specifications A and b of the
Association for Standardizing Paving
Specifications. as at Philadelphia
under the reform administration of
Mayor Blankenburg, and elsewhere.
sand Joints Not Best.
1 The provision that the joints be-
tween the wood blocks to be filled
with sand is not the best, long estab-
lished practise. Sand will not make
the pavement water proof nor SAM
tary. Water and filth will enter, and
the cutters especially will be odorous
and develop zymotic, infectious or
contagious diseases. Water entering
between the blocks. by freezing and
expansion, wilNupheave the pavement
and cause the surface to be uneven
and broken. The joints should be
filled with Portland Genet mortar,
called grout, and thus be waterproof,
and by their hardness help prevent
the edges of the blocks from being
battered down and rounded by traffic.
1.-THE provision that a suitable BIZ
luminous filler shall be used for the
longitudinal expansion joints is in
definite, because no qualities or tests
are given for the contractor to know
before bidding what one of the va
rious qualities of bituminous filler
will be used or required. The num-
Der and location of expansion joints
are not stated. Broad street is so
wide that any wood block pavems It
will constantly expand and contract
several inches and be injured there
by during hot, dry, wet and freezing
weather
THAT the pavement, when finished,
shall be covered with sand to be
left for a while on the surface, is
not good. because the sand soon be-
comes of unequal depths, accumu-
lates in punches and the traffic of
heavy vehicles thus brings greater
pressure on many small spots than
en- the rest of the pavement, fore
ing some of the blocks down and
making the pavement uneven. The
pavement should be finished with
Portland cement grout between the
blocks with very slight film on the
surface.
THE provision that each bidder
must either refer in his proposal to
specified samples filed or to be filed
at the time of this receipt of bids,
or deposit at time of making
his bid, his samples $ of ma
terials intended to be used is equivo-
cal or ambiguous and can easily be-
come the basis of irregularity in bids.
THE present provision that the
old granite block shall remain the
property of the city. unless otherwise
provided for should be modified by
striking out the words unless other
wise provided for This is because
the 1880 square yards of old granite
blocks cost when new at least SAL,
900. They can be redressed or recut
by any one of tire different well.
known methods. into new. good gran
lite blocks, as done at Albany. Sche- |
nectady, Philadelphia and by the
Public Service Company. in Newark,
and elsewhere, and then be used for
three kinds of good
granite pavements, including the
smooth, modern, grouted granite
pavement. Deducting the cost of re-
dressing or recruiting the blocks, from
SO to SIS per thousand, according TO
shapes desired. the granite blocks
now on Broad street are worth to the
city from $780, 900 to 1898 900, and should
not be sold for less. The contractor,
as per present specifications must de-
deliver them free of charge at the |
City Yard The taxpayers are en-
titled to know by provision in the
specifications in advance, if the city
is to retain this value, and the con-
tractor is equally entitled TO know
what price he must pay for the gran
lite blocks, SO as to make a cores
bonding large or small deduction in
his bid. The stone PAYERS and other
laborers of Newark need the work
and will be glad to be employed re-
cutting the blocks. Business men1
will be glad to have their large
wages. between s22.6o0 and s41 700, |
used IN Newark. The taxpayers
ought TO benefit by the saving of at
least $4,000. which otherwise would
have to be sent out of Newark to
purchase new equivalent granite
blocks for streets for which granite
is best"