The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1891-12-04
s "a LEM
THE TOWN COUNCIL.
MANY Public Matters Briefly
Considered.
ROANOKE TIMES BUREAU,
BILLIARD 81 PERsINGER BLDG,
SALEM. VA. Dec 3.

At regular meeting of the town
council, Thursday, at 3 p. m, all the
members being present, tho following
business was transacted:
The street committee reported that
tho work on Broad street was almost
completed, and that as the pavement in
front of d. b. Strouse's and North of
that point has been cut down to the
street level, they would recommend the
lowering of the pavement from the
Baptist Church to d. b. Strouse'S as
soon as the town finances would permit.
The work on High street is progress
ing slowly; the rip-rapplng is completed
from c. L. Reeds on both sides of the
street to DR.. Yonce's. Fences have
been moved back and all has been we'll
done except the removal of the fence of
the Methodist Church, which they
recommended should be set right at the
towns expense. AS soon as possible
drain pipes should be laid on both sides
ofMain street from Snyder's branch to
Union street and the dangerous bitches
filed up; if possible the town should
purchase the pipes whilst they can be
obtainly cheaply. They furthermore
suggested that the rip-rapping on High
street be completed on the west side as
far as the Lutheran parsonage, and
stepping stones be placed across the
street there, and then continue the rip
rappiDg on only the eastern side OF the
street for the present.
A. G. Duncan,of the light committee,
made light eport, hazarding a guess
that the town of Salem would probably
be again lighted by electricity on the
18th instant. He further called the at
tention OF the council to the fact chat
number of street lamps on Craig avenue
had been broken by mischievous persons
lately, and that at the dry branch some
one had lowered the electric light globe
and burner, and inserted therein tallow
candle.
Mayor Younger here stated that there
was an ordinance in existence providing
for heavy fine, half of which goes to
the informer, for willful damage to
lamps.
The overseer of the poor reported his
six paupers in good health, and that,
although each pauper had cost the town
for the past month Sl.S319 per head,
none we're troubled with dyspepsia from
overlooking; he regretted to say they
were very eXtravagant in tho use of
coal. He had insured his new building
for 500, had it painted, stove set up
inside and it was now ready for occu-
pancy.
The water committee reported that q
four-inch Pipe had been laid on High
street to the residence of +. V. N.
Painter and n two-inch pipe from there
to the corner in front of e. Il. Reeds.
Tho water pipes on Broad and Elm
streets had been lowered and two-inch
pipe put in tho sewer bitches on Cal
houn and Clay streets. They had put
in five additional fire plugs, as follows:
One each on High, Broad, Elm and
Florida streets, and one on the Boule-
ward, and as soon as possible would put
in one opposite Capt. Barnett's and MIR.
McConkey's. They had finished laying
two-inch pipe on Florida and Indiana
streets.
The fire department and water works
had nothing to say
a number of accounts were reported
by the finance committee and ordered
to be paid.
The city engineer made an informal
report, principally answering the ques-
tions of the council regarding the sew
erage and other important matters. He
thought that section one of the sewer-
age might, with good weather, be fin
lshed by the end of the month; that it
was the cheapest excavation he had
over known, and that the total cost
would probably be within the first esti-
mates made.
From what THE TINES reporter could
gather from remarks made by the coun-
Gil the taxation to pay for this sewerage
Will be so arranged as to take three or
four years for it's payment, so that
house-owaers will hardly realized that
they are taxed at all for it, so little will
tho annual amount be.
MIR. Duncan, one of the most careful
and cOnSarVatiyp man in thu cnunoD ro
marked that Mayor Ellyson, of Rich
mond; Mr.. w. Palmer, of Syracuse, N.
Y, and other prominent men, who had
recently seen the Salem system of
sewerage, were extravaganza in their
praise of it, and its remarkably low
cost they could hardly believe, whilst
they regarded it as one of the biggest
attrac tions that Salem possessed.
Mr.. John A. Francis, another eau tious
and economical councilman Che who
feeds paupers at 6 Il cents day.. in re-
ferring to a recent communication in
the Times Register against sewerage,
purporting to represent the sentiment
of the people i'll West Salem, said that
after careful examination, he found
that such was not the case, and that it
simply repre- sented the opinions of one
or two people.
The committee appointed to report
on certain stables were discharged and
the matter referred to the street COM
mittee, as was petition from lady on
High street relative to the removal of
a fence.
The committee on the opening of
Fourth street were authorized and ro.
quested to spur the city attorney to &C
tion in the matter.
The street committee were authorized
70 purchase pipes for laying down on