Evening capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1888-1893, 1892-02-16
STREET IMPROVEMENTS.
High Time Action Looking to Improve.
menE be Taken-The City COun-
ell Should Act at Once.

A JOURNAL reporter spent most
of the forenoon in short couversa-
tions with leading business men of
this city and with some of the men,
bers of the city council as TO the
prospects of entering upon general
policy of street improvements, and
the result is very favorable. There
is a pronounced sentiment in favor
of early action. We could give
names Of scores of owners of front
age and Of the heaviest of taxpayers
who favor immediate action for the
betterment of our principal residence
and business streets, but it is not
nesessary. The matter has been
canvassed so thoroughly by the
press of this city aud by the people,
and discussed pro and con, that but
little remains but to decide whether
there shall be action or Inaction.
Upon that issue it ought not to take
the present city government long to
decide. The decision will be for
general forward movement aud that
decision can be taken tonight by
the council as well as any time, and
the council should take it. 1t will
be upheld in its action by the entire
community.
WHAT SHOULD BE DONE?
That is the question. There is
still some disagreement as to what
our business streets should be paved
with. There is 10 division on the
question that they shall be paved.
The council should allow the prop
erty owners of our business streets
to decide whether they want brick,
or asphalt, or broken rock, or Bel
gian blocks. But where there is
disagreement as to the surface paw
ing there is none as to bringing the
streets up to gra1e and properly sur
facing them with gravel 80 that
they will be ready to receive what
ever the frontage owners may de-
eide to put on. The prevailing
opinion among those talked with is
that the resident streets of the city
can all be graded, curbed and coated
with layers of screened gravel, the
finest courses on top, and solidly
rolled and will make very fine
streets for driving in that way, if
they are carefully and properly built
and the cost OF the improvement
will not be such but that any resi-
dence property can stand the ex-
pense.
NOT TOO EARLY.
The streets have been well cleaned
and it is none too early to begin the
work. A vigorous policy of street
improvements inaugurated at once
will give Salem forward move
ment such as no city in Oregon
will surpass. Laborers will be en-
ployed, business interests will boom
and Salem will make more growth
than any similar city on the coast.
TO start early means that a great
deal will be accomplished and while
the earth is soft grading can be
easily done, and the ground left to
aaffla a nd ura val nOatInQa mt On the
residence streets when the river is
low and the streets dry. Hence
action should be had at once. 1t is
not too early to let the contracts for
grading several residence streets in
March. An early start on several
miles of streets means a busy aud
prosperous year for all business
interests. 1t means ten months of
life aud activity and will do more to
place Salem in the front rank Of
coast cities than any other one
thing.
BEAUTIFUL STREETS
with fine grades and as wide as they
are in Salem, we'll rounded up and
drained, with curbs and parked out
to distance of twenty feet on each
side will make Salem the hand
soonest city in the valley. On no
other city site is there such an OPP
nOrfuuitv In ineraasa the fine affeefa