The evening light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1881-1883, 1882-03-27
The Example Of st. Louis.

Ancre maCauem ROADS nave Dttn maze anu
proved utterly unfit for the purpose of the
business and traffic Oft city. The St. Louis
Commercial Club, representing Sac, 900, 900
Of the property of the city recently met and
pledged itself to the improvement of the
streets.
The following are some of the points settled
on:
The first is the absolute abandonment of
macalam of soft limestone for paving pur-
poses.
2. A resistance to the increase of street area,
except at the expense of adjacent property,
until the present streets are more generally
improved.
g. The reconstruction of the streets in the
business portion of the city, for instance, east
of Twelfth Street, with granite blocks
a. The reconstruction Of all streets outside
this district, where there is considerable light
traffic, with wood or asphalt, and all streets,
subject to heavy traffic with granite.
s. The reconstruction of streets OF MINOR
traffic with material which will not pulverize
under ordinary use.
The sixth proposition is that the payment of
street improvements should in all cases be by
The proposition relative to paving with
granite is warmly upeeld. 1t is stated that
granite has been found by all cities the cheap
est material The report states that Suidet's
system, as used in New York, is the best.
This plan is to lay the granite in concrete
foundation six inches in thickness, the stones
being set upon top layer of clean sand. AT
ter discussing the other subjects insisted upon,
the subject of payment is taken up, and the
report says:
at has been the dream of St. Louis for
years TO obtain good streets without paying for
them. Property owners have been willing
and are still willing to favor any scheme by
which ones own property could be benefited
at the expense Of another. The idea that pay
ment from general fund is more favorable to
the property holder is specious fallacy which,
N its general application, should long ago
have been abandoned.
''New streets must be paid for, and, wheth-
er from general fund. or by special tax the
property must pay for it in the end. An ideal
ly perfect system of taxation for this purpose
could not be devised, and it would be useless
to seek for its attainment. No possible
scheme for payment, whather from general
fund or by special tax could be framed that
would not not seem to, and in fact would,
work hardship in individual cases; but this is
true of the most benifcent legislation. The
payment for reconstruction, however, by
special tax against adjoining property, is not
only the wisest and most economical, but is,
IN the whole, the only just and proper meth
DID,
In editorial remarks upon this matter the
Post-Dispatch says:
The gentlemen composing the St. Louis
Commercial Club are to be thanked and con-
graduated for the timely boost that they have
impaired to the street paving renaissance.
This club is composed of the leading business
men and the heaviest properly-holders of the
city. AT the meeting on Saturday night the
club unanimously decided in favor of granite
block pavements on concrete foundation for
he streets in the business portions of the city,
and asphalt or wooden blocks for the streets
that sustain light traffic. The members of the
club, representing $4o,ooo,ooo of taxable
property, further declared themselves willing
10 stand their full share of a special tax to Sc
cure the reconstruction Of the roads of the city.
1t has been claimed that when the attempt is
made to levy special assessment upon prop
erty to meet the expense incurred in the laying
of good street pavements there will be an
open resistance and an appeal to the courts.
The action Of the Commercial club demon
strates that men upon whom the burden of
street paving will chiefly fall are ready and
anxious for the work to commence. St. Louis
is emerging from the gloom of fogyism. Her
greatest need has been recognized, and the flu
ture looks bright and encouraging. The day
that we begin to build decent and durable
streets the city will spring into new life. A
metropolis will take the place of the big over
grown village that now wallows in mud one
half the year and gasps in the dust the other
halt.
Let alderman Story get the rich men of
our city to follow the example Of the St. Louis
rich men,-let the property owners on Com
merce, Houston, Soledad, Market streets
pledge themselves to foot the bill and.we shall
begin to see our way to better streets.
The country will breathe freer when it
learns that tine San Antonio Debating Society
has decided, after general debate, and much
vehement oratory, that conscience is not an
element of mind, but is derived from the
1t will know now how it comes
there is so much water in its milk.
"A movement is on foot to incorporate the
Alamo Literary Society and Library with the
San Antonio Library and Debating Society.
This is certainly good idea, as the infusion
of new blood will extend the usefulness of the
library of the former society and give it new
life, beside being of advantage to the latter.
E-o,. 81 - AZ.