Seattle's Streets Were Made of Wood. The Fight to Pave Them Was On.

The paving of a block on Union Street with vitrified brick as a test of that material, and the passage by the City Council of the ordinance for the paving of Pike Street with the same material, mark a definite step in advance in an improvement that will be a source of satisfaction to the citizens of Seattle. The permanent paving of the streets with some material that combines the largest number of requisites of a good pavement has long been one of the needs of Seattle, and it has only been postponed because other and more urgent public improvements—an adequate water supply and sewer system and the funding of the floating debt—absorbed the resources of the city and the attention of the municipal government.

The question is one of the most perplexing to municipal government, for there are so many elements to be considered in selecting the material that it is almost impossible to find one that combines all of the essential requirements. One fact, however, is certain: planking fills so few of these requirements that it cannot be considered anything but a mere makeshift until a permanent system can be decided upon and carried out. The time is propitious for this transition from the temporary to the permanent, for no other public improvement makes a more serious demand on the city's resources at this time, and the old planking on the principal business streets is worn to such an extent that it needs replacing with the least possible delay.

An authority on the subject names ten requisites to be considered in the selection of paving material: first cost, cost of maintenance, facility of repairs, durability under traffic, freedom from noise and dust, freedom from absorption, foothold for horses, and ease of traction. Planking probably fills the smallest number. Its first cost is low, but it has to be replaced entirely every three or four years. It is far from durable under traffic; it decays rapidly whether traveled on or not; it is dusty, has great powers of absorption, and is therefore unhealthy. Wooden blocks are open to many of the same objections. Asphalt is costly to construct and maintain, not easy to repair, and in a climate such as ours—wet for four or five months of the year—offers no foothold for horses, especially on our steep grades. Stone blocks have the advantage of permanency, but they are costly by comparison, dusty, and excessively noisy. Macadam has many merits, including light cost for repairs and both good foothold and ease of traction, but it would be dusty and not as durable as brick or stone.

A table prepared by Dana W. Mead and read before the Western Society of Engineers ranked the materials by their qualities. From it, brick ranks first in three of the main qualities required—low maintenance, durability under traffic, and freedom from dust—and ranks well in facility of repair, freedom from noise, freedom from absorption, and ease of traction. Its relatively high first cost is offset by low maintenance, while its facility of repair and durability are qualities appreciated by the merchant, who does not relish having the street torn up in front of his store and the current of travel turned to other streets. Its freedom from dust and absorption is important in our climate, where dry summers generate the one evil and wet autumns and springs would fill an absorbent material with the filth of the streets. Though it ranks low for freedom from noise, it is preferable to rock in that respect. Cedar, while noiseless and a staple product of the Sound country, takes such a low place in many essentials as to be scarcely worth considering. Granite ranks high for first cost and second for cost of maintenance, while for freedom from noise and ease of traction it is next to last.

The weight of argument seems to be in favor of brick for heavily traveled business streets of moderate grade, and macadam for steep cross streets on which travel is light. Brick ranks low as regards ease of traction, but this objection might be overcome by the manner of laying it. It is a home product, and a larger proportion of the price is represented by wages paid to labor than with any other material—an important consideration at this time. Granite can be obtained in this section, but its high first cost is prohibitory. Rock for macadamizing the lightly traveled streets is readily obtained in the vicinity.

Whatever material is selected, the work of paving needs prompt attention, for nothing creates a more lasting or favorable impression on a visitor to a strange city than solid, well-paved and well-kept streets.