Morning journal and courier., 1893-02-18
PERMANENT STREET PAVEMENT

The Plan of Bonding the City for
 $3OO,OOO Discussed at the Meeting
 of the Street Committee Last Night
 Another Meeting to be Held Next
 Friday.
 One of the most important meetings of the street committee of the year was held last night in the city hall, at which every member of the committee was present. The meeting was held for the purpose of giving all interested an opportunity to be heard on the proposition for bonding the city for $500, ,000 in order to establish system of permanent street pavements. In consequence of the indictment weather only few were present, but every one agreed that a system of permanent pavements was most to be desired. Among those present were: Ex- Councilman A. Moo. Matthewson, City Engineer Kelly, Anthony Carroll, R. E. Baldwin, Bridge Tender William Sulli- van, ex-Alderman W. J. Bradley, Enos Kimberly, Patrick Cronan and others.
 The plan proposed is to pave the streets of the city with g permanent pavement. This Is question which has been wrestled with by the city fathers for a number of years past with but varied success. Many methods and kinds of material have been tried, but yet there is hardly any street in the city outside of the center which is in anything like good condition.
 Ex, Councilman A. Moo. Matthewson had prepared @ plan which provides for the establishment of 8 system of perma- nent street pavement in this city. The to the amount of $500, ,OOO, the proceeds of | which are to be used for the purpose of permanently paving the principal or radi- ating streets of the city. The idea is to issue the bonds under similar conditions to those under which the park bonds have | been issued.
 In support of the plan to provide a l better and permanent pavement it Is argued that for years past the Telford process has been used and that wherever this process has been used the streets have been almost constantly in need of repair. The property | owners on most of the streets have been, it is alleged, assessed once for pavemente and 1t has been decided that but one assessment can be levied for this purpose. | It is therefore claimed that if better and permanent psvements are desired 1t must | be done by some such plan as has been proposed and which it is expect ed will be thoroughly discussed. It has not been decided which is the best material to be used and the plan is, so it is stated, to leave this to the ex- perts and engineers who are supposed to be thoroughly familiar with the subject.
 At the meeting last night exCouncilmsn Matthewson favored bond by the city. He said: "The city is in urgent need oi permanent pavements, and the sooner we lay them the more money we shall save. The cost, in my opinion, would be met by general taxation and not by special assessments. The present system of street pavements requires frequent re
 pairs and is fast wearing out. The only
 opposition likely to be encountered to the
 proposed system is from those who have
 previously paid assessments, but ever
 these persons will come to the conclusion
 that better pavements must be substituted
 and will not object to the proposal of gen
 ersl taxation for permanent pavements
 The old system of pavements cost an end
 less amount of money, but after the new
 psvements are laid there will be no expense for repairs.
 Others spoke in favor of the resolution
 and no objection was offered. No actioI
 was taken on the matter, but another
 meeting will be held next Friday, whe,
 the matter will be still further discussed