The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-11-27
AG0pHE EAV0RV MUDlLU IHTVIJG CONCRETE USE IN BIC PROJECT
City To Spend $S,O0O,000 During Next Eighteen
 -r Months

MOBILE, Ala, Nov. 25.-(SpeciaL) With a five million dollar paving pro- gram mapped out for the next year in Mobile, with indications, judging from applications from residents already on file in the office of the city engineer, that the amount spent for paving will reach $S,O00, 900 during the next eigh- teen months, the concrete highway has come into its own in Mobile.
 Up to last year comparatively little concrete paving had been laid in the city. About twenty years ago eight street in the heart of the wholesale dis trict, where traffic was of the heaviest kind. -...-
 By the term concrete as applied to the paving laid at this time, is not meant the concrete paving as it is known today. In spite of the experi- mental stage of concrete paving indus try at the time this pavement was laid, a part of it is still in use.
 Early in 1923 the laying of modern concrete paving began in earnest in Mobile. In that year GA, ,806 yards were laid on streets in the residential section of the city. So far, with the exception of some that was laid during extreme wet weather, there has been no indication of cracking. This year, all the concrete laid has been put down in dry weather with expansion joints every thirty feet and along the curbing. This will result, accofding to City En- gineer Wright Smith in reducing crack ing to a minimum.
 It is a fact which property owners should learn, said Mir. Smith that all concrete paving will crack in time, but this cracking has nothing to do with the smoothness or durability of the pay ing, as all that is necessary is to fill the cracks with liquid asphalt and the pavement is as good as new.
 City Recommends Concrete
 Concrete paving is being recommended to property owners here by the city officials on all streets in the residence section where the traffic is not heavy. Not only has it proved the cheapest durable paving, but it has been found that on residence streets, where traffic is light, it is more satisfactory than asphalt. Asphalt needs constant traf- fife to keep it in condition, said Engi- neer Smith. On dozens of streets where the traffic is light, asphalt does not get enough traffic to keep it properly
 
 Therefore property owners here are asking for concrete, he continued.
 In addition to the concrete paving laid in the residence section last year, 10000 yards have already been con- tracted for, for immediate construction and petitions from property owners are on file and contracts will be let within few weeks for 35,000 yards addi- tional.
 Up to the present time, Hancock Brothers, Mobile contractors, have laid practically all the concrete paving. Being a local concern and having their equipment on the ground, they have so far been able to under bid outside contractors on this class of paving. Morgan-Hill and company, of Birming- ham, have offered bids on a number of recent projects.
 The first concrete laid here twenty years ago was put down by the city un- der specifications prepared by City En- gineer Wright Smith. It was laid in small squares, which, it was later claimed was an infringement of patent owner by an eastern contracting firm, although the city engineer states that at the time he had never heard of such plan of laying concrete having been patented.
 More Paving Demanded
 "Within few years, we hope to have Mobile completely paved city," Mayor Harry Hartwell said today. with our five million dollar paving program mapped out and much of the work al. ready contracted for, we are rushing paving work in all parts of the city. In fact, we cannot get the work done fast enough to suit the property owners, who have come to realize the enhance. ment ill values which comes from we'll paved streets, to say nothing of the comfort and convenience to the people living on those streets.
 '"There has been a marked change in the attitude of the people here re- garding paving questions" Mayor Hart well continued.
 Formerly when q paving project was broached, there was opposition from , some at least of the property owners on the street. Now this condition has been reversed. We are getting petition after petition for paving signed by ev- cry property owner, protest is the ex- ception to the rule. With this feeling among the people, we are confident that we can go ahead and make Mobile one of the best paved cities in the south."
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