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149
As there are about 40 blocks to the square yard, the difference in price
per yard amounts to Is. 6d.
The area of the wood paving Fulham Road is 20,073 square yards, and if
plain deal blocks had been used, an apparent saving of about £1,505 9s. 6d.
would have resulted. The area of the wood paving North End Road is
7,309, and plain deal blocks would have cost £548 3s. 6d. less.
The ccst of superintending the cutting and the creosoting the wood
blocks for the Fulham Road amounted to £56 19s. lOd.
The cost of ditto ditto North End Road £35 2s. 6d.
None of this cost of superintendence was caused by using creosoted
blocks, as in any case an Inspector would have had to be present when the
cutting took place, to select the timber and reject unsound blocks.
143,141 blocks were rejected, of those cut for the Fulham Road (800,000
required), and 73,772 out of 290,000 required for North End Road.
Durability and Relative Cost.
Having now answered the questions, I wish to point out that, although
the first cost of creosoted deal blocks is greater than plain deal, I am of
opinion that creosoted wood is by far the cheapest in the end, and I believe
the Committee would be obliged to admit the correctness of my opinion if
they would visit the wood paving at the junction of the two Parishes of
Hammersmith and Kensington, at Addison Road Bridge. The creosoted
wood paving on the Kensington side was laid in May, 1886, and Mr.
Weaver, the Surveyor to the Kensington Vestry, writes me “That it was
laid at the same time as plain wood in the Hammersmith Road adjoining,
and not a penny for repairs has yet been spent on this length of wood.“
This creosoted paving appears now, after over 5½ years wear, as sound as
when first laid. The Hammersmith side of the bridge is very much out of
repair and requires now to be relaid.* It is evident, therefore, that the
creosoted deal blocks in this particular instance will outlast the plain deal
by at least three years.
Assuming, therefore, that the Fulham Road, where the traffic is similar
to the Hammersmith Road, if laid with plain deal would have lasted 5½
years and have cost £8,729 10s. 6d.; the amount of the cost divided over
5½ years, inclusive of interest and repayment, would amount to £1,785 a
year.
The actual cost of the creosoted blocks amounted to £10,235, and if that
amount is divided over the probable period of duration, viz.:. 8½ years,
the paving will have cost, inclusive of repayment and interest, only £1,417
a year, or £368 less per annum than plain deals.
There is, however, a still more important feature than that of cost, viz:
the great superiority of creosoted deal blocks over plain deal for sanitaiy
reasons, and without writing a long report on this question, I think it will
be sufficient if I quote the following extracts from a letter which appealed
in the City Press on October 7th, 1891 :—
*The Hammersmith side has since been re.laid with Jarmah wood blocks.