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152
The paving of the Fulham Road, commenced in September, and finished in
November, was the largest wood paving contract the Vestry has carried out,
being 1,900 yards, or 1 mile 140 yards in length of a most important thoroughfare.
The paving of North End Road, for which the tender was accepted 12th
November, 1890, was commenced in January, but not completed on the 25th
March, 1891, so that the full particulars will not appear in this report.
The Yestry, acting upon my advice, have adopted creosoted deal blocks for the
Fulham and North End Roads, instead of plain deal. Each block is cut under
the eye of an inspector and placed in a cylinder, the temperature in the cylinder
is then raised to 220°, and the steam generated by the heat is withdrawn by
means of an air pump, so that the blocks are thoroughly dry. The creosote is
then forced into the blocks at a pressure of 120 lbs. to the square inch, and to
the amount of at least 10 lbs. to every cubic foot of deal. Before being used
each supply of creosote is subjected to analysis by the analyst to the Vestry and
certified to be satisfactory.
Samples of the blocks from each cylinder are tested to see that the proper
quantity of creosote has been compressed into them, and frequently the test has
shown as much as 15 and 16 lb. of creosote compressed into a cubic foot of the
wood.
Great attention is given to the wood before it is placed in the cylinders, each
block being separately examined, and as many as 15 to 25 per cent, of the blocks
have sometimes been rejected.
The Yestry have received from the London County Council loans of £12,300
to cover the cost of the wood-paving Fulham Road, and £4,200 for the woodpaving
North End Road.
During the year 65,000 wood blocks have been obtained for repairing the
wood pavements.
The wood-paving laid in 1885 in the Fulham Road will soon, I fear, require
to be entirely relaid.
ASPHALTE FOR CARRIAGE-WAYS.
The Yestry having decided to pave Farm Lane, which leads to the Road Car. Co's
stables, with asphalte, tenders were invited for the work, and the tender of
the French Asphalte Co., amounting to £1,129 5s., was accepted on the 4th
March 1891.
The specification provides for two inches of compressed asphalte on six
inches of Portland cement concrete, and the price works out at 13/- per yard
super for the asphalte and concrete, exclusive of excavation and carting away.
PORTLAND CEMENT.
A very large quantity of cement is used by the different contractors to the
Yestry, and great attention is paid to the quality.
Every lot supplied is tested, and unless it bears the test satisfactorily it is
rejected.
The test has resulted in several lots of cement being found to be too new to
be fit for use. The chief danger with reference to cement in London appears
to be that the manufacturers have been unable to supply it fast enough, and
new cement is therefore supplied to the contractors.