Hopkinsville Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1889-1918, 1889-10-18
A Big IMPROVEMENT.
What a Progressive Council Can
and Has Done
Towards Beautifying One Of Our
PRINCIPAL Streets.

Towards Beautifying One OF Our
Principal Streets.
No one of an unbiased mind can
fail to appreciate the great improve
ment that has been made to the gen.
cral appearance of Ninth street from
Main to the railroad. When the
grading was begun great many peo-
pie were of the opinion that the Elm
provement" would be no improve
ment at all, and that it would
be labor and money lost to the city ;
that no adequate benefit could result
to anybody or anything, except to
tighten the draft of loaded wagons
and add a few days more to the
not over-fed but over-worked
horses that draw them; that the city
would be spending its money foolish
ly, etc.
But the new Council was deter
mined to carry out its idea and the
work was begun and has been pushed
as rapidly as adverse circumstances
would permit, and now, though not
quite completed, the wisdom of the
Council is clearly demonstrated. In
place of q rough, unlevel street, and
rougher and uneven pavements, the
eye is gladdened with a smooth aud
we'll drained street, and the pedestri-
an has beautiful and level pavements
to walk on. Strangers coming into
the city by rail can but be favorably
impressed with the enterprise of our
people as they wend their way 10 the
business part of town.
In lowering the grade Of the street
the Council met several obstacles.
The boulders had to be removed, the
residence of Mrs. M. e. Rodgers,
which was on line with the pave
ment, had to be moved back, the old
pavements had 10 be torn up, curb
ing could not be obtained, shade
trees had to be removed,
some of the property owners were
unfavorable to the project, etc., but
street superintendent Twyman had
instructions to go ahead and do the
work and well has he done it. Mrs
Rodgers residence was moved back
several feet from the street in such a
perfect manner that she tells us that
the cream which had risen on a
glass of milk in one of her rooms
was not shaken sufficiently to break
the skim. Nothing has improved
this street more than moving this
house back from the line of the
pavement. Mrs. Rodgers is well
satisfied with the change.
The street at its highest point has
been lowered but two and a hall
feet. Twelve hundred loads of dirt
were hauled away gratis by citizens
who needed it for filling up their
lots Superintendent Twyman haul.
ed of and sold over $50 worth, and
the entire expense to the city for the
whole work will not exceed $2,700 OF
$2,S00-about half what most people
would place it at. Mr.. c w. Duck
er and DIR. Gum have had theii
yards graded and sodded, and they
present truly beautiful appearance
The property owners along the
tboroughfare, as we'll as the men,
bers of the three churches, are well
pleased with the improvement and
would not like to again have things
back the way they were few months
since.
II was the purpose of the Council
to change the grade and otherwise
improve Seventh street this year, but
as curbipg could not be obtained in
time, the work will probably be de-
ferred until next spring. The ex-
pense of that improvement will
hardly be as heavy as that of Ninth
street.
Who can but endorse the action OF
the Council in what they have done
Our city boasts Of her good streets
and excellent pavements, and the
present Council is entitled to full
share of praise fer what it has done
in this direction. Let the good work
go on. The city's money has been
well spent and economy. has in every
M q U oh re NJ arizad our HCitv Eathnra "