The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1892-02-09

held last night. There were present
Messrs. Buckner, Camp, Huff, Graves,
McClelland, Watts, King, Sheehan,
Welsh and Engleby.
A resolution was offered by Mr..
Graves to purchase pair Of scales for
tho Third ward market, which was
adopted and the same required to weigh
500 pounds.
On motion of Mr.. Buckner the special
investigating committee was authorized
to purchase set of books for the city,
in which all accounts are 10 be kept.
Mr.. Buckner also offered resolution
that the finance committee be author
lied to report statement containing
the Liabilities and resources of revenue
for the city from April l. The resolu-
ton was adopted.
Mr.. McClelland asked that telephone
be placed in the office of the city engi-
neer. On motion the public property
committee were instructed to have the
same put in.
Mr.. Watts, chairman of the street
committee, presented a report making
several recommendations, which wore
taken uD seriatum and adopted.
Tho committee also recommended
that wooden crossing be placed across
Franklin street at Ninth, Tenth and
Eleventh avenues in place Of stone, on
account OF the unimproved condition OF
the street.
The opening of John street was recon-
mendcd from Grove westward 525 feet,
and tho matter was referred to tho city
solicitor to ascertain the cost Of con.
dcmning the land.
The grading of Sixth street. from
Shenandoah avenue to the Moorman
road IL. W., at a cost Of $500, was not
recomme ndod, as there are other cross
streets running through that part of the
city, and in view of the fact that Coun-
Gil had ordered that not moro than $500
month be expended on streets.
The question of paving the market
square was fully reported, along with
square contains 4,4i4 square yards.
Granite block will cost S19,44320; rub
T Bile granite, SO, SSS; asphalt, S15,555, and
vitrified brick, S7,444.
The committee recommended that
the square be paved with v:trifled brick,
to be laid on q six inch bed of cinder,
and that pitch be used to cement and
fill tho joints of the brick.
The committee further recomme nded
that tho work be done at once. Mr..
Huff offered a resolution that the
square be paved In accordance with the
recommendation, and that the commit
toe be authorized to advertise for bids.
The resolution was adopted.
The committee also recommended that
board walk and crossing he placed on
Gilmer street Il. e., at the Presbyterian
Church. at cost of S16.2Q. This
recommendation was also adopted
The opening of Peach street to the
LYnchburg road, distance of 300 feet,
at cost of $40 or $50, was recommended
and referred to the city solicitor to con-
denim the land if it was not given free.
The report then gives full discrip-
ton OF the streets, and makes more i'm
portant suggestions. The remainder of
the report is as follows:
Your committee deem it proper to
call your attention to this matter of
crossings. According to the present
great cost to tho city and this cost
should be. Jesse: ed. Instead of putting
in temporary crossings, either OF wood
or of stone, which have to he provided
by tho city engineer at q cost which is
large, and necessarily so, there. should
be contract let, in the opin-
Ion of your committee, at the
beginning of each year, for
putting in all crossings of the city.
This applies equally to curbing, and the
same course should be pursued. A con-
tractor, provided with the necessary
tools, etc., would do the work at
profit and at very much less than the
city can possibly do it, and thereby
help himself and at the same time save
the city money. Your committee be-
1iaUnC hot haS nil !,
be looked at from larger point of view
than has been heretofore done. There
are 100 miles of streets and rs miles of
alleys in the city. To put down on GO
miles of these streets macadam, with
brick sidewalks and stone crossings,
with catch basins and drains, will cost
nearly $1,000, and with asphalt and
cement sidewalks it would cost nearly
$4,000. This amount can be reduced,
and should be- reduced, by doing the
work by large contracts.
"a good deal of complaint has been
made to your committee in regard to
changes of grade on tho streets of the
city. Valuable improvements, such as
sidewalks, are put down or houses
built, and about the time they are
finished, the street grade is changed
and the property very much injured in
value, and the owner, OF course, is out
ragged in feelings and injured in pocket.
Your committee therefore recommends
that committee be appointed with
sufficient powers to employ additional
engineers, if it may BIO deemed neces-
sary, to take up the question of estab-
fishing uniform and proper grades for
the city. This matter is one of vast i'm
portance, in view OF the fact that during
the present summer large expenditures
are expected to be made in grading.