Omaha daily bee., 1898-05-08
IMPROVING OMAHA STREETS
Great Local Activity in Paving Follows the
Return Of Prosperity.
MILES OF NEW ASPHALT TO BE PUT DOWN
Work Already Commenced ON some
of the Most Extensive Contracts,
and the Prellminaries to Others
Have All Been Settled.

The continual rains have put temporary
stop on paving operations, but with the ad-
vent of settled clear weather the contrac-
tors are ready to begin work In earnest
and the members Of the Board OF Public
Works expect that within another week as
phalt will be going into the streets in half
q dozen different places. The paving bonds
that were issued last month are still held
by the city. Hayes & Sons Of Chicago have
until next Tuesday to take the bonds and
pay for them, otherwise the bonds VIII be
turned over to the paving contractors who
have signified their willingness to take
them at par. The contractors will go ahead
with their work as though the bonds had
been sold. the estimates will be allowed as
usual and the warrants turned over. The
only difference will be that instead OF re-
deeming the warrants In cash the city
treasurer will issue bonds to the amount Of
the warrants and the contractors
will hold the bonds until the
war is over. and they can be
disposed Of at a reasonable figure In this
way the paving bill will not be delayed and
Il is believed that the contractors will be
able to dispose of the bonds at q premium
that will be sufficient to compensate them
for having their money tied up in the mean
time.
The active resumption Of paving means Q
good deal to the city. as well as to the hun
dreds of men who will be employed. There
Are more districts now ready to pave than
Ave existed at any one time in nt.years.
In addition to these. there are a number Of
additional districts that have been more re-
Gently created and In which the pavement
is practically assured as soon as the red tape
procedure necessitated by the charter is
completed. In a number Of the districts in
which the contracts have already been let
the preliminary work has been considerably
advanced and the asphalt can be laid at a
rapid rate. The board Is anxious to have
as much work completed before the opening
OF the exposition as possible and particularly
the streets In the vicinity of the
exposition grounds. In any case
there will be enough paving in
progress this summer to give exposition Wis
ftors very effective object lesson to the
enect that Omaha is very much alive aside
from the enterprise that may be incidental
to the big show.
Work Already Provided For.
The aggregate amount Of paving that ia
to be done this year is somewhat extra
ordinary. The districts have been created
during the winter and contracts have ac-
cumulated until there is work enough
ahead to keep things on the boom during
the entire season. One or two small dis
tricts have already been paved with brick,
but the bulk Of the pavement that will be
laid this year is asphalt. which the city
authorities consider the most ornamental
and durable material that can be used un-
der ordinary conditions. The prices range
from S,lS to $l.2i per yard, the lowest
for which any considerable amount of as
phalt has ever been laid In any city.
The biggest Improvement Of the year will
De the new pavement on sixteenth street
from Pierce to Vinton and Howard to Leav-
sn"orth. On which Hugh Murphy hss a.