The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1892-04-05

The discussion at tho Commercial AS
scciation last night was "What means
can be adopted to raise the necessary
money to pave the streets of Roanoke. y
President PechiD, in calling the meet
ing 10 order. said that he regretted the
absence of the legal fraternity, as a
number had been invited to give their
views. BE then introduced John Shee-
han, member of tho board of public
works.
MIR. Sheehan was taken by surprise,
not having received any intimation, he
said, that he would be expected to open
tho discussion. The people of Roanoke
were all deeply Interested in street paw
ing, but the great question TO be decided
was, How can we pay for it? Core
spondence with tho authorities of differ
emit cities had developed the fact that a
minority had paved their streets at the
expense of abutting property holders.
columbus, Ohio, was probably tho best
paved city in the country, and there, by
legislative enactment, the property
owner was required to pay for paving,
sidewalks ana street cleaning. Owners
OF property were given eight years to
pay Tor these improvements, the city
having advanced the first cost
Roanoke was new city with %, 600
Inhabitants and the prospect OF "a, 900
at the close of the next decade. por-
ton of tho Sla0,00o appropriated for
streets had been expended in grading
and macadam. When this latter was
completed, as per contract only about
S25,0Go of the appropriation would be
left, and this would put down only
about one-half milo of pavement.
Inc only way TO solve tho street-paving
problem, in his estimation, was the
Columbus and ST. Louis plans, namely
TO advance the first cost and eventually
collect 1T from property owners. Roam
oke needed good streets badly, and the
speaker was confident that the plan he
had advanced was tho best
DR.. j. ID. Kirk, president of the board
opposed tho idea of taxing the entire
cost of street im provemonts against the
property. 1t was not right. Here the
cost of such improvements would have
to be paid in three months. The city
ought TO at least pay for paving the
intersections of streets, and if this was
dono fair progress could be made. He
d.not doubt that the business streets,
and, possibly others, could be paved on
this plan.
City Solicitor Miller was called upon
by the president and said thcro was lit
tie to be said on the subject from Il legal
standpoint. lie arg.ed with Mr.. Shee-
han that the most feasible, as we'll as
speedy, plan for paving the streets of
Roanoke was to tax tho cost against
abutting property. The city had a
bonded indebtedness of about $500, 600,
with tho privilege of increasing it to u
little over $1,000 900 To issue more
bonds would probably depreciate the
selling value OF those yet to be mar
ke,ed. Therefore he did not think it
wise to provide for a larger bonded in.
debtedness. liz favored taxing the en-
tire cost of paving against AUDITING
| property the improvements should
begin in the central or business portion
OF the city, because property there can
the better bear the cost, and the owners
would SEQ to it that the work was prop
erly done.
Roanoke must, in order to present to
the world fair appearance, at least
improve her streets and she could only
do SO as speedily as necessity required
by requiring property to bear the cost.
The Columbus plan of issuing bonds for
sale in order to raise money to advance
the first cost could not be made avail
able in Roanoke on account of the alb
sence of any such provision in the char
ter.
President Pechin next addressed the
association. calling attention to the
statement made at tho last meeting by
Mr.. Randolph, that it was doubtful if
Roanoke could assess the cost of special
improvements against AUDITING prop
erty.
In cities all over the country a con-
trary rule and practice prevails. In
1 n f. pht 10 I'm h.,d
large estates, 10 pay for paving, side
walks and sewers-in fact all tho i'm
provements upon streets against which
the property abutted. Hero in Roanoke
the street railway would be taxed for q
part OF the cost on streets it occupied
and this would lessen The cost to lot
owners. He favored taxing only one
third OF the cost of street improveme nts
against abutting property, Tor every
citizen, no matter in what portion of
the city he resided would be benefited
For this reason tho city AZ large should
bear portion of the cost.
One mile OF vitritied brick could DO
put down on d fifty foot street for
s3s, aoo One third of this i'm provement
would cost the city only little over
$4,000. Roanoke needed better streets
badly and the Inauguration Of permanent
improvements would be regarded as the
downing OF tho millennium. Tho COM
plant of property holders that they
could not stand sht ir proportion of the
cost was offset by tho certainty that
their properly would be- greatly en-
HANGED in value and tho demand for IL
Increased. ile regretted the opinion Of
the city solicitor that bonds could not
he issued. az in Columbus, and hoped no
and other attorneys could discover y
way To do so. as this would solve tho