Abilene weekly reflector., 1898-01-20
ABOUT THOSE SIDEWALKS.
Councilman H. E. Ellison Offers Some
Pointed Remarks.

To the Editors Of the Reflector.
1t is proposed by certain members
Of our city council to pass an ordi-
nance which will compel lproperty
owners within the next five years to
build brick or stone walks within a
specified district. As q member of
the city council am not in favor Of
passing such an ordinance until tfe
matter is brought more fully before
the public and until property owners
thoroughly understand the essence Of
the proposed ordinance.
In considering the ordinance as per-
tains to business property we meet
with serious objection. Under
nearly all Of our store buildings the
cellars were made to extend under the
full width Of the side walks. There
fore, in order to build brick or stone
walk in front Of these buildings, these
so-called area ways must be filled up
or arched to form bed for the new
walk. The former method is imprac-
ticable and the latter very expensive.
Already estimates have been made
that it will cost from six to seven dol
lars per running foot to put down
brick or stone walk over the area
ways.
Considering the rental value Of
property in Abilene, it readily appears
that this expenditure would fall as
heavy burden upon most Of the prop
erty owners. There is no disputing
the fact that these walks would beau
tify and improve our city. So would
paved streets and electric lights.
They all come under the head OF i'm
provements. But can the property
owners afford to make this expendi-
tureP Any man who wishes to i'm
prove his property with a brick or
flag stone walk can do so without hes
itation, but is it just to compel the
outlay of from five to twenty per cent
depending on the frontage) Of the
value Of a building for sidewalks
1t is proposed that when property
owner fails to comply with the ordi.
nance the city shall proceed to build
the walk and charge the expense to
the property. We have street and
alley fund from which expenses Of
this kind are paid. Whenever we
need a new crossing or new culvert
the little box holding this fund has to
be scraped dry to meet the bills. 1t
is a we'll known fact that this fund
never gets very much swelled up. In
fact ! believe the bottom of that little |
box at the present time is visible to
the naked eye. What would we do |
with bills for few hundred feet of az |
a foot side walkp We do not want an
ordinance that we cannot enforce.
1t is safe to say that there are at
least fifty vacant lots in the residence
district covered by the proposed ordi-
nance that are owned by people who
would not comply with this ordinance.
The expense of putting down brick
walks in front of these lots will
cost something like $1,000. We are
all familiar with the methods of evad-
ng an ordinance of this kind and it is
reasonable to believe that some meth
I'd will be used to avoid the ordinance
I it is passed. Another question
which arises in regard to brick walks
n the flooded portion Of the town is
whether or not these floods will de-
troy the walks. have contended
hat an ordinance Of this kind should
'e sifted and studied thoroughly be-
ore going into effect, that we may
NOW that we are not heaping an un-
'ecessary burden upon the taxpayers.
'ut the objection as it pertains to
esidence property is very small as
ompared to putting down these walks
n the business portion Of the city.
An effort was made last fall to ar.
ange for lighting the city by elec-
ricity. The proceedings were stop
'ed, fearing that the expenditure
would necessitate increased taxa
ion. Had the plan been carried to
ompletion and the city been obliged {
0 meet the entire expense by increas.
ng the levy it would have meant u t
Hills to every dollar of taxable prop
rty. 1t is now proposed to pass an
u |