USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Somerville > Report of the city of Somerville 1900 > Part 26
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Wellington ave.
Public.
40
110
Mountain ave.
Porter st.
Private.
22
.
* Proposed.
LENGTH.
. .
Medford
314
ANNUAL REPORTS.
Table Showing the Location, Length, and Width of Public and Private Streets .- Continued.
STREET.
FROM
To
Public or Private.
Width in Feet.
Public.
Priv e
Nashua .
Richardson st.
B. & L. R. R. .
Private.
35
....
Nevada ave.
Village st.
Hanson st. .
Private.
20
....
Newberne .
Appleton st.
Morrison ave.
Public.
40
200
Newbury
Holland st.
Cambridge line
Public.
40
1,250
Newman pl.
Cedar st. .
Southeasterly
Private.
10+
100
Newton pl.
Newton st.
Easterly .
Private.
about 10
100
Newton .
Prospect st.
Webster ave.
Public.
25
470
..
Newton .
Webster ave.
Concord ave.
Public.
40++
650
. .
Norfolk .
Webster ave.
Cambridge line
Public.
40
200
....
North
Broadway .
Medford line
Public.
40
2,550
North Union
Mystic ave.
Northeasterly
Private.
30
....
600
Norton
Nashua st.
Southeasterly
Private.
20
200
Norwood ave.
Broadway .
Medford st. .
Public.
40
350
..
..
Oak
Prospect st.
Angle .
Public.
40
670
..
..
Oak
Angle
Cambridge line
Public.
30
563
....
Oak St. pl. .
Oak st.
Northerly
Private.
4
..
85
Oakland ave.
Marshall st.
School st.
Public.
40
440
155
Olive sq.
Lake st.
Southerly
Private.
about 15
100
Oliver
Franklin st.
Cross st.
Public.
40)
1,050
. .
Orchard .
Cambridge line
Meacham st.
Public.
40
1,625
Osgood
Granite st.
Easterly & west'ly
Private.
40
450
Otis
Cross st.
Wigglesworth st.
Public.
40
1,200
..
..
Oxford
School st.
Central st.
Public.
35
1,361
. ..
Oxford
Beacon st.
Cambridge line
Public.
50
100
....
Packard ave.
Broadway .
Medford line
Private.
60
Palmer ave.
Franklin st.
Northwesterly
Private.
20
..
200
Park ave.
College ave.
Wallace st.
Public.
40
450
..
Park pl.
Laurel st.
Easterly
Private.
30
Park pl.
Park pl. .
Northeasterly
Private.
20
150
Park .
Somerville ave.
Beacon st.
Public.
50
1,300
....
Parker pl.
Porter st. .
Northwesterly
Private.
20
. .
..
200
Partridge ave.
Vernon st.
Broadway
Public.
40
1,457
100
Paulina
Broadway .
Holland st.
Private.
40
...
775.
Pearl .
Crescent st.
Mt. Vernon st.
Public.
40
300
Pearl .
Mt. Vernon st.
Franklin st.
Public.
50
950
....
Pearl .
Franklin st.
Cross st.
Public.
40
1,025
. .
Pearl .
Cross st.
Medford st.
Public.
50
2,475
Pearl St. pl.
Pearl st.
Northeasterly
Private.
20
200
Pearl ter.
Pearl st.
Northerly
Private.
23
161
Pearson ave.
Morrison ave.
Boston ave.
Private.
45
1,300
Pearson road
Broadway .
Professors' row
Private.
40
..
. .
. .
....
440
Perkins pl.
Perkins st.
Northeasterly
Private.
20
200
Perkins .
Franklin st.
Charlestown line .
Public.
40
1,350
Perry
Washington st
Lincoln parkway .
Public.
40
606
Peterson ter.
Porter
Northwesterly Southeasterly
Private.
13++
....
125
Pinckney
Washington st.
Perkins st.
Public.
40
1,170
Pitman
Beech st.
Spring st.
Private.
30
380
Pitman
Spring st.
Belmont st.
Private.
26
390:
Pleasant ave.
Walnut st.
Vinal ave.
Public.
40
470
Poplar ct.
Poplar st.
Southeasterly
Private.
10
..
Poplar
Somerville ave.
Linwood st.
Private.
30
. .
350
Poplar
Linwood st.
Joy st.
Private.
35
. .
220
Porter pl.
Porter st. .
Northwesterly .
Private.
20
Porter
Elm st.
Mountain ave.
Public.
45
1,530
..
Porter
Mountain ave.
Highland ave. .
Public.
40
425
..
Powder house
Powder house
Northwesterly,
Mystic river and Medford line .
Public
80
7,200
..
..
. .
. .
1,654
Pembroke ct.
Pembroke st.
Southwesterly
Private.
25
..
130
Pembroke
Central st.
Sycamore st.
Private.
40
155
Pinckney pl.
Pinckney st.
Private.
24
80
Porter ave.
Porter st. .
Northwesterly
Private.
20
. .
195
Parker
Washington st. .
Fremont ave.
Private.
35
Patten ct.
Cutter st. .
Southeasterly
Private.
8
..
..
220
Olive ave.
Linden ave.
Southeasterly
Private.
25
....
640
200
....
....
300
boulevard
square
LENGTH.
2,000
150
315
CITY ENGINEER.
Table Showing the Location, Length, and Width of Public and Private Streets .- Continued.
STREET.
FROM
To
Public or Private.
Width in Feet.
Public. Private.
Prescott
Summer st.
Highland ave. .
Public.
50
1,050
Preston
School st.
Summer st.
Public.
40
800
Pritchard ave.
Morrison ave.
Boston ave.
Private.
40
Princeton
Alpine st.
Lowell st.
Public.
40
657
Princeton
Lowell st.
Centre st.
Private.
40
....
460
Professors' row
College ave.
Curtis st.
Private.
40
1,900
Prospect
Washington st.
Cambridge line
Public.
50
2,050
Prospect Hill av.
Medford st.
Munroe st.
Public.
40
450
. .
Prospect pl.
Prospect st.
E. Newton st.
Private.
20
130
Putnam .
Summer st.
Highland ave.
Public.
50
1,240
..
..
Quincy
Somerville ave.
Summer st.
Public.
40
700
....
Randolph pl. .
Cross st.
Westerly .
Private.
15
244
Raymond ave.
Curtis st.
North st.
Public.
40
1,345
Record's pl.
Broadway
Southwesterly
Private.
10
Reed's ct. .
Oliver st.
Southwesterly
Private.
20
... .
...
....
480
Richardson ter.
Richardson st.
Northeasterly
Private.
20
135
Richdale ave.
School st.
Sycamore st.
Public.
40
875
Richmond hi'h'ds
Madison st.
Southerly
Private.
30
...
150
Roberts .
Lawrence st.
Northwesterly
Private.
20
....
170
Robinson
Central st.
Bartlett st.
Public.
40
582
Rogers ave.
Morrison ave.
Broadway
Private.
45
Roseland
Beacon st.
Cambridge line
Public.
40
100 -
Rossmore
Somerville ave.
Washington st.
Public.
40
534
...
Royce pl.
Bonair st.
Northeasterly
Private.
15+
175
Rush .
Broadway .
Flint st.
Public.
40
1,400
1,193
Russell .
Elm st.
Cambridge line
Public.
40
700
..
Sacramento
Somerville ave.
Fitchburg R. R.
Public.
40
80
....
Sacramento
Fitchburg R. R.
Beacon st.
Public.
40
290
Sacramento
Beacon st.
Cambridge line
Private.
40
156
Sanborn ave.
Warren ave.
Walnut st.
Public.
40
280
....
Sargent ave.
Broadway .
Walnut st.
Public.
40
1,082
400
Sawyer ave.
Packard ave.
Curtis st.
Private.
40
1,870
. .
School
Highland ave.
Broadway
Public.
50
2,500
120
Seven Pines ave
Cameron ave.
Cambridge line
Private.
40
80
Sewall ct.
Sewall st. .
Southwesterly .
Private.
25
..
190
Sewall
Grant st.
Temple st.
Public.
40
615
Shawmut pl.
Shawmut st.
Alston St.
Private.
30
....
200
Shawmut
Washington st.
Cross st.
Public.
40
550
310
Sherman pl.
Sargent ave. .
Marshall st.
Private.
10
250
Sherman
Somerville ave.
Frost ave.
Private.
35
..
..
270
Sibley ct.
Cutter st. .
Northwesterly .
Private.
10
.
..
..
100
Simpson ave.
Broadway .
Holland st.
Private.
40
825
Skehan
Dane st.
Durham st.
Private.
30
..
. .
200
Snow pl.
Belmont st.
Easterly
Private.
30
75
Snow pl.
Snow pl.
N'th'ly and S'th'y.
Private.
20
222
Snow ter.
Jaques st.
Southwesterly
Private.
16
120
Somerville ave.
Union sq.
N. Camb. line
Public.
70
6,800
..
..
South
Medford st.
Water st.
Public.
30
989
Spencer ave.
Cedar st.
Fanning ave.
Private.
40
....
Spring ct.
Somerville ave.
Westerly .
Private.
20
..
200
Spring
Somerville ave.
Summer st.
Public.
40
1,200
. .
. .
Springfield
Concord ave.
Cambridge line
Public.
40
800
Spring Hill ter.
Highland ave.
Belmont st.
Private.
20
670
Stanford ter. .
Beacon st.
Northeasterly
Private.
20
.. ..
200
..
540
Professors' row
Boston ave.
College ave.
Private.
50
...
. .
Sartwell ave.
Cedar st.
Cherry st.
Private.
35
690
School
Somerville ave.
Highland ave.
Public.
40
Sellon pl.
Marshall st.
Northwesterly .
Private.
12
Shedd
Somerville ave.
Merriam ave
Private.
40
..
..
100
Sibley pl.
Cutter st.
Northwesterly
Private.
10
720
Smith ave.
Beacon st.
Line st.
Private.
25-+
4,300
..
..
Somerville ave.
E. Camb. line
Union sq.
Public.
75
105
Remick ct.
Cutter st.
Southeasterly
Private.
10
100
Richardson
Lowell st.
Lawrence st.
Private.
35
Russell road
Broadway .
North st. .
Private.
40
LENGTH.
...
1,145
727
110
1,700
316
ANNUAL REPORTS.
Table Showing the Location, Length, and Width of Public and Private Streets .- Continued.
STREET.
FROM
To
Public or Private.
Width in Feet.
Public.
Private.
Stickney ave. .
Marshall st.
School st.
Public.
40
458
. . . .
St. James ave.
Elm st.
Summer st.
Public.
40
488
..
Stone ave.
Union sq.
Columbus ave. .
Public.
40
676
Stone pl.
Stone ave.
Southeasterly
Private.
30
145
Summer
Bow st.
Elm st.
Public.
45
7,700
Summit ave.
Walnut st.
Vinal ave.
Public.
45
470
Summit .
College ave.
Billingham st.
Public.
40
262
Sumner
Lawrence st.
Northwesterly
Private.
20
175
Sunnyside ave.
Walnut st.
Wigglesworth st. Medford st.
Public.
45
1,250
..
Sycamore
Medford st.
B. & L. R R. .
Public.
40
582
Sycamore
B. & L. R. R.
Highland ave. .
Private
33
720
Sydney .
Wheatland st.
Temple st.
Private.
40
925
Talbot ave.
Packard ave.
College ave. .
Private.
50
1,409
Taunton.
Wyatt st.
Easterly to angle
Private.
30
170
Taunton
Angle
Marion st.
Private.
20
....
200
Taylor
Mystic ave.
Sydney st.
Private.
40
310
Temple .
Broadway
Mystic ave.
Public.
66
1,540
400
Tennyson
Forster st.
Pembroke st,
Public.
40
864
Thorndike
Holland st.
Arl'ngt'n Br. R. R.
Public.
40
465
115
Thorpe pl.
Highland ave.
Southwesterly
Private.
30
1,660
150
Tower
Crown st.
Highland ave.
Public.
40
559
75
Tremont
Webster ave.
Cambridge line .
Public.
40
589
Trull
Vernon st.
Medford st.
Public.
40
1,050
200
Trull lane
Highland ave.
Oxford st.
Private.
15
...
150
Tufts
Washington st. .
Cross st. .
Public.
40
940
Tyler
Vine st.
Dane st.
Public.
40
404
Unnamed st.
P'wd'r h'se blvd.
Southwesterly
Private.
40
. .
Unnamed st.
Mystic ave
Middlesex ave.
Private.
40
....
433
Unnamed st.
Mystic ave.
Middlesex ave.
Private.
40
. ..
...
706
Union
Broadway
Mystic ave.
Public. .
40
33 |
Union pl.
Linwood st.
Southwesterly
Private.
10
100
Upland Park
Main st. .
Southwesterly
Private.
20
. .
Veazie
Walnut st.
Bradley st.
Private.
40
650
Vernon
Central st.
Jenny Lind ave.
Public.
40
740
Vernon
Jenny Lind ave.
Lowell st.
Private.
30
600
Victoria
Broadway
Cambridge line
Private.
40
..
1,036
Villa ave.
Winslow ave.
Arlington B. R. R.
Private.
35
...
..
370
Vinal ave.
Summer st.
Highland ave.
Public.
45
1,400
200
Vine ct.
Vine st.
Northwesterly .
Private.
25
....
140
Vine .
Somerville ave.
Hanson st.
Private.
40
....
780
Vine
Hanson st.
Beacon st.
Private.
25
650
Virginia
Aldrich st.
Jasper st.
Public.
40
405
. .
Wade ct.
Cedar st. .
Westerly .
Private.
20
....
180
Waldo ave.
Beacon st.
Dimick st.
Private.
40
277
Waldo
Highland ave.
Hudson st.
Public.
40
287
..
. .
Wallace .
Holland st.
Broadway
Public.
40
1,350
Walnut
Bow st.
Broadway
Public.
40
3,830
. .
Walter pl.
Walter st.
Southwesterly
Private.
40
. .
Walter
Walnut st.
of Bradley st.
Ward
Medford st.
Earl st.
Private.
30
....
Ware .
Curtis st.
Northwesterly
Private.
40
....
700
. .
95
Taylor pl.
Somerville ave.
Southerly
Private.
15
..
Tenney ct.
Mystic ave.
Northeasterly
Private.
30
Thorndike
Arl'gt'n Br. R.R.
Kingston st.
Private.
40
450
Thurston
Broadway
Richdale ave.
Public.
40
Tower ct.
Tyler st.
Northeasterly
Private.
25
Tremont pl.
Tremont st.
Southeasterly
Private.
about 10
..
Tube Works ct.
Somerville ave.
Southwesterly
Private.
20
583
Unnamed st.
Mystic ave.
Middlesex ave.
Private.
40
200
Village
Dane st.
Vine st.
Private.
25
Vinal .
Richardson st.
Northeasterly
Private.
20
. .
. .
..
§ about 100 ft. N.
Public.
40
548
..
Private.
35
250
Sycamore
Broadway
. .
. .
183
175
. .
222
610
LENGTH.
317
CITY ENGINEER.
Table Showing the Location, Length, and Width of Public and Private Streets. - Continued.
STREET.
FROM
To
Public or Private.
Width in Feet.
Public.
Private.
Warner .
Powder House sq.
Medford line
Public. Public.
60
500
Warren ave.
Union sq.
Columbus ave.
Warren .
Medford st.
Cambridge line
Private.
30
....
100
Warwick place
Warwick st. .
Northeasterly
Private
15
..
150
Warwick
Cedar st. .
Warwick ave.
Public.
40
655
.. ..
Washington ave.
Washington st.
Northerly
Private.
18
350
Washington
Charlest'n line .
Franklin ave.
Public.
75
1,060
Washington
Franklin ave.
Fitchburg R. R.
Public.
60 to 100
3,870
..
..
Washington
Fitchburg R. R. South st.
Northerly
Private.
25
250
Watson .
Broadway
Fairmount ave.
Private.
40
....
236
Webster ave.
Union sq.
Cambridge line
Public.
49.5
1,950
....
Webster
Franklin st.
Cross st.
Public.
40
1,' 00
. .
Wellington ave.
Walnut st.
Montgomery
ave.
Public.
40
215
Wellington ave.
Montgomery ave.
Easterly
Private.
40
Wesley pk.
Wesley sq.
Northeasterly
Public.
40
405
Wesley .
Pearl st.
Otis st.
Public:
40
515
West .
Broadway .
Heath st.
Private.
30
..
..
460
Westminster
Broadway .
Electric ave.
Public.
40
376
..
Weston ave.
Clarendon ave.
Broadway
Private.
40
525
Westwood road
Central st.
Benton road
Public.
40
489
....
Wheatland
Broadway .
Jaques st.
Public.
4
495
855
Whipple
Hawthorne st.
Arlington B. R. R.
Private.
30
307
..
White St. pl.
White st.
Southeasterly
Private.
20
200
Wigglesworth
Bonair st. .
Pearl st. .
Public.
40
740
William .
Chandler st.
College ave.
Public.
40
381
Williams ct.
Porter st. .
Northwesterly .
Private.
30
. .
..
400
Willow ave.
Elm st.
Broadway
Public.
50
3,440
150
Wilson ave.
Broadway .
B. & L. R. R.
Private.
20
210
Wilton
Lowell st. .
Lawrence st.
Private.
35
..
..
..
65
Windham road
Washington st.
Northeasterly
Private.
40
..
335
Windom
Elm st.
Summer st.
Public.
40
300
..
. .
Windsor road .
Willow ave.
Gordonia road
Public.
40
575
. . ..
Winslow ave. .
College ave. .
Clifton st.
Public.
40
1,086
...
Winter
College ave. .
Holland st.
Private.
30
430
Winter Hill cir.
Broadway .
Northeasterly
Private.
'25
....
177
Winthrop ave.
(Fellsway.)
Broadway .
Mystic ave.
Public.
50
1,170
Woodbine .
Centre st. .
Lowell st.
Private.
30
600
*Woods ave
North st.
Alewife brook
Private.
40
. .
1,350
Woodstock .
Victoria st.
Alewife brook
Private.
40
415
Wyatt ct.
Wyatt st.
Westerly .
Private.
13
. .
..
200
Wyatt pl.
Wyatt st.
Westerly
Private.
10
....
70
Wyatt
Concord ave.
Lincoln parkway
Public.
40
496
....
Yorktown
( 100 ft. north of } Malvern ave. 3
Cambridge line
Private.
49
..
548
..
Wheatland .
Jaques st. .
Mystic ave.
Private.
40
Wheeler .
Pinckney st.
Mt. Vernon st.
Public.
40
269
575
+White
Elm st.
Cambridge line
Public.
William .
Broadway .
Medford line
Private.
50
45
Willoughby
Central st.
Sycamore st.
Private.
30
Willow pl. .
Cambridge line
South st. .
Private.
25
..
470
Winchester
Broadway .
Medford line
Private.
40
2,380
.. ...
Waterhouse
Broadway
Cambridge line
Private.
4 1
....
986
Waverley
Washington st.
Southerly
Private.
35
200
..
....
. .
West
Hawthorne st.
Arlington B. R. R. Private.
30
Cambridge line
Public
60
Water
. .
..
..
....
*Proposed.
+Sidewalk in Somerville.
LENGTH.
650
..
85
250
150
318
ANNUAL REPORTS.
Table Showing the Location, Length, and Width of Public and Private Streets .- Concluded.
UNNAMED STREETS.
STREET.
FROM
To
Public or Private.
Width in Feet.
Public.
Private.
Court
16 Craigie st.
Westerly
Private.
25
..
. .
Court
26 Craigie st.
Westerly
Private.
: 25
126
Court
36 Craigie st. .
Westerly
Private.
25
126
Court
292 Broadway
Southwesterly
Private.
15
96
Court
58 Dane st.
Easterly .
Private.
10
70
Court
66 Lowell st.
Westerly
Private.
25
101
Court
78 Lowell st.
Westerly
Private.
25
101
Court
Olive ave.
Porter st.
Private.
7.5
156
Court
10 Stone ave.
Northwesterly
Private.
20
113
Court
21 Albion st. .
Northeasterly
Private.
10
. .
100
Court
227 Columbia st.
Northwesterly .
Private.
10
117
Court
11 Albion st.
.
Northeasterly
Private.
9
170
Court
20 Dimick st.
Southwesterly
Private.
39.25
. .
136
Court
255 Wash'gt'n st.
Northwesterly .
Private.
30
..
. .
176
Court
11 Cedar st. .
Southeasterly
Private.
15
....
145
Total
326,021
154,408
. .
. .
..
Public, 61.74 miles; private, 29.24 miles.
-
..
. .
126
...
LENGTH.
REPORT OF THE STREET COMMISSIONER.
OFFICE OF THE STREET COMMISSIONER, January 1, 1901.
To His Honor, the Mayor, and the Board of Aldermen :--
Gentlemen,-In compliance with the requirements of the city charter, I most respectfully submit to you my annual report of the Highway department for the year 1900. Appended to this report is a tabulated statement of work performed on streets, bridges, curbing, sidewalks, crosswalks, paved gutters, stone breaker, and street watering.
The question of how to make and how to maintain good streets is one that is steadily pressing to the front as one of the most important concerns of the Highway department. During the past four years miles of streets have been dug up by the Water department, the Sewer department, gas companies, the Metropolitan Water and Sewer commissions, and the Massachu- setts Pipe Line Gas Company for the purpose of laying pipes of various kinds. In the matter of house connections, the practice of tunneling under paved driveways and streets, where the tunnel is more than six inches in diameter, ought never to be allowed, and when borings are made for pipes the bore should be made only as large as will allow the pipe to be put into position. From iny experience it can be safely said that it is impossible to refill a horizontal tunnel so that the pavement over the trench will not sooner or later settle and require repairs.
Street Cleaning.
One new steel side sweeping machine has been purchased from William C. Oastler, making two two-horse and two one- horse machines in the department, all of which are in good con- dition. To complete our sweeping equipment, I would recom- mend the purchase of a gutter sweeper and pick-up machine, which will facilitate the work of cleaning our squares and paved streets. The latter machine will sweep a space seven feet wide, taking up the dirt as it goes along the street until the receptacle is filled, when it may be dumped and carted away. The gutter machine goes ahead of the pick-up machine, and will leave the street as clean as a house floor. When the streets are very muddy, the Barnard Castle scraper is used. This is one of the most valuable machines in the department, since one man with a pair of good horses can scrape twelve miles of forty-foot streets in a day.
320
ANNUAL REPORTS.
The patrol system of keeping the streets clear of rubbish, waste paper, tin cans, etc., has, during the past year, been demon- strated as the only solution of the street-cleaning problem. One man, supplied with a cart, broom, shovel, pick, and rake, is as- signed to a certain district, to which he is required to give his constant attention. He is instructed to watch for careless per- sons who throw paper and other rubbish on the sidewalks, cross- walks, and streets, to fill and patch all depressions, to replace loose bricks in the sidewalks, and to cut the grass and weeds on the borders of the streets within his district. Professor Morse says :- -
"I would compel every one who is guilty of throwing banana skins, apple cores, papers, and strings into the public streets to eat and swal- low then."
while Ross Turner savs :-
"It should be made a crime for a person to throw rubbish into the streets, or even litter the alleyways and back yards. A love of public orderliness is the soil in which a love of the beautiful grows."
City Ledge.
At the ledge between Broadway and Holland street a gang of men work constantly removing stone for ballast, and, by means of the stone crusher, preparing the harder stone for concrete and street work. During the year a large amount has been sold to the Boston Elevated Railway Company, John Turner & Co., Tufts College, Somerville Electric Light Company, William J. McCarty, and others.
Watering Streets.
Under the legislative act authorizing cities to water streets and to assess abutters a portion of the cost, only accepted streets · are watered. On private streets the entire cost must be paid in advance before any watering is done. The work of watering the streets is let out by contract, a uniform price of $75 per month per cart being paid to each contractor who furnishes a pair of horses and a driver. There are twenty-five watering carts be- longing to the department, and the city has been divided into a corresponding number of districts, each averaging about two miles of streets. Each contractor is required to keep the streets within his districts properly watered at all times, Sundays in- cluded.
This force is under the direction of an efficient assistant, and the service has been performed in a most satisfactory manner. The season has been the dryest one known for years, there hav- ing been but thirty-four rainy days during the seven months in which the streets were watered.
1
LAITURE JO. S.
DAVIS SQUARE BRICK PAVEMENT.
321
STREET COMMISSIONER.
All repairs to carts are made in our own shop. I would rec- ommend the purchase of one new cart for use during the coming season.
Oiled Streets.
The State Highway Commission has made some experi- inents with oil at Cottage City, but with rather unsatisfactory re- sults. For a section of road 800 feet long and 15 feet wide, 50 gallons of oil were used for each 100 linear feet, and the cost averaged $4.35 per 100 feet. The oil was applied in June, and was thought at first to be a great success, as no dust blew from the section treated, while in other parts of the road it blew in clouds. The good effect was not lasting, however, for a month later the stone began to unravel, and it was necessary to spread binding material. There was also complaint that, on the oil- treated section of the road, the material thrown into carriages by the wheels injured robes and clothing.
Notwithstanding the failure of this experiment, oiling streets has been successful in some parts of California, where about the same conditions exist as at Cottage City. O. W. Longden says, in a paper read before the Good Roads Association of Southern California, where people have become accustomed to traveling on dusty roads :-
"Whether water-sprinkled or oiled, the dustless condition must be maintained. There is no doubt as to the efficiency of oil on roads. It is superior to water in that, when properly applied, it is lasting, costs less, and makes a desirable road. It coats the road with a wearing sur- face that needs but slight attention to keep it in good condition. We apply the oil hot by means of the DeCamp machine, and the hotter the oil, the quicker it unites with the dust, and the more readily it is ab- sorbed by the road surface. Two or three applications during the season are sufficient, forty to fifty barrels to the mile, at a cost of $75 per mile."
It is claimed by some that the sprinkling of oil on roads is destructive to rubber tires, and that the odor is intolerable; yet a short section of street might be treated in this way as a test of its efficiency.
Vitrified Brick Pavement.
The advantages claimed for brick pavement are many. It is both inexpensive and durable, clean, healthful, and free from dust, is not slippery, does not glaze when worn, as do granite and asphalt, is easily repaired, is easily taken up when water or gas pipes must be laid, and is comparatively noiseless. The use of brick pavement is by no means a new and untried experiment, having been in use in Holland for over one hundred years, in parts of England for over thirty years, at Charlestown, W. Va., for twenty years, and in many other places, with satisfactory results.
Davis square has been paved with vitrified brick. These
322
ANNUAL REPORTS.
bricks differ greatly from those used for ordinary building pur- poses. They are made from a combination of shale and clay. Shale is found largely in the Middle West, and is a hard, partially- formed slate-rock, which, being pulverized and softened with water, has the appearance of common clay. At Canton, O., shale and clay are found in the same bank, clay near the surface, and shale beneath.
At Catskill, N. Y., the materials are taken from different banks and mixed at the works, as much of the value of a paving brick depends on a proper mixing of materials in the best pro- portions. Bricks made from shale and clay are dark brown or red in color, hard in texture, and tend to be brittle if over burned or vitrified. In paving Davis square, bricks of both the Canton and Catskill varieties were used. The bricks are laid on a con- crete foundation six inches thick, with a bed of sand two inches thick between concrete and bricks; the joints are filled with Portland cement provided with an expansion joint of pitch at in- tervals of every thirty feet. Before this pavement is laid all sewer, gas, and water pipes should be required to be laid to the curbstone line, and in case it becomes necessary at any time to open a street paved with brick, the entire work of making such openings should be done under the supervision of the Street Commissioner.
Wide Tires.
General Roy Stone says he regards it of special importance, in maintenance of public highways, that the vehicles used on them shall have tires of greater width than are now in general use. An order passed by the Board of Aldermen in relation to wide tires is being complied with. In making repairs and in constructing new carts and wagons, we put 5-inch tires on the rear wheels of the four-wheeled carts, and 4-inch tires on the front wheels, and the front axle is shortened 8 inches, so that the wheels will not track those of another vehicle, while on the two-wheeled carts and watering carts we put 4-inch tires. Great injury is done by narrow-tired wheels. Wide-tired wheels, with the axles of un- equal length, so that the wheels will not track under heavy loads, act as road rollers, and keep the streets hard and well packed, and always free from ruts. No man has a right to destroy good roads that are built for the benefit of the public, and narrow tires should be abolished. If wide tires will not make good streets, they will keep good streets in good condition.
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