Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1880-03-05
THE STREET QUESTION.
The secret Of GOOD streets.

The secret Oh Go0o Strcets.
loThere Is not a properly made street
in Wheeling" said prominent member
OF the Committee on Streets and Alleys,
last hight. And the average citizen,
whether or not he is yersed in the mys'
teries OF street-msking, viii look at the
result and heartily concur with the
abo,e statement. For her street system
is the bane q Wheeling. We have
streets and streets. but, taking our best
with our worst and striking an average,
We still have the bane. Perhaps this
state Of affairs may be in great degree
attributable to the TACT expressed III
the sentiment above--we don't know
how to make streets. Money
has been expended and burdensome
taxes levied upon the people, but the
end, il v, { obtained, is lar short oil ex-
pectation aud the public mind Is lar
from satisfied. -.
one year ago yesterday, the Leglsla-
ture passed bill, containing the follow
ing provision; ,u,
/. The council OF the city OF Wheeling
is hereby authorized, in addition TO their
present authority TO levy taxes, To as
sess levy and collect an annual tax, Tor
the purpose hereinafter named, on the
personal property and real estate in said
city subject to taxation By said city, not
To exceed in any year ten cents on every
hundred dollars OF the assessed valua-
ton thereof; the money 50 collected
shall be used for the purpose OF paving
or matchmaking streets or alleys IN said
CITY that have not been heretofore paved,
and such money shall in no case be-
used To pay for repairs to old paving or
macadamiEing or Tor anything except
new paving or macalamizlng.
>. The money collected by virtue OF
this act shall be assessed, leyied and
collected in addition to the money as
sessed, levied and collected Tor other
purposes by said city under present
laws. ~
3. The funds raised by virtue hereof
shall be used for no other purpose than
that named in the first stttiOn, and the
use OF such funds tor any other purpose
may la restrained by injunction upon a
bill filed by any one or more tax payers
oil said city, ...
This power conferred, has never yet
been exercised, but the assessment Tor
1850 will undoubtedly embrace 1t. The
revenue irom this source will amount 70
between $4,000 to S20,OOO, and It was
with view b. learning the best means OF
cxpcndiug it that the committee made
its recent trip to Pittsburgh. That city
should certainly be able to sit both as u
model and warning, as it has some cx-
cerdingly tine streets and an exceed
inrly heavy debt, incurred in the max
ing ol these fine streets But modest
Wheeling is not likely 10 run foul Of
Charybdis in avoiding Scylla, aud viii
not be- lavish In in her expenditures.
The time and attention OF the Com
mittcc. while in the Smoky City, were
divided between stone and wooden pave
ments. The former were adopted ~
the correct thing, experience having
shown the latter to be- out OF the qucs-
ton. These Belgian blocks are of the
best quality ohtainable, and while
expensive, are exceedingly dura-
be. They come from the LigOnicr
Valley, above Pittsburgh, and from
Mary land, the latter being more deSlrJ-
llN, Out lltN itIuitI ul'lN "NcoNl'lN'
Both were warmly recommended by the
Pittsburgh officials There Was one fact,
however, impressed upon the minds Of
the Visiting statesmen II Is mOn
important than blocks, whether of wood
or stone. II is he budding Of fOlai,t-
ton for a street, without which the finest
Belgian paving would be useless. And
there Il is that Wheeling has made her
great mistake in street building "A mis-
take, part Of which will be- rcctiiied in
tue purchase oi the coming street rullcr
The visit TO Pittsburgh was not in vain
and will mark an era in street building
here-ior never again will one be- built
without proper attention having been
paid the underlying structure.
As lar as any Recommendation to
Council isconcerned, there will bc mono.
The committee simply wanted general
information, which il obtained. And Il
meeting must he held before an unanim-
ity Of opinion is reached. The matter
was informally discussed last night, soy
cral members giving their opinions, but
i'm "A manner SO dcsultory that result
...,,ll mi a.. ra1ghpl