PAVING SUGGESTIONS FOR CORTLAND'S STREETS

Main Street, Cortland, 1899.

Cortland Evening Standard, Friday, December 13, 1895.

THE PAVING QUESTION.

SOME FURTHER SUGGESTIONS OF BUSINESS MEN.

Macadam For All Streets Except Main-st. It is Well Adapted to the Local Needs.

   The public meeting to consider the subject of paving will be held at Fireman's hall at 7:30 o'clock to-night, and it is earnestly desired that all who are interested be present and everybody ought to be interested. The STANDARD has already found that although there is quite an unanimous sentiment for better streets there are about as many different opinions as individuals as to how these shall be brought about. Nearly every one in town has some ideas on this subject and a frank interchange of opinions can hardly fail of bringing out some plan which will greatly benefit our village and improve our streets. No one should stay at home and then afterward object to the action of the meeting or complain because this or that good suggestion was not made. Come out and make it yourself and hear the discussion.

   A reporter this morning called at the office of Wickwire Brothers to inquire from both the brothers what their ideas were on the subject of paving. Both gentlemen were there and expressed their opinions freely. Their sentiments were quite in harmony and the following suggestions came from them both, rather than from either alone. They do not approve of any move toward paving which shall carry granite, brick or asphalt upon a large number of streets. The village cannot afford it, the expense would be out of proportion to the value of the adjacent property. At the same time we do not need better streets and they are heartily in favor of a movement for their improvement. They would not approve of any pavement which requires a concrete foundation, as brick or asphalt, which would have to be broken through to reach sewer, water or gas pipes to make necessary repairs upon them or connections with them. The pavement could not be put back in its original condition of perfection by any amount of care or labor. This difficulty would not occur with granite blocks, which could be replaced so that no one would ever know that they had been disturbed. But they recognize the fact that this is a noisy pavement and for this reason would not advocate extending it beyond the limits of Main-st. between the Messenger and Cortland Houses, or perhaps as far as the stores go.

   On all other streets they would like to see macadam used and properly put down. The difficulty with so-called macadam frequently is that it is not macadam and is not properly put in place. To put down a genuine macadam the surface dirt should be removed to a depth of ten inches. Blocks of stone cut in a diamond shape with points upward should be placed side by side and then a filling of loose stone should be used, the larger pieces at the bottom and very fine at the top. The surface should have a dressing of broken trap rock, and this is where more often than anywhere else may be laid the failure of macadam to reach its proper degree of perfection. Only trap rock should be used for a dressing, as this is the only kind that will work down into a surface smooth as glass and hard as flint. The steam roller should always be used in macadam roadmaking.

   An attempt has been made in Cortland at several times to put down a kind of macadam, but it has failed every time because the surface dressing was not right. The broken cobblestones, which are found in this section and which have always been used, very speedily become pulverized and become so much dust and mud and the road is in no wise improved over its former state. On Railroad-st. in front of the Grand Central splendid work in preparation was done, but for lack of trap stone dressing the satisfactory result was lost.

   Our gravel soil is most admirably adapted to macadam. It differs most wonderfully from the clay soil and swampy condition of things on the outskirts of Syracuse. This is clearly seen in any time of deepest mud. Then a heavily loaded wagon does not sink over four or five inches into the mud. See a workman dig a ditch in the street at that time. He scrapes off the pudding surface and about six inches below the top comes upon dry dirt. Because of the gravel soil it would not be necessary in Cortland to use the diamond pointed stones as a foundation. Any large stone could be used, gradually becoming smaller as the surface was approached, but the trap rock surface dressing is essential and imperative. This rock properly broken can be purchased and delivered here for about 90 cents per ton, and it would not cost more than 80 or 90 cents per yard to put down pavement of this kind. It could be dug up if necessary and put back again to the same condition as before and no one could ever discover where the break had been made.

   The same money which would be expended for granite, brick or asphalt would lay several times its area of macadam and the result would be really more satisfactory. Both gentlemen called attention to a number of places where they had seen these pavements in process of construction and where they had seen the results after years of use and had heard the expressions of satisfaction were it had been used. In many places in Massachusetts and New

Jersey they are now building these roads through the country as well as in the cities.

   Both gentlemen called attention to the benefit which would result from the enforced use of broad tires on heavy wagons.

   Asphalt and brick will both be found very slippery in our climate where there is so much ice. Horses have to be shod differently to be able to stand well on those pavements and there would not be enough of it in Cortland to make it an object to so shoe them.

   Considerable emphasis was laid upon the importance of establishing a grade here for all the streets.

   The reporter called upon Judge S. S. Knox, president of the sewer board, and asked for an expression of his opinion on the subject of paving, but the judge said that inasmuch as he was expected to present to-night the draft of the legislative bill prepared at the instance of the village trustees and should probably have to answer questions about it and discuss the subject generally he would prefer not to speak of it now, especially as he was very busy at the time.

   Mr. B. F. Taylor, superintendent of the Cortland Water Works Co., says he is heartily in favor of paving. He hopes it will be undertaken right along. He would like to see Main-st. paved from the E., C. & N. station to the hospital, and Railroad-st. from Main-st. to the to the D., L. & W. station. He would favor the paving of other streets as far as it was expedient. The sooner the Main-st. cobblestones were out of the way the better. They are a back number. Asphalt would be his choice. As to the expense, he has no great preference—any way to get it done. Village pay a third and property owners each a third? Yes, that is all right. He would be willing to pay half in front of his premises if he could only get it done. It would improve the value of the property enough to pay for it.  

   J. A. Jayne being interviewed said:

   1st., We need a complete and accurate survey of the whole village to establish a grade both for future grading and the surface drainage of our village. An appropriation should be made at the earliest opportunity for that purpose and the survey completed before any paving is done.

   2nd., Asphalt or granite blocks, he thinks, are preferable. Asphalt is easier to clean and is more quiet, but is more slippery and harder to repair.

   The adjacent property owners should pay for 2/3 (1/2 for each side) of the paving and the village the remainder including the intersections, etc. Whatever moneys are received from the electric railroad should be put into the village treasury and go toward paying the village's portion. The electric railroad received its franchise from the village and is operated under the village charter and the expense of paving was the greater part of the consideration to be received therefor. To give two-thirds of this money to the adjacent property owners along the line where property is worth many times as much per front foot as elsewhere in our village, thus paving a large portion of the streets of the wealthy at the expense of the poor and the poor paving their own seems like an injustice.

   The time of doing the work and the kind of pavement should be left to the board except where the owners of one-half or more of a block or street by their vote say which kind of pavement they desire. The time of payment for the same should be under the jurisdiction of the [village] board.

Village Prosperity.

   To the Editor of the Standard:

   SIR—Under this heading come many things that have given an impetus to the growth of our village and have consequently led up to an energy not before accepted by its inhabitants. There are those living to-day who remember the village when two hotels and three or four general stores were all that it had to boast of. Then came the Syracuse & Binghamton railroad and people began to see more of the possibilities of its greatness and business men came and invested and helped to induce others to do so.

   Next came an ambition to secure a better system of education and the state Normal school was located here and from time to time has been improved and enlarged until now it is classed among the best of educational institutions of its kind in the state, and parents come by the score to place their children under its management, thereby increasing business in all departments of active life.

   Soon followed, to answer the needs of the inhabitants, another railroad and again was there a great advance. Wagon factories were built, other industries improved and Cortland became accepted as the beehive of industry all over the country. Many other enterprises followed. One important feature, however, was nearly lost sight of and this is the thorough making and improving of the streets.

   At present, the question of pavings is before the public and it is a question of such importance that the meeting called for to-night should be a rousing one and the sentiments of the public should be fully expressed and ways and means should be discussed as to how to bring about the successful and needful improvement desired.

   AN INTERESTED CITIZEN.

MEDICAL SOCIETY.

The Semi-Annual Meeting in Cortland, Thursday Afternoon.

   The semi-annual meeting of the Cortland County Medical society was held at the supervisors' rooms yesterday afternoon. The meeting was called to order at 2 o'clock by the president, Dr. A. J. White, these members being present: Drs. Dana, Edson, Higgins, Reese, Sornberger and White of Cortland, White and Green of Homer, Hendrick, Forshee and Smith of McGrawville.

   Dr. Kinyon, the vice-president, being absent, the address usually given at the semi-annual meeting was necessarily omitted. Dr. L. T. White read a paper on "The Influence of the Mental Over Man's Physical Forces," and Dr. M. B. Smith one on "The General Practitioner." Both papers were very interesting and the discussion which followed was taken part in by all the members present.

   Dr. H. C. Hendrick spoke on the matter of compensation for examination in lunacy cases in this and other counties and offered a resolution which was carried that the president appoint a committee of three to confer with the medical societies of the adjoining counties, with a view of getting a uniform rate established for such examinations. The president appointed as such committee Drs. Hendrick, Dana and Sornberger.

   On motion the meeting was then adjourned. F. H. GREEN, secretary, Homer, Dec. 13.

BREVITIES.

   —The Crescent club will give a private dancing party in Empire hall to- night.

   —Fifty-five people from Truxton and DeRuyter will attend the "Mikado" next week.

   —Ithaca is endeavoring to secure the location there of a company of the National Guard.

   —New advertisements to-day are—C. F. Brown, page 6; Bingham Bros. & Miller, page 8.

   —Bennett & Hartwell have put out a neat new sign at their plumbing establishment on Railroad-st.

   —The usual Friday evening service will not be held at Grace church to-night. Services on Sunday at the usual times.

   —Mr. and Mrs. Benjamin Hamilton entertained forty of their friends at progressive euchre Wednesday evening at their home, 65 Lincoln-ave.

   —There will be a regular conclave of Cortland Commandery, No. 50, Knights Templars to-night at 8 o'clock. All members are requested to be present as an important subject is to be discussed.

   —The examination in the case of The People against Patrick Tobin, who was charged with grand larceny, was completed yesterday afternoon. The defendant established an alibi and was discharged.

   —The dairymen of Orange county are trying to arrange a scheme with the railroads for fixing rates for transportation of milk by the mile. If that should be successful it would practically mean a game of freeze out, so far as the counties of Central New York are concerned.

"Sam Sloan."

REBUILDING THE ENGINE.

New "Sam Sloan"—A Reproduction of the Wrecked Locomotive.

   The work of rebuilding the D., L. & W. engine "Sam Sloan," says the Syracuse Post, which was wrecked in the Preble accident, is progressing rapidly at the company's shops in Syracuse under the direction of Master Mechanic Louis Kistler. The battered locomotive has been separated into its component parts, those which can be used again being given to machinists to repair,

   The new Sam Sloan will be as far as possible a reproduction of the wrecked engine. The cylinders are in good condition and are being returned and refitted. The casing for the boiler will be new as the old one is beyond repair, but the driving wheels are all right. Several parts of the engine, such as the driving rods, sand box, smokestack, watertank, and airpump, are badly battered, but can be brought back to their original shape.

   Mr. Kistler expects to have the engine so that it can be placed in service on January 2. The painting will be done in the Syracuse shops.