The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1900-11-15
REQUIRES $1,O0O,OOO
FOR STREET WORK.
Commissioner Varelmann Says This Is the
Minimum Sum That Will Put St. Louis Thor
oughfares in Shape for Worlds Fair

! Charles Farrelmann. Street Commissioner
says that with sl.ooo.oo0 to defray the city
| part OF the expense he can put St. Louis
I highways in presentable condition in tim
| for the Worh's Fair. He says that three
! times that amount would be needed to d.
! all the work desirable. but that with slGS.
0oo he can do what is absolutely necessary
| For this fiscal year his appropriation wa:
s25o.000. hardly a drop in the buck.t.'' t,
| quote him.
! st. Louis has at present s1S.I0 miles %
! streets OF which 432.OS miles are improved
and 4i162 miles unimproved or the urim
proved streets 26S. :s miles are paved will
macadam. most of it old. full of holes ant
generally unsatisfactory: $50 miles ar,
paved with wooden blocks badly decayed
SOS miles are paved with telford. which is
gravel on top Of rock foundation: 4.6
miles are covered with noracui!:e. variety
or macadam. These are the So-caled I'M.
proved streets. OF the remainder. 5O.36 miles
are covered with granite blocks. H.se miles
with asphalt and 1883 miles with brick
These are really improved streets
our nacadam and telford streets are
for the most part, in hopelessly bad con-
dition.' said Mr.. Farreimann yesterday
and can never be repaired to advantage.
On streets where there are car tracks ma
cadam has proven worse than useless, and
VIII not recommend the use of that ma
terial In future. Telford is hardly any bet
ter and novacu!ite only little more so.
In future l shall recommend that all
streets be constructed OF asphalt brick or
granite. the last FOR business districts. and
the two former in the residence sections"
Why st. Louis Has Poor Streets.
In reply to the question, why has St.
Louis such poor streets?' Mr.. Varrelmann
said:
For the simple reason that the city has
refused to spend enough money Com
plants and resolutions. criticism and ad-
vice do not build streets. Boston, the near
est city In size to u.s. spends s2.5lO,oO0 year
making and repairing her highways, while
We are forced to get along on $4,000. Is
there any wonder that a Bostonlan visit
Ing st. Louis would turn up his nose at
our streets?
II 1 had one-half OF what Boston spent
last year l could put St. Louis In fl; con-
dition for the world to look at AS matters
now stand / am almost ashamed to admit
to strangers that am at the head of the
street Department.
Look at the downtown streets to-dsy
They are Uttered with all kinds of rubbish
full of dirt and disease-breeding filth. They
have not been swept since November l, and
unless something is, done by the Municipal
Assembly In the way Of finding funds. thsy
VIII not be swept or cleaned in any way
before next April. Imagine. If you can. how
they would look by that time
I'm the residence sections the streets are
Just as bad and the alleys much worse
Why? Because in the last appropriation
bill this department was not allowed one
dollar to pay for the work"
Plnns for Retirement.
Asked How would you go about the task
OF general betterment Of the streets2" he
said:
I'm the first place the city must set aside
enough money to pay its part of the ex
pense.
In the second place the Municipal As
smby must stop throwing out improve
ment bills every time there Is a kick from
property owners. As long as the lawmak-
ers maintain their present attitude there is
little hope for betterment. For exampIe-
L so ahead and draft an ordinance for tn.
construction or reconstruction of a street
that is in notoriousiy bad condition. The
mud may be axle-deep. and we get all kinds
OF complaints and protests from pedestrians
and owners Of vehicles. We INSPECT the
street and see that work on It is imnera-
tire-alI this before the ordinance is drafted
We'll. the bill goes in and is referred 10
the committees In the two branches of the
Assembly. In the course Of time a date ;s
set Tor hearing of the property-owners
interested. What is the result? The prom
ertS-owners come to the hearing and make
all manner Of objections to the rronosea
improvements. Some of them declare that
the street Is In excellent condition, Seine
go to the Delegates from their wards and
make threats. The result is the bill is