The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1915-10-06
STREET PAVING MATERIAL.
MIR. Ill. X. Van Dcycntcr Discusses
Nitriiicd Brick and Makes Compare
son with BituminOus Macadam.



paving, in the Daily Item, OF Septem-
Der 25th, and as the laying Of vitriiied
brick streets in Sumter, would be a
calamity of the first magnitude, [ call
attention to the following facts:
Mr.. Sibley, the writer Of the article
in question, naturally wishes to in
crease the sale of brick. While he
states it is his desire to cooperate
with the city authorities, in securing
the best type of material" and takes
care to state he is not in the brick
manufacturing business, it should be
evident that whoever got the business,
would he a member Of the National
Brick Mfg. Association, of which Mr..
Sibley is an officer 1t is only natur-
al that Mr. Sibley should do all he can
to put brick streets in Sumter, nnd
the reason | call attention to the Gore
going is to show that Mr.. Sibley can
not be considered an unbiased adviser
in the matter, regardless of his en-
| peTlenCe, however great
A brick street, is hot, dusty and
noisy, and should not be used in the
residential section of Sumter. The
single fact that it is better adapted
to carry heavy traffic, does not recon-
mend it, as on none of the streets in
Sumter, including Main street, is the
traffic heavy enough to require brick.
The myth of the low cost of MAIN
tenance on brick streets has been ex-
plodcd by various investigating COM
mittees and reports of the various
counties in Ohio, where brick has
been used very largely. These reports
bear out the fact that for any reason
able length of time, the maintenance
on brick is equally as high as on q
good bituminOus macadam. While it
is true that a steam roller will be re-
quired to build the latter streets, this
is only an item of cost and there are
plenty steam rollers to be bought or
hired.
I do not agree with Mr.. Sibley in
connection with his figures for re-sur-
facing or cleaning. When in the tele-
phone business, 1 took up and relaid
streets for many miles of trenches for
conduit in several cities. I am there
fore familiar with the cost Of repair
Ing different types of streets and re-
surfacing the same. Brick is one of
the most expensive to properly relay
Mr.. Sibley, particularly refers 10 the
sanitary condition OF brick streets,
land on just what he bases this para
graph, / am at loss to determine A
brick street is most dusty, as every
observant person knows, especially in
this section. This combined with the
ABSORPTION of heat in the summer,
and the noise, render brick unfit for
residential sections.
/ am not interested in any wav in
any particular kind of street, but am
greatly interested in seeing some kind
OF bituminOus street, such as macadam
or asphalt or tarvia laid in Sumter,
because in my experience such a
street is the best from the standpoint
of first cost and continued desirable
ity.
L have just returned from a trip
through a number of New England
towns, such as LennoX and Stock
bridge, Mass, on the great roads or
streets that lie between New York and
Boston. Through the streets of these
towns hundreds if not thousands Of
automobiles pass, every day, during
tho summer season, and these pit
luminous streets carry this traffic nois-
lessly, chcaply and without any en-
traordinary cost for repairs. Data
can be obtained from these and other
towns Of the size of Sumter, where
asphalt and macadam streets have
peen in use for years. Central Park,
New York and most OF the Philadel-
rhia streets are paved with asphalt
/ particularly dcplore the attempt
| or any interested party to mould pub
lie opinion towards any particular
type Of street. This should be left to
some competent engineer. If local
sentiment is to be aroused for any
particular kind of paving, then let it
be for wood blocks, which / under
stand can be produced locally. Such
streets are in use around Broad street
station in Philadelphia. on some of
the busiest streets in New York, and
| have seen them in London, in good
shape, after seven years of heavy traf-