624 TRANSACTIONS OF THE 



will be considered and discussed, and, if approved, that it will be 

 mentioned where it may be acted upon. There is considerable 

 travel across the Park, not only of vehicles that are allowed, but 

 far more that are not allowed; and judging by the practice in 

 European cities, this will continue and increase, and before Icnig 

 be sanctioned by the government, and w^ill be found beneficial. 

 But for the present this part of the Park may be fairly regarded 

 as suitable for experiments in paving; and I suggest that it be 

 used for that purpose, and that several kinds of pavement be 

 laid there, for trial by those who choose to ride across. I believe 

 the butchers' boys will test them thoroughly, at all speeds above 

 six miles per hour. 



I would call attention to the side-walk in front of Bowen & 

 McNamee's new^ building. As a side-walk, I think it too rough : 

 it will take thousands of dollars' worth of shoes to wear it smooth. 

 But it is very like the pavements in Naples, when they are new; 

 the blocks are a little larger, but the roughening is about the same 

 in form and degree, and the hardness is nearly the same as that of 

 the hard lava used in Naples. If this be laid on the level, it 

 will be found that when it becomes smooth the horses will not 

 slip upon it ; its level surface will produce no tendency to slip. 

 But the inclined sides of rounded stones tend to make them slip, 

 as any one may see w^ho watches the feet of horses as he rides 

 along Broadway. There is a slip of an inch or two at almost 

 every step, which, though not dangerous, is very fatiguing to the 

 horse; but on the smooth pavement of Naples there is no slip- 

 ping at all, except on the violent hills of that city, or upon the 

 pavements that have lost their level. It is my opinion that this 

 is the pavement for private streets, being cheaper than iron, and 

 tolerably cleanly. 



But several forms of iron should be tried, as this material is the 

 best and cheapest for all concerned, where the traffic is great. I 

 would especially recommend that Nowlan's should be tried, at 

 the public expense; he is not able to try it himself. And I would 

 earnestly advise that no paving should be tried that has through 

 perforations, to allow water to go downwards, and mud to work 

 upwards. And I hope that a piece of smooth iron will be tried; 

 and if it is, I predict that it will be found that the notion that 

 horses will slip upon it will follow the old notion that the wheels 

 of locomotives and steam carriages would fly round, and the ve- 

 hicles not advance. Such effects may be produced : I have seen 

 the four drivers of a locomotive slip, when only her tender was 

 attached; but a stupid boy performed the feat; I have also seen 



