The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1895-04-11

/ much larger amount GuAfIeu 10 the sewer
| fund, since its establishment, than has
| been expended for sewer purposes; this
| is accounted for by the fact that the cost
| of the crematory was charged to the
| sewer fund, together with the wages of
| the employees and the cost OF repairs, and
| fuel and other supplies. From the time
| of it's establishment until May. 1893, and
this and other Irregularities In the ac-
counts amounts to many thousand dol
lars
Under the head of street grading, the
report shows the streets that have been
recommends that an approximate esti-
mate of the cost OF grading be obtained
before sidewalks are ordered on any
street, as in many cases 1t will be found
that the cost of grading an entire street
and putting 1t into shape with plows and
street scrapers will be no greater than the
removal by hand labor of foot or more
of soil in order to get the sidewalk to the
grade. The report shows the cost of
sprinkling in every detail and a table 10
appended which shows how often each
street in the city was sprinkled every day
last year. The report says:
From the daily reports of the number
of times sprinklers were filed during the
months of July. August and September,
computed the amount of water used
cents per 1000 gallons. / think it would
be better in future to estimate the water
used in this manner and to pay tho water
company at the best rate that can be
agreed upon. This ratio under the fran
chise cannot exceed 20 cents per 1000
gallons and the city should be able to
obtain the same rates offered mines,
smelters and other large consumers. The
sprinklers use about 100000 gallons per
month; with this rate of consumption,
which is all drawn from tho middle or
gravity system. the charge should not ex-
coed 10 cents per 1000 gallons. A reduce
ton in the water rate to this figure would
effect q saving of at least 81 500 per sea-
son."
The report contains the following in re-
gard to paving: "Owing to the character
of the soil and rock upon which the city Is
built and to the dry and cold climate our
streets in their natural condition afford
good roadways at all times except q few
weeks in the spring and sometimes q
short period in the fall of the year. The
mud never assumes the sticky condition
which obtains in a clay soil and never be-
comes so deep or offers such resistance to
traction that paving becomes imperative,
nevertheless the business streets at times
are muddy enough to make both driving
and walking exceedingly unpleasant.
This condition led to a public agitation of
the paving question in 1893, and as a pre-
liminary of further work, the council del
egated Alderman Dawson and myself to
visit some of the cities of the middle and
nation of the different kinds of paving in
use, the cost of the same, method of lay
ing, etc. We visited together st. Paul,
Minneapolis, Duluth and Chicago, and
visited Columbus, Ohio, Omaha and
Denver. The report which followed was
presented to the council in June, 1893. /
am still in favor of cedar block paving
upon q foundation of sand and plank,
principally because of its small cost, and
the ease with which it can be taken up
II
other underground fixtures become nsc-
essary. 1t has other merits, such as the
good foothold afforded horses and its
noiselessness. Asphalt is my favorite
pavement, and as stated in the report /
think it would make good paving for
Broadway and Park streets. The mo-
nopoly which controls IL has been in a
measure broken and prices in the central
states have fallen below 81 per square
yard. 1t is therefore not unlikely that we
could lay it here for $3.50 per square yard
or thereabouts.
.sThe approximate cost of curbing and
paving with cedar blocks, Main street from
Copper to Mercury. Park from Montana to
Ohio avenue, and Broadway from Arizona
TO Montana, together with the necessary
storm water drains and catch basins would
be about 81 for each foot of property 'front.'
age. III asphalt were used on Park and
Broadway, the cost per foot on those
streets would be about $1,000.
II am still unalterably opposed to ma
cadam for the reason stated in the re-
port.
"The establishment of the grades on
the east and west streets SO much
higher on the north than on the south
side and the general lack of methods in
establishing grades, is greatly to be
regretted. The highest authority upon
matters of paving and municipal engin-
eering recommend that the slope cross
wise on any paved surface be not more
than per cent. This would give one
foot and eight inches as a maximum be-
tween the sides of our streets, an amount
exceeded by the established grade in al
most every part of the original townsite.
rules laid down by these authorities, and
exceed the figures mentioned, the prob
ability is that when we pave, we will be
obliged to pave on the grades practically
"a they are and take the consenuences.