Some time ago the writer made the suggestion that a desirable solu tion of the inspection problem would be to have the brick inspected at the yards much as steel is inspected at the mills. This could be done by bureaus of inspection which would employ expert inspectors, as is done in the case of steel inspection, and this service would be paid for by the thousand of bricks inspected, or yard of pavement to be put down, instead of at a dollar and a half a day. The Bureau of Inspection would be given the requirements specified for the brick in the ordinance and the contract, and would certify to the quality of the brick. This inspection would not entirely relieve inspection on the street and in the pavement, for chipped, broken, and otherwise defective brick would still show up, but it would insure a better grade of brick and would make rejection of a poor lot of brick less objectionable to the producer, and if properly carried out would, in my opinion, result in great gain for both the manufacturer and the municipality.
Altogether, inspection covers a multitude of details,, involves ever lasting vigilance, and entails patience and even temper, and the city which can get good inspection is indeed fortunate. A reputation for
severe inspection is said to cause an undue increase in the bids for work, but this charge must not be accepted without consideration. Five cents a yard extra is only the cost of a year's life of a pavement on a resi dence street or six months on a business street, and who will not say that the difference in quality of brick may not make five or ten years, or even more, difference in the life of the pavement? Surely, adequate and judicious inspection pays for itself many times over.
In this article the writer has not attempted to go into some of the details of testing and inspection; he has discussed principles governing the selection of the brick. Many questions arise between the producer and the consumer, and these may not always be decided according to numerical values of tests. It seems probable that brick will continue to be the principal material for street pavement in inland cities of Illinois, and the quality of the pavements may be improved if manu facturers and municipalities agree on definite and trustworthy_ require ments and tests and there is adequate and judicious inspection. An im provement in quality and uniformity will be advantageous to producer and consumer.