The Mt. Sterling advocate. (Mt. Sterling, Ky.) 1890-current, 1916-05-09
Pubic Improvement Most
Effect We IN increasing
Ciiy's Rea tafaaess
and Beauty-..Aiso
Pays Best Cash
Profits.

depth Of the blocks and make them of
somewhat smaller size otherwise, thus
rendering it possible to get a better
cut block at the same expense as be-
fore and allowing the blocks to be laid
with a closer joint, thus reducing abb
normal wear.
Wood Block Pavements.
Wood pavements have been laid at
intervals In this country for some sew
enty years. The first pavements were
not only of untreated wood. but of
wood selected without much regard
for its natural durability.
The first treated wood pavement in
this country was laid In fremont
street. Boston. in 1900. This pavement
has been in use during this entire pc
riod. with very small repairs. and is in
good condition at the present time.
The present method of laying wood
pavements In this country has not been
in use long enough to determine what
the cost of maintenance is. but figures
obtained from st. Louis, Minneapolis
and other cities indicate that it is ex-
ceedingly small 1t has been given a
value as shown in the table below.
Briek, Pavements.
The first brick pavements n this
country were laid in Wheeling. w. Va.
In 1870. but the material did not come
into general use for some time. Many
failures have occurred In brick pave
ments because people did not under
stand the difference between bricks.
and 1t was not easy In the early days
Of the industry to determine previous
to its use whether certain brick
would or would not make good pave
ment
Asphalt Pavements.
The first sheet asphalt pavement OF
avenue, Washington, In 1876. So great
was its success that 1t soon came into
general use all over the country. While
called asphalt pavement. 1t Is almost
entirely composed Of sand, as the
standard pavements have but 10 to IL
per cent Of bitumen. which is the valu-
able property Of the asphalt. the rest
being made up OF sand and a small
portion of stone dust.
The pavement is pleasing In appear
ance. smooth. not noisy and on light
traffic streets seems to be almost ideal
II Is more slippery than the hard block
pavements. and In the coast cities 1t
Is not generally laid on grades over
or per cent. In the Interior. however.
where the atmosphere. contains less
moisture, 1t Is often used on grades as
high as per cent without trouble.
Data collected from the cities of
Brooklyn. Boston. Buffalo. Chicago,
New York. Philadelphia. ST. Louis and
Washington show that these cities In
1890 had a total of 24G miles of as
phalt pavement and in 1911 2.3iS miles.
This gives an idea of the popularity OF
the pavement. although Ii must be ta-
ken into consideration that this was
during period when there was great
activity In laying new and smooth
pavements. In Brooklyn. In 1895. there
were eighteen miles of asphalt pave
ment. wnlie AT the present time there
are $40 miles. Brooklyn Is residen-
tial city. without many steep grades.
and one to which this material Is par
ticularly adapted.
Relative Costs.
The following table shows the cost
Of different kinds Of pavement for
period Of years. assuming that granite
has life Of twenty-five years. wood
! twenty years. brick fifteen years aud
asphalt eighteen years. This life, as
has been intimated before. is probably
too small for Ohio brick pavements or
those In small cities:
Average
| First Expense expense
| cost, per yard per yard