Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1915-03-12
ROAD CONDITIONS
IN EAST ORANGE
ARE DEPLORABLE
Property Owners Along lnpor-
tant Thoroughfares Are
Loud in Protest.
RESIDENTIAL STREETS
IN WRETcHED SHAPE
Crude Methods and Sand Used
for Top Dressing Easy Prey
for March Winds.

That the principal streets of East
Orange were never before in such
bad condition seems to be the gen.
eral sentiment of the property-own-
ers. Complaints are being heard on
all sides with demands for speedy re-
lief. The residents of Harrison and
Prospect streets seem to be the
worst sufferers.
Many of the thoroughfares would
be ideal for obstacle races, If the
athletes of the city felt SO inclined
Bumps and ridges Of all kinds are
to be found all along the streets
To make matters worse the holes are
being filled in now with fine gravel
and earth preparatory to the streets
being oiled. The deposit is not al
lowed to remain very long after the
March winds get to work. Sand
clouds obscure the vision, invade
homes and cause widespread discom-
fort.
When Mayor Worrall F. Mountain,
in his annual message to the City
Council, recommended that the prin-
cipal streets, including Harrison and
Prospect streets, be repaved, 1T was
generally supposed that action in this
respect would be taken before this
time Nothing has yet been done, al
though it was said at the City Hall
today that work would surely be
begun on Harrison and Prospect
streets this year.
Forced to Put Up With Discomforts.
In the meantime the residents OF
those and other thoroughfares, and
the people who are forced to use
fhnr mil hox fn n
discomfort that they are now ex-
periencing.
In former years the work of oiling
the streets was begun before this
period. At the City Hall 1t was ex-
planned that the delay was due to
the objection of Mayor Mountain to
the specifications for the purchase OF
oil. 1t had been the custom of the
City Council to purchase the oil In
lots from different concerns. They
figured that the oil furnished by the
lowest bidder was not necessarily oi
the best quality, and consequently
have not always purchased all thai
was needed from the cheapest con-
Germ.
This year, after bids had been ad.
vertised for, Mayor Mountain OBJ
jected to the specifications. The result
was a delay of about four weeks
The, contract has now been awarded
and the wSfk OF spreading the oil
VIII be begun by the contractor this
week. - RS
f OIL a Money Waste.
Many of the property owners feel
that the oiling of streets that are In
need of repair Is waste Of money.
Since the work of resurfacing will
have to be done this year they can
not understand why it should not be
done now. The patches that are be-
ing put on the streets preparatory to
the oil dressing will not do away with
the holes and ruts, they assert. On
the contrary the same depressions
will be in evidence in few weeks
While oil is considered a fairly ef-
ficient dust layer, it's drawbacks as q
nasty" proposition. the term nasty
being used by residents In describing
oil for road resurfacing offset its vir-
tues, opinions are expressed that the
present method and material used In
top dressing the roads should be
abandoned. The method is crude, the
material worse.
An Asphalt Mixture Necessary.
A sandy loan Is used In lieu of an
asphalt mixture. The former packs
quickly, dries just as quickly
under air and sun influences and is
speedily converted into dust. The
sweeping, shifting March wind car
ries it in clouds into houses, causing
CONSERVATION In kitchens and dining
rooms and other sections of build
ings, blinds pedestrians and occu-
pants of vehicles. The situation thus
created Is wretched and deplorable.
An asphalt mixture. with it's clean
and adhesive qualities, would not lie
affected by winds regardless of their
velocity. Old fashioned and primitive
methods in the temporary repair OF
roads appear to prevail in East Or
ange, a community supposed to be
progressive and modern in every re-
spect.