The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-07-14
}LANK|AG FOR THE AVENUE.
NORTH SEATTLE COMNERcIAL CLUB
FAvORS THAT PAVEMENT.
Too ExPensiye-Other Advantages
OF Wood for the WOrk-Can he
Laid and Removed More Easily.

1t the regular meeting OF the North Sc
attic Commercial Club last night 1t was
unanimously resolved 70 recommend 10
the city council that First avenue north,
now being regarded. be replanked with
four-inch plank in order to save expense
70 property owners on the street, and TO
allow the street TO be put into possible
condition before the beginning OF winter.
A proposition TO macaeamize the stree,
was also under consideration. but vas
voted down, for several reasons, the
principal one of which was the much
larger expense such a pavement would e.
tail upon property owners
The meeting. which was 10 be of repre-
sentative citizens of North Seattle as well
as members Of the club, was but sparsely
attended. and the interest taken in the sub
ject under discussion seemed very slight
in comparison with the importance of the
matter. number of the property owners
present were apparently inclined 10 op-
pose any paving scheme whatever.
Assistant City Engineer George F. Cot
terill. who is a prominent resident of North
Seattle, although not a property owner on
the avenue was the principal speaker of
the evening. He explained, as the repre-
sentative Of the city. the character OF the
two pavements proposed, their comparative
cost, durability, etc, advocating neither
The cost of replanking the street between
Pike street and Denny way, he said, would
be from $50 to s75aper lot, or about $1,000
for the whole street. The probable life
of this pavement would be anywhere from
three TO five years, according TO the traf-
fic. The cost Of macadamixing the street
would be from $4,000 to $1,000, and under
ordinary conditions its life would be much
longer than a wooden pavement.
The planking could be laid very quickly
and the street opened for traffic before
the fall rains, which would render an IN
paved street impossible, began falling.
The panking would have the advantage
that it could be readily torn up and replaced
without damage TO allow the laying OF
water and gas mains. sewers and electric
wire conduitS. On the other hard. any
disturbance of the macadam when once
laid was very detrimental. However the
macadamized surface could be used rs
the foundation OF any future pavement of
a more expensive character. For the pur-
poses of street railways the planking was
preferable. as the laying o. the car tracks
In tha macadam was beset with difficulties.
A general discussion followed Mr.. Cot
terill's explanation. Chairman elise was
not particular as TO what pavement was
laid down, and expected to pay his share
of the expense anyway. but He was anx-
ious that the street should be placed in n
passable condition before winter set in.
Mrs. Elizabeth Blain, a large owner of
property on the setreet. was also in favor
OF seeing the street paved at once, She
had favored wooden blocks. but deferred
to Mr.. Cotterilrs opinion in favor OF
planking as against maeadam, as allowing
the making of underground improvements
without injury to the surface of the street.
Mrs. NJ. d. Pease opposed any scheme
OF paving. on the ground that 1t entailed
an expense few property owners along the
street were able TO nay, and her views
met with the approval of several others,
most OF whom were among those who have
opposed the regarding of the street since
its commencement.
George n. ellison, who for years has
been working to have the First avenue
hill cut down, was In favor of the irnme-
date paving OF the street, w. p. Nc
Elwain shared his views. 1t was upon
Mr.. McElwain's motion that the resolution
asking the replanking OF the street was
passed.
Secretary DE Bruler called up the matter
OF regarding Second avenue north also.
but consideration OF this subject was in
definitely postponed. most OF those who
spoke on the subject seeming TO think
that First avenue north was n sufficient
thoroughfare for the use of North Seattle
for the present.