Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1899-07-12
MADE A Big START
interesting Meeting OF the
Street Committee.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
List OF Those Recommended. Estimate d
That Work to the Extent of ss:5o,OO0
Can be Done. Solicitor Appoint
ed to Present Petitions.
Tii0R0U0HFAREST OBEPAVED

The question of street paving has
been taken up by the street committee
with Zest and energy which BODIES
well.
The committee met last night. and in
az session of forty minutes got through
with an immense amount Of work in
connection with the preliminares All
OF the members We're resent-AIessrs.
Hughes. Ford. Mclaughlin Cooper and
Lenz-also City Engineer Fitchett and
CITY Attorney j. X. NJ. Newton.
Mr.. Newton explained to the COM
mittee the legal preliminaries that
would be necessary beore a contract for
paving could be let.
The Charter provides that the proper
ty owners on either side Of a thorough
fare shall be assessed at a rate of not
more than % per cent. That is to say
the property owners on both sides can
be assessed for the paving one half OF
the whole amount, the city to pay the
other half.
Figuring on this. the committee
found that with the local assess ment
and the 100000 Of the bond issue, the
city could pave to the extent of $780,
600. This is exclusive of the street rail-
to the extent Of about $4,000. bringing
the whole amount up to $250,OO0, which
Will pave quite a stretch of streets
1 was decided that all those streets
on which he street car lines are located
should be paved. The companies will
have to pave between their tracks ana
two feet on either side. Where there
are double tracks they will have 10
pave just about double that much.
Thus. by going on those thoroushfares
on which the tracks are located, that
much is saved to the people.
The following streets to be paved
We're selected by the committee:
River road from the Chesapeake &
Ohio passenger station to Twenty-fifth
street
Twenty-nfth street from River road
to Jefferson avenue (bridge streeD.
Washington avenue from Twenty
third to Fortietf streets (shipyard
bridge.
Lafayette avenue from Twenty fifth
street to Fifteth street.
Jefferson avenue from Twentieth street
to Thirty-fourth street.
TWenty-eighth street from Washing
ton avenue to Chestnut avenue.
Thirty-fourth street from Washing
ton avenue to Crestnut avenue.
Twenty-sixth street from Washington
avenue to West avenue. :3 s-
OF course there was a good deal OF
argument in the selection of these
streets and avenues but the COMMITTEES
feels that it has done the best possible.
The question of paving Twenty fifth
street to the city limits in preference
TO Jefferson avenue was discussed at
some length, but the committee decid-
ed that. inasmuch as Twenty-nfth
street was not opend up from Madison
avenue to circuit avenue and was not
built up in that section, it would bs
wiser to pave Jefferson avenue
The paving Of Twenty-sixth street to
West avenue was decided on largely be-
cause Of the fact that the new plIblic
building is going to be located on the
corner Of that street and West avenue.
The government Will doubtless pave in
front OF its building on West avenue
from Twenty-fifth to Twenty-slxllI
streets.
1t was decided to have petitions
drawn up to be signed by property
owners on the thoroughfares named.
asking the council to pave them. and If
was also decided that a solicitor should
be engaged to present this petition to
the property owners for their sigma
tut u The committee cOnfiicntly an
tlripates that none Of the property own
ers Will refuse 10 sign the petitions, ans!
hopes to see the work. thus uninlpedel
go forward as swiftly as possible. IT
will be pushed from now on. but no
false start will be made The council
Will be advised to start right and stay
right t, is the desire of the council ana
OF the committee to have only the best
pavement put down in the best way.
They will work along this line
The question Of appointing an inspec.
tor-.an expert who will see that the
work is done right-will come I'D at tho
next meeting. as will also the matter OF
establishing gfrades. This meeting
will not be held until after the next
meeting of the council.
The question is one in which every
man. woman and child in the city is in
terested, and the progress made on it
by the City Solons will be watched
closely and eagerly until the last foot
OF the work is done.
Il I'm Gaze IF Fire.