Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1889-01-10
IMPROVE THE STREETS.

IMPROVE THE STREETS.
1t is agreed on all hands that all the
streets of town should be improved as
soon as possible. and the opportunity of
obtaining cheaper and desirable building
sites enlarged. Material for fills is avail
! able, and the streets on the North and
South sides of town should receive intel
hgent attention the coming summer. If
improved as they should be, upward of
one hundred good building sites might be
opened up and thrown upon the market
The high price asked for building sites
is a serious hindrance to the growth and
prosperity of St Clairsville. People can
not afford to pay such prices, and it is un-
reasonable to expect any material devel-
Opment so long as they are maintained
Indeed, it is almost impossible to get a
desirable lot at any price. Good lots, for
dwelling purposes, ought to be available
here for from $500 to 500, and if they
were we might reasonably expect marked
growth of the town; but they can not be
bought for twice the figures named
There is just one fourth of an acre in a
lot. Why should that one-fourth acre be
worth $1,000, or more, when all around
the town are farms that can be bought
for $50 per acre, or probably less, and
within the corporate limits is tract of
thirty acres which is offered for $3.50 per
acre? There is absolutely no reason for
this great disparity. 1t is absurd, and
there can be no progress while it lasts.
a little foresight and enterprise upon
the part of Council may relieve the town
Of this hindrance to growth. To make
the streets spoken of available, they must
be lmproved-gO grades established,
lifted out of the mud, and in other ways
rendered desirable for living upon. Peo-
pie want sunlight and air and room all
around their dwellings, and these they
ought to be able to get in town like st.
Clairsville for less than one-half the price
asked.
In this connection, we will state that
an experienced and successful cigar man
ufacturer is contemplating the practical
bility of establishing factory here. If
he should, he would employ about one
hundred persons-men and boys and girls.
These people would need houses to live in.
as would any persons whom we may hope
to bring here in any other productive in
dustry. Cheap building lots are neces-
sary if we are to have any additional pop
ulation. Additional population we can
have, and will have, if our people will pre-
pare the way for it, and then open their
pocket-boOks and help bring it here. We
can not expect it so long as repelled by
Chicago prices for lots, and, at the same
time, offering no help to secure employ
ment for newcomers.
Some time ago Canton gave $4,000
and several ACRES of ground to secure the
location of the Deuber Watch Company
in that town. That S the way towns are
built into cities nowadays. OF course
we are not Canton, and can not expect to
do any great thing here; but some things
might be done that would help this town
Time was when Canton was
no better town than St Clairsville. To
day it has population of 1900 or 10000,
and with its diversified industries is one
Of the best inland cities of Ohio. 1t was
made such by the enterprise and push
and sagacity of its people
st. Clairsyille may have double its pop
ulation if its people so will it, or it may
in population and business
Its future is wholly in the hands of its
neonle