turbed, it has worn unequally and has settled in such a manner as to present a very uneven surface. The numerous structures under the pavement, consisting of gas-pipes, water-pipes, telephone conduits, steam-heating pipes, electric-wire conduits, and sewers with their connections, necessitate a constant tearing up of the pavements to make connections and remedy breaks and defects. There is also the tearing up and replacing of railroad tracks which is continually going on. This continual disturbance of the pavement and the impossibility of replacing it over an excavation in such a manner as to leave the pavement in its original condition has resulted in the present uneven appearance of many of our streets, making them uncomfortable to travel over and difficult to clean. It will be impossible to construct and maintain first-class pavements in our commercial and business thoroughfares, as long as private corporations are allowed legislative franchises to not only cover the greater part of the surface with railroads, drip-boxes, manholes, gate-boxes, and covers of all sizes and kinds, but also to undermine the same with a perfect network of contrivances, some seething with steam, some flowing the most volatile, gas-producing and inflammable hydrocarbons, and some conducting the electric current all being liable to get out of repair and requiring excavations and disturbance of the street-surface to keep them in condition. The spirit of self-interest and the desire to realize large dividends tend toward the greatest economy on the part of corporations in replacing the disturbed portions of street and pavement; thus leaving to the city a great deal of work to finally adjust and regulate at the expense of the public funds. The only complete remedy for these evils is to build a large brick subway beneath the sidewalk or roadway capable of containing every wire or pipe needed for all purposes, with only its manholes appearing at the surface. Until such time as an underground conduit of a size sufficient to contain all gas, water, and other pipes and wires is laid, it will be impossible to prevent the tearing up of the pavements, and dependence must be placed on the power of the department to grant or refuse permits and to have all openings repaved in as good a manner as possible under the circumstances. The amendment to the ordinance made this year, whereby the parties who make openings are obliged to keep the pavements in repair for six months, and, on their failure to do so, to be obliged to pay the cost of the city's doing the work, will tend to lessen these evils. The following list shows the companies and corporations. in the city which, from the nature of their business, have occasion to disturb the street-surface most frequently: Albany Street Freight Railroad Company. Boston & Albany Railroad Company. Boston & Maine Railroad Company. Boston, Revere Beach, & Lynn Railroad Company. Boston Gaslight Company. Brookline Gaslight Company. Fitchburg Railroad Company. Jamaica Pond Aqueduct Company. Jamaica Plain Gaslight Company. New England Telephone & Telegraph Company. Roxbury Gaslight Company. South Boston Gaslight Company. Western Union Telegraph Company. Eleven thousand three hundred and twenty permits were granted during the past year to open streets. The excavations made under these permits aggregate 110.7 miles in length, and show the proportions to which this nuisance has grown. One thousand nine hundred and sixteen openings were made under “emergency permits" for breaks in water and gas pipes requiring immediate attention. MACADAMIZED STREETS. Boston has a larger proportion of macadamized streets than any large city in this country. While streets of this description can be constructed cheaply, the rapid deterioration of the surface requires an immense outlay to keep them in repair. With constant attention in the way of resurfacing and watering, these streets are convenient for travel, but without this care, holes are soon worn in the surface. Macadamized streets are always muddy in wet weather, and are not suited to stand the travel of our thoroughfares leading to the suburbs. All the macadamized streets of the City Proper, except those whose grade is more than 6 per 100, and all the main macadamized avenues which radiate to the suburbs, should be paved with granite blocks or asphalt, as rapidly as the finances of the city will permit. In determining the character of the pavement to be used on a street, regard must be paid to several considerations, among which are its life, first cost, cost of maintenance, convenience, appearance, and adaptability to the traffic it may be expected to undergo during its life. The pavement laid this year has been laid in accordance with the best modern practice, and in accordance with what seemed for the best interests of the community. The business streets in exclusively commercial sections subjected to the heaviest travel have been paved with granite blocks. Where all water, gas, sewer, telephone, and other pipes. are already laid, and where there is reasonable cause to believe that the pavement will not be constantly torn up, the blocks have been laid on a concrete base of hydraulic cement, and the joints filled with pebbles and road-pitch. A concrete base is especially applicable in loose soil where there is liable to be trouble from sub-soil water. The streets subjected to heavy travel in which the various pipes have not as yet been laid, have been paved with granite blocks on a gravel base in the ordinary manner; more attention, however, has been paid to rolling and preparing the foundation-bed than was the practice in former years, with the result of securing a more even pavement. The residence streets, where sufficient appropriation existed, have been paved with sheet asphalt, asphalt blocks, or brick, as seemed most suited to the case in hand. Brick paving has only obtained on a few cross-streets, with a view of putting it to a thorough test. It can be used to advantage on streets of comparatively light traffic, where a less expensive form is desired than asphalt. It is believed that the above kinds of pavement include all the varieties necessary to pave our streets in a first-class manner. Wood pavements, which are extensively used in Western cities and in cities abroad, are not adapted to this city. The difficulty of keeping them clean, owing to the tenacity with which filthy matter of all kinds adheres to them, and the exhalations which arise from their absorption of fluids, render them an unsanitary pavement. They are short-lived and require frequent repairs. The granite-block pavement laid on a face of hydrauliccement concrete is believed to be the pavement best adapted to our business streets, especially where all water, gas, telephone, and electric pipes have been laid and connections made. This pavement possesses the advantage of the longest life, is easily cleaned, gives a good foothold for horses, and requires but little expenditure for repairs. Its chief disadvantage is its noise. The average cost of this pavement, including all labor and materials, is $4.70 per square yard. This pavement has been laid on Tremont street, between Cornhill and Boylston street, and a comparison of the paving between the railroad tracks with the rest. of the street shows what can be done with first-class granite blocks properly laid. A number of streets have been paved with granite blocks laid on the ordinary gravel foundation. This style of paving has obtained on such streets as were not entirely built up with business blocks, and where a subsequent change in the character of the buildings will involve numerous excavations to connect with water, gas, electric, and other pipes. The quality of the stone blocks used has been first-class, however, and when the street has arrived at its ultimate development (provided it does so during the life of the stone blocks), the street can be repaved with the same blocks set on a concrete base. A large amount of asphalt pavement has been laid this year on different streets, among which may be mentioned: Beacon street from Charles street to Arlington, Cabot street, Columbus avenue, Hudson street, Austin street, Kilby street, Court street, etc. This pavement is particularly suited to residence streets, and such business streets as are free from horse-car tracks and are lined with buildings occupied mostly by offices, where the noise of a graniteblock pavement could not be borne. This pavement, when made of genuine asphalt and prepared and laid in the best manner, gives a very satisfactory result. Such of these pavements in Boston as have given out have done so by neglect to promptly repair them, or else by the opening of trenches through the street for the various gas, water, or other pipes. The life of the pavement is not so long as that of a granite-block pavement, but with reasonable care the pavement is good for many years. All the asphalt pavements laid are kept in repair at the expense of the contractors for five years. The asphalt pavement is easily cleaned, and presents a pleasing appearance to the eye. Much has been said and written about the slipperiness of this pavement. If the pavement is kept clean and free from the thin coating of mud which is apt to accumulate, and is sanded in case of sleet falling on the surface, it gives a better foot ing than a stone pavement. Statistics prove that more horses fall on a mile of stone pavement than on a mile of asphalt pavement. The cost of the asphalt pavement laid this year has averaged about $3.50 per square yard. Several streets have been paved during the year with an asphalt-block pavement. This pavement, while not so durable as the sheet asphalt, has the advantage of being easily replaced in case of excavation being made through its surface for gas or water pipes. It presents a very handsome appearance when well laid, and is well suited for light travel. The city of Baltimore has miles of streets paved with this material, which have been in good repair for eight years. The use of brick for a street pavement has been attracting the attention of municipal authorities for the last few years. It is extensively used in several Western and Southern cities, and has lately been tried in some of the large cities, among which are Cleveland, Columbus, Chicago, Philadelphia, Indianapolis, Omaha, Peoria, Baltimore, Washington, Harrisburg, Wheeling, Johnstown, Clinton. The claims made for this pavement are its low cost, combined with its durability and appearance. There are now four streets paved in this city. Hamilton place (a private way) was paved in 1888 by the abutters, and is now in good condition. It is subjected to light travel only, so that conclusions cannot be drawn from this street alone concerning the durability of the pavement. Genesee, Seneca, and Oswego streets have been paved with brick this year; the first two streets with a Keramite brick, at a cost of $2.75 per square yard; the last-named street with a brick manufactured in Rhode Island, at a cost of $2.40 per square yard. A The following method was observed in paving these streets. The macadam was excavated to the depth of seven inches and the road-bed then rolled with a horse-roller. two-inch layer of gravel was then spread and rolled and the bricks laid on a thin sand bed. After being rammed in place, the surface was flooded with water and the bricks again rammed to a true surface, after which the joints were grouted with Portland cement mortar, mixed 1 to 1. These streets have only been paved six months, so that no judgment can be passed upon them. There are various methods of laying a brick pavement, and it is proposed during the coming year to lay the bricks on a concrete base as well as by other methods, so that a comparison may be obtained. Great care has to be taken in the selection of the brick to be used, and before trying |