Omaha daily bee., 1896-08-15
BROADWAY'S CEDAR BLOCKS
They Must Not Be Removed from the Sur
face Of the Street,
RESULT OF A SPECIAL COUNCIL MEETING
Thorougbfnrc 90 lie LEFT In Its Pres
cnt Unsafe Condition While II
Remedy Is Debated by the
Councilmcn

No more wooden blocks will be removed
from Broadway until the council shall have
determined what action the city will take
looking to the Improvement Of the street.
Such was the decision of the council in its
meeting last night as a committee of the
whole.
When the council gave the order a few
weeks ago to have the blocks removed a
number of property owners commenced
tearing up the blocks and storing them
for irewood. Then the action Of the coun-
Gil was reconsidered in a way, but no for
NAL notice was given the property owners
aud others to desist from further removals
of the blocks, and the people have been
going along puncturing the pavement in
different places until IL is getting so full
of holes that traffic Is almost barred EN-
tirely. Mayor Carson has been busy for
several days notifying property owners and
others that the blocks should not be re-
moved, and he called the council together
last night to take formal action in accord
ance with his suggestion. The committee
ordered a notice published by the clerk
prohibiting removal of the blocks for a
period of thirty days. unless further action
is taken by the council.
The question Of what shall be done with
the pavement has not yet been decided.
Chairman Greenshields of the council f.
nance committee is out OF tne city, ana the
question of funds has not been reported to
the council. The Northwestern officials
have not reported upon the cost OF getting
at the city's gravel beds, north of the
city. and the committee in charge of the
Improvement figures that il will require sew
oral weeks to get the matter in shape for
a final report and recommendation to the
council.
While no action has been taken by the
council a matter of considerable Importance
has been discussed, and is now under con-
sideration, with reference to the paving
question. Mayor Carson is an advocate of
the plan Of having all of the inside streets
that have steep grades paved and a general
plan with this object in view has been dis
cussed. The mayor has given the matter
considerable study and investigation and
has become convinced that it is the cheap
est way out of the street question, and is
confident that the property owners would
agree to a general plan, il properly made
and presented. He says that the city and
property owner pay out money enough every
year In repairing washouts to pave a good
many blocks, and that the money spent in
the repairs is practically wasted, as each
heavy rain makes a new expense necessary
and wipes out any improvement or expendi.
ture that had been made. His plan is tc
take the residence streets that are on the
side hills, narrow them and park them and
then pave with homemade brick, which. he
asserts. is adequate in every respect for the
work. The expense of this kind of a pave.
ment is not heavy, and gives a handsome
street, whereas, none of the streets can be
kept In a presentable condition if they are
not paved. The matter Is being carefully
investigated by the council, and will prob
ably take definite shape soon.