The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1888-11-22
Facts 90 Consider.

To the Editor OF The Appeal.
Preliminary TO an opinion upon the sub
jet OF the issuance Of bonds for paving
streets three things should be definitely
known, towiE The cost of paving them
and the rate per annum at which the work
is to proceed
The reports OF Mai. Mcriwether, en-.
oraclng the years 1879 TO 1854 inclusive,
show the following Tho total number of
miles paved during this period Of six
| years is 22.72. The total cost thereof
including material and incidental ex.
penses, S9l9OOO; average cost per mile.
about $1,000. These streets have been
constructed upon variety OF plans and ut
widely varying prices, the lowest price be-
| ing gravel ut 40 cents and the highest
piock stone at S3.ba per square yard.
The general cost. however, Of block
stone pavement has been about 81 per
square yard, which for a street forty feet
VIDE between curbing would be about
tiD,OOO per mile, and Tor Main street.
eighty ieet wide, would be $4,000 Der
mile. But II the plan most commended
should be adopted, to-wit. Block granite.
on ninc-inCh concrete oi maciam. the
cost would be Sin3 per square yard or for
a forty foot street, $4,000 per mile.
The report OF Maj. MeHwoathcr shows
the cost oil general repairs and incidrnlals
Tor The Two years ending December 1851,
10 be SA-,OJu, and for the two years end
ing December, 1856, 10 be Ss3.OOO-both
estimated a. part OF original cost So much
iOr what WINS done In the inst six year, of
Taxing District government. The Major
Informs me that at this date there are about
twenty-five miles OF paved streets %. all
Kinds, from gravel 10 block ccdaran block
stone, and there remain about eighty milra
OF unpavcd streets within the corporate
limits.
Now, as inning HAT Il is proposed 10
provide, 10y issue OF bond, for the whole
Work yet remaining TO BIZ done, and 10
provide for annual repairs after aud dur
ing construction, the data above will fur
nish an approximate practical basis for de-
termining The magnitude Of the work I'm
d0linn aud cents, u the plans oi construc-
ton 30 i1r IN us1 shall boz adopted in the
future. We then may estimate eighty
miles Of pavement at an average cost OF
$4,000 per mile, S,,2UOODO.
To this should be added the cost OF ~.
pains and, IN some cases, reconstruction OF
the twenty-five milus uf old pavement. a.
also the annual aud ever increasing cost of
future repairs aud reconslruction ns the
new paycmCnis may require them.
II must b, considered, also, that pave
mcnis more expensive aud durable than
those now laid down may be- adopted. |
running the cost in special instances 10 |
cl2huOJ per mile, ~ on q part Of Thirl |
street Thus the estimate may be- largely |
increased, aud, with repairs, etc, may |
very reasonably require an issue of ID. OOO.. |
OOl IN bonds, which, with the present |
debt OF SlOO0,0OO. would bankrupt the |
city II pcrchance it, growth should not |
keep pace with is yearly expenditures.
IL seems very clear that the taxpayers |
cannot reasonably be expected To de.
eide these grave questions until plan IL
which should compass in detail
the whole paving scheme, and such a
plan would embrace
j. Tho order ol construction. Naming
the streets
2. The rate Of progress TO not annual
j. The cost per annum.
4. Tho limit OF tho bond issue.
To put such a scheme before the tax
payer IN reliable shape, the friends Of the 1
bond system should provide the required |
information All publish II. M an act |
reasonably preliminary 10 cover a iuthor
discussion, much moO any action upon
the bond question.
ilans OF construction would vary the |
aggregates very much, and vary the cos,
rom 5000 To sl26.OOO per mile. ihe first
being but Of gravel, the last Of granitc.
In your noXt issue will suggest plan
Of procedure which think will meet
with general approval.
GEoRgE u. FLEECE