Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1889-02-07
NOW 70 GET aoon srRnrra-
How the Present appropriation ia
stricts Paving DnpEati.,,.

~ tsAb ~ Ne
-
HOW the Present appropriation he.
atric's PAVING Operations.
The Directors OF the street and Seuer
Department are not callous to the general
demand for better streets and tAey sboy
9 desire and willingness to do tbp bas.
that they can with tie limited amount ~
money which they have o. ormmNrd.
They fully realize the fact that Wilmipo.
ton'd street payements are unsatisfaotoFy
shd crude and tina. fns streets wond
make an otherwise prstty city, an6 OF the
most substantial cities IN the country.
Iheir annual appropriation, which ia
incraas0d five per cent each Yesr. will
emnunt TO Rbout $g5, 900 for the nexG
tiscal year, beginning with July pbe
directors feel, however, tha. thin amount
IS totally inadequate to make many ira.
proSements IN the street ppyements after
the current expenses for street lighting
and other hxtures ara paid. Thev main
tsiU that the act creating tho department
never intended that the public liehtfog
shonla aiso be paid Out OF this pal.ry
sua, and ihoy will m0ke datgrmlncd
tGart ~ lac present LegialatGro TO havs
tha act amended requiring on additional
appropriation mads for the strait light
ing This would add aSout S25 900 10
their present appropriation, aud ALLOW
thht much H,pr0 money 10 he spen. on tho
iualntensnca aud improvement Of ssreats
or an extension Of the electric light.
The three blocks ON Marker street
which were paved this fail cost over
50 900, so that the whole street from
bridge 10 bridge, in the same ratio, will
coat $40 00D OF upwards. II wss oriei.
nalli iutsndld to pave the whole street
With Belgian blocks, but 1t ~ now pEoba.
BILE that aephsltum blocks will bs laid
from Fourth TO E.evoeth streets. or
nourse GA ihe heavy grades Belgian
blocks must asain be used, "a asphaltum
wonld be too slippery and dangerous.
With the present appropriation much
can not DO expected and pne of tho dirsc-
tors desires 10 ses the passage OF law
reqnirirg property owners 10 pay ut
ieast one half Of The cost q laying a new
street pRyemHpt, the assessment TO ba col.
leeied with the taSss. Those WHO could
pay at once could do so and those who
d sised tims would b. given limit OF ten
years n which to pay mp their indebted
nesa In insiRlmansa with interest added.
The neighbo.lng city OF Chester has
Hecured number OF Well-paved streets
in just apoh manner and is far ahead Of
Wilmington in the number Of its i'm
proved street paYemepts The Chester
council appropriated $50, 90 with which
II paved number of streets charging the
cost Of the improvement pro rata among
Tho properly owners in front OF whose
property the pavement was laid, with d
time Init Of 10 years in which to pay
the Indebtedness. The city pays the cost
OF paving at The Intersection Of the streets
| which amounts 10 Rbcnt ono tenth OF tho
oHtire cost. At the end OF 10 years tia
city hg4 the money sgsin lsss 10 Pc. cent
or about S72 600 which can then be used
again for mu1ilsr purpose,
The great objection to thGt form of i'm
pToveinsnt IL that msny of the propsrty
owners refuse 90 ply such bills and it rs
not at ali sure that such siiis can be COL
lentsd by law. 10 New York, Philgdsl.
phia and, ia fact, IN most lSrge cities tine
property owners pay for the bulk of The
improved street payemeniE. The supreme
court Of New Jersey, however, recently
rendered decision declaring such aatiOn
! unlawful in that atata and 1t 10 believed
| that u lch a case Wsre osrElad to daei-
sion in this Stats, tbs result would be
against the city. Ths claim is made that
the streat being public biehway for the
exclusive use Of the public and not 30.
| 'f5tB1g 10 tfte property '8fff,s sassa S'2
II. auch property cannot DO charged fol
improvements 10 the street.
Nov that the agitation for better street,
and better roads is going on all over tb'
country, Wilmington must make sem,
impl o7enlsnts If 1t desires to keeI
abreast OF the times. A shrewd observe
hrs remarked that the best beginning
after Market s.raet is paved, is TO paw
another ihoroughfaro running from cas-
TO west with some improved pavement
thul giving at lsast two well-paved mail
thoroughfares running to the cardina
points OF the compass. Shrewd business
ruen are the first to zee aud feel the ma
terial eTects OF good street in front o
their property Tor nothing will enhanc'
the value more rapidly. A believer ii
good s.reels in speaking OF the subjec
recently said. ''It the people of VII
mineton could only reslizs in dollars AMI
cents (Dot to speak of the physical com
fort) tina. smooth street pavemen
would make, il is safe 70 wager that GU
streets would not remain in their prcssn
condition for o single year,"