The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-09-10
Defends "Rawhide" Paving


 To the Editor of The Age-Herald I was astonished to find an editorial in your paper of August 30. criticizing in no un- certain terms what is known as "Rawhide Pavement"
 The author of this article is astonishingly ignorant of everything pertaining to rawhide pavement. As president of the Interstate Rawhide Corporation, l take the strongest exception to every statement made in this editorial, insofar as it relates to rawhide pavement.
 For your information beg to advise that have spent q lifetime in the study, develop ment and construction of all the types of pavement which have, up to the present time, been put into service. Ten years of this ex- perience was in the service of the federal gov ernment and I feel thoroughly prepared to back my judgment, and@to back every claim made in behalf of rawhide pavement set forth in pamphlet entitled "Rawhide Road, which I am sending you for your additional information. To be very specific in n de- nial of the statements made by the writer of the aforementioned editorial, wish to quote from same:
 He writes: This .so-called paving is fknown as Rawhide and consists of a cold mix of asphalt with the surface material forming a veneer or scale which is not dur able" I wish to state that the asphalt used in Rawhide pavement is put down at a temperature as high if not higher than any other paving known to me. It is not veneer or scale, but thoroughly mixed and homo Egeneous mass never less than four inches in thickness.
 He states "The federal bureau does not indorse this type of paving in it's specified tions, which should be proof enough of its character" I beg to advise that I have in lot hnrpau public roads at Washington, in which it ad- vises he that it will be glad to consider any project submitted from the states in which I am interested.
 He further states: Yet it's cost is very near the cost of high-type paving" For your information, beg to advise you that this pavement can be placed anywhere in the state of Alabama at a cost not to exceed $1 35 per square yard, which is considerably less than half of the cost of what is known as a high type paving, which generally car ries six-inch concrete base with two-inch hot mix top of some type or a three and one half vertical fibre brick top. The con- tract for the road in Greene county, Ala bama which has been the object of criti- cism in your paper on several occasions, was let for $1.15 per square yard, which price in cluded a surety company bond guaranteeing that the maintenance of this surface for period of five years would not cost the state of Alabama penny, and that at the end of that five year period, the road would be turned over to the state in good condition.
 In the development of this Rawhide pave ment, and attempting to introduce it in the South where I was born and brought up as boy believe l am offering to the public the most economical and servicable pave ment for the money that has yet been intro duced, and I am willing to back by judgment on the results. I constructed, four years ago in Texas, my first experimental section of this pavement It was completed at prac- tically the cost of a gravel road. The ap- pearance of it today will compare favorably with any pavement in the city of Birming- ham. It has not had one penny of mainte- nance, doesn't need any, and is 100 per cent. better when completed, due to the kneading process furnished by very heavy traffic, and the toughness given it through constant and heavy impact
 l hope you will give a vey careful read ing to the pamphlet exclosed, and feel sure that you will be fair enough after such a perusal to thoroughly and emphatically cor rect the statements included in your editorial of August 30, with the same publicity, and in the same manner, and in the same place in your paper, as your attack on Rawhide pavement was given to the public. R. V. GLENN,
 President Interstate Rawhide Corporation. Fort Worth. Texas