Shall Main St. Be Paved?

That part of the message of Mayor Hiscock recommending the paving oí Main street, from Catharine to William sts., has been kindly received by Main street merchants and business men. One prominent merchant told us Monday that he would be willing to circuíate a petition among the property owners, and was conñdent that he could secure inside of two days, to such a paper the ñames oí two-thirds of the property owners interested. The proposition as it has been discussed, is for the city to build the street intersections, and the property owners to pay for their frontage at so much per foot. Calline at the city engineers office we ascertained that there was 110,000 square feet in the distance mentioned which it is proposed to pave, or 12,888 square .yards. Here is a table giving the cost of different kinds of street paving as reported by 32 prominent cities of the "United States : ..neadam tl. Per sq. yard Bloek stone, granite 2.90 Block stone, sandstone 2..L n Sheet asphalt 2 81 ' Wooa l-18 Brick P This would make the cost of puving Main street for the five proposed blocks, with brick, $19,074.24. Xot an enoimous suin by any means, and very small in comparison with the benefits received. In considering the desirability of the diiferent road surfaces and pavements, it may be noted that a team drawing one ton on a good dirt road can with the same effort take two tons over a good macadam surface. Passing from this to a good block stone pavement, six tons could be Jdrawn as easily, and this loac can be increased to eight tons on wood block or brick, or to ten tons on an asphalt pavement. CHBAl'ER TH AJÍ DIRT. J. C. Carland, a contractor from Jackson, was in the city yesterday, and in conversation with Mayor H-iscock he informed him that lie would be willing to take the contract for paving Main street with brick for $1.25 per square yard He to use rolled sand instead of con crete foundation. Th is would make th cost to a man owning a 20 foot front $4( which divided into five yearly ments, of $8 per year, would make the expense so trifling that surely uo person could protest. The entire cost at $1.25 per square yard would be $16,110. At these figures the work ought to he pushed at once. Many cities are laying pavement on sand foundation, vith good resulta. By doing this the pavement could be laid this year, if the council will act promptly. ABOUT .MAKING 1'REPUiATIOXS. It takes time to accomplish all these things. It is too late now to get at the work this year, tor it should be done during July and August so that the foundation will become perfectly bardened before winter sets in. Also because it will interfere with business during those months. Then all gas, water and sewer conneetions must be made with every building before the pavement is lak for it will be useless to lay it if it is to be dug up every few weeks for th:s or any purpose whatever. All materials shoukl be purchased and on hand ready to start in July lst, and the entire uve blocka should be completed by September lst, when the trade opeus up in the f all. HOW TO DO IT. But there is one opinión that generally prevails, and that is, that all pav ing, whether of brick, macadam o asphalt, should be done by contract, a the charter provides. This feeling i quite prevalent that had the work o Detroit st. been done by contract in stead of by the city itself, fully one half of the cost would have been savec nul the job woukl have been quite as Batiiifactory. There wijl be inany ob" jections raised if the city attempts to do this work. A superintendent who understands the business should be employed by the city, and contractors should work under his direction. All materials should be purchased and ou hand ready to start in by July st, and the entire flve blocks should be completed byJJSeptember lst, wben the trade opens up for the Eall. HOW TO DO IT. But there is 011e opinión that tienerally prevails, and that is, thnt all puving, whether of brick, macadam or asphalt, shoiild be done by contract, as llie charter provides. ïlie feeling is quite prevalent that had the work on Detroit st. been done by contract instead of by tlie city itself, íully one-half of the cost would have been saved, and the job woold liave been quite as satisfactory. There will be niany objections raised ií the city attempts to do this work. A superintendent wbo understands the business should be employed by the city, and contractors should work under bis directiou. A brief description of three different kinds of pavement suitable to this city, may interest some of our readers : BKICK PAVEMBNTS. A solid, uuyielding foundation and a tough, durable, wearing surface are the rimary requirements demanded of very pavement, and the only type of jrick pavements constructed thus far vhich meets these requirements is mail bricks or blocks on a concrete oundatiob. This form filis the above onditions so perfectly and can be suited to the varying requirements of trafflc so easily that it may well be considered he perfect brick pavement and it might even be called the standard pavement, so well does it meet all the requirenents. It is noiseless and durable, smooth without being slippery, easy to clean and impervious to water. It can be suited to the requirements of a heavy or light traffio by varying the thickness of the foundation, without detriment to the pavement. This is the pavement that is most talUed of and -most desired by our citizens. The several brick crosswalks already laid having given our people an idea of its excellence. ASPHALT PAVEMENTS. This pavement ranks flrst in satisfactory qualities, being fairly durable, clean and noiseless. In these respects vitrified brick is the only rival for public favor. The flrst cost of asphalt is generally more tlian tliat of briok and less tlian the cost of granite blocks. From report of W. P. Judson, C. E. the records and reports in 27 cities of the United States show a rauge of cost per square yard of $ 1.95 at Utica and $2.00 at Rochester to $3.50 at Buffalo nd Boston. The average cost lor L' ïties being $2.81. These prices include oncrete foundation and guarantee for 11 repairs varying from flve to twelve e ars. TES INCH MACADAM. Foundation to be a single layer of any ard durable stone, six incbes deep, to be set by band in tlie form of a elose javement. The stones to be laid with tlicir largest ide down, in parallel rows aerosa the treet the joints to break as much as possible. The open spaces are then to e filled with stone chips flrmly vvedged y hand with a hammer and the proectiug pointa broken off and the whole surface subjected to a thorough settling or ratnming with a heavy sledge hammer. On the top of the foundation a course of broken trap-rock, not larger tban two inches in diameter, is to be laid and spread and thoroughly rolled. cient stone ia to be spread to make a depth of two inches when consolidated. On top of the two inch stone, a course of broken rock or gravel, not larger tlmii inc and one-half inches in dianuter, and not less than one inch in diameter, is to be spread and thoroughly rolled until a depth of tvo inches is made. When the broken stone is thoroughly rolled and cousolidated, a coat of screenings to be spread, of sufiïcient thickness to make a uniform surface to the road when rolled. These screenings to be composed of chips and no dust to be allowed in the mixture. This is substantially the plan pursued I on Detroit street, and there is 110 doubt but that maiiy of the residence streets of our city will in time be macadam ized Cedar block paveiuent is not oonsidered durable. It is line for somo live years, but aiter that oosts nearly as much to repair as to repave. gau ti-ocps, thinking that lie, too, could be discharged at the same time. But when be reached Jackson the authorities knew notbing of him,and he received no discharge. For soine reason he let the matter drop after makiug one ineffectual attempt to secure the desired document. As the years began to accumulate upon the oU mau's head he became unable to support himself, and finally drifted to the home the county niaintains for those who cannot support theinselves. A few weeks ago some friend of Adams brought the old man up to W. K Child's office and recited the story of his war record. Mr. Cliilds at once had the proper affidavits to these facts made out and forwarded them to Washington. A few days since he received froiu the war department an honorable discharge for Ezra Adams, and the record of desertion wiped out. This is glad news for the old soldier, for now he will not only be entitled to a pension, luit also to nine months back pay, to $500 of the $300 bounty that he never had received, and to transportation from Washington D. C, to Buffalo, N. Y. also, and what is of great consequence to hini, he will be entitled to a place in the Soldiere' Home at Grand Rapids the rest of his life. Justice at times travels witb taray steps, but if one lives long enough it will flnally reach its destination.