The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1892-08-07

hoanoKe ana existed undor the State
statutes as an Incorporated town as con-
tro-distinguished from a city. During
its life as an incorporated town little
attention seems to have been paid to
keeping record OF appropriations and
disbursements, there frequently occur
ring complete hiatus in the records,
eifectually battling tho searcher for
statistics.
During that time the City Council
made appropriations. directed on what
objects they should be expended, and
the work was superintende and carried
out under it's direction with the assist
ance Of the city engineer. Most of the
work done was in grading the streets
with now and then little imperfect
paving. In 1888 there was an appro-
priation made OF S3o,0 which was ex-
pended in city improvements, but, as lie.
fore intimated, to ascertain with any
degree Of certainty just what streets
were graded, the cost of grading them,
the amount and cost of paving, and the
other objects upon which this sum was
expende is an undertaking almost APP
proximating to the impossible.
In 1884 Roanoke become, under the
law of the State, q city, and since that
time the records are complete, showing
the amount and date Of each appropri-
alton, the object for W hich it was appro.
priated, and an itemiZed statement Of
each and every expenditure. The period
intervening between 1884 and 1888 is not
remarkable for it's spirit of public i'm.
piovement, the chief appropriation
being one of $50. 900 made in October of
1884. In fact the era Of extensive i'm
provement may be justly dated from
1858. At that time the city had ceased
to be large country town and the
growth OF commerce and business gen.
orally, as we'll as the aggregation of q
large population rendered it imperative
upon the Council to provide better
streets, system of sewerage and the
other improvements, conveniences and
facilities that city demands.
Consequently the Council decided to
issue bonds for the purpose of carrying
forward the required work, and this
plan has been resorted to up to the
present time. The total amount appro-
priated for street improvements up to
date is SlJ0,000; of this amount SlO2, 600
of the bonds have been sold, leaving
still unsold the amount of $4,000. In
the fall of 1891 a number of contracts
were let for grading and matchmaking
number OF streets, aggrcgating dis
lance of seven and one third miles.
She streets thus improved are Frank
lin road, upon which work was begun
last November and finished during tho
past spring. Railroad avenue, Com
monwealth avenue, one square on Pat
terson avenue, two squares on Fourth
street. northeast, Nelson street from
Robertson to Tazewell streets, Randolph
street from Robertson to Tagewell,
Page street from the Lynchburg turn
pike to Rutherford street, Kimball av-
enue from Rutherford street to Third
avenue, Rutherford street from Kim
ball avenue to Commonwealth avenue,
Jefferson street from Campbell street to
Spruce street, Robertson street from
Randolph to Commerce, Campbell street
from Grove street to Patterson avenue,
thence extending west for about thous-
and feet, and Park street between
Church and Campbell streets.
The cost to the city up to date of ma
cadamizng these streets is sat- 900,
which will be increased to about $50, ono
when the work done during the month
of July is paid for. In addition to this
contracts have been let for paving with
vitrifed brick jefferson street, from
Campbell street to Railroad avenue.
Salem avenue, from the west side of
Randolph to the west side of Commerce,
and Campbell street, from the east side
OF Commerce to the east side of Ran
oolph. The work on jefferson street
has been progressing for some time and
one side of it is about paved.
THE SEWERS.
At the same time that tho Si5o.0OO
street appropriation was made by the
City Council it also appropriated $3.50, 600
for laying good system of sewerage
throughout the city. During the year
ending Jnly 1, 1899, there were ex-
pended for improving the drains and
sewers the following amounts: Lower
l. ok run, 81, 1884 A; Norfolk avenue g.
O., Sl07. Is: Salem avenue, S9,47O; Tinker
creek. s3,65O.39; Upper Lick drain,
Sl.0S7.S4; Upper Lick sewer. Sl,O33 81,
and Wells avenue, S64s.3O. Little ad.
ditional sewerage was laid during the
last year, but the sum OF Si,64055 has
been paid to expert engineers to pass
upon and recommend an extensive and
thorough system of sewerage.
These recommendations have been
adopted and the contracts let for sewer
ing the following: An arched drain, II
feet wide, feet deep and ], 75O feet long.
extending from the point at which the
Norfolk and Western crosses Lick run
to Randolph street. This drain will be
large enough for team to be driven
from one end of it to the other. A cir.
cular brick drain extending along Henry,
Luck and Commerce streets to Franklin
road. This drain will be /, 800 feet long
and 3 feet 6 inches wide. A drain sos
feet in length, extending from Roanoke
street to where Trout run crosses Salem
avenue.
This will be circular brick drain
four feet in diameter. an extension o..
the twenty-four-inch outfall sewer