THE STREET PAVEMENTS OF KANSAS CITY. 495 



Miles. 



There are now in the city, of old MacAdam pave- 

 ment, about 9.3 



Of new MacAdam 1.3 



Of cedar blocks on concrete foundation 9.6 



Of stone blocks on plank foundation 0.64 



Of stone blocks on concrete foundation 0.7 



Of cedar blocks on sand foundation 0.4 



Total paved streets 21.94 



Most of this work has been done on streets in the business part of the city. 

 The work projected for next year will probably increase our mileage of paved 

 streets by eight or ten miles, although as the initiative of this matter must in 

 every case be taken by the owners of property on the streets, it is difficult to 

 predict what the extent of work will be. 



Excavations in newly paved streets have been carefully attended to with the 

 object of preventing this prolific source of destruction to pavements. Permits 

 are only given to parties who have obtained a proper license after filing a 

 bond of $1,000 and depositing $25 in cash with the city treasurer, subject to 

 the order of the city engineer. The conditions I have required of all parties 

 who desire to make excavations in paved streets for gas, water and sewer con- 

 nections, provide that the trenches shall be refilled with small broken stones, 

 mixed with only a moderate proportion of clay, put in and thoroughly rammed in 

 twelve inch layers. The sides of the excavation at the top are sloped out and 

 double the original thickness of concrete put in, and the blocks replaced in a 

 workmanlike manner. A special inspector is employed for the purpose of secur- 

 ing good work. As a rule, this has been accomplished and the pavement restored 

 to its original condition and without subsequent settlement. This is considered 

 a very important matter, and the requirements are based upon the principle that 

 no individual has the right to d image a street pavement if it is practicable to pre- 

 vent it. The Water- Works Company and the Gas Company have a general 

 right to dig up the streets without legal restrictions, which is essentially wrong 

 in principle, but practically, in this city, these companies have usually manifested 

 a disposition to comply with proper requirements. 



The general law of the city requires that railroad companies shall pave the 

 space between the rails of all tracks, and a space of eighteen inches on the out- 

 side of each rail in the same manner as the roadway outside of such tracks may 

 be paved. Great difficulty has, however, been experienced in getting this work 

 doae right, and practically the paving done by the companies is of a very 

 inferior kind. 



A good deal of special argument has been made against the use of concrete 

 on that portion of the street to be paved by the company, as impracticable, but I 

 am of the opinion that it is not quite practicable to use the concrete foundation, 



