The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1900-03-01
A YEARS WORK
ON THE STREETS
What Has Already Been Ac-
comp|ished.
ONLY $4,000 EXPENDED
AND WHAT IT Is PROPOSED TO
ACCOMPLISH.
STREET COMMITTEES ANNUAL REPORT
4 Document of Great Interest and Importance
% he People of Raleigh. To be Pre-
sented to the Board Tomo;-
row Night.

|
The annual report of the Street COM
| n;ttee. to be made at the meeting of the
board of aldermen tomorrow night, will
| nc. a most interesting one TO the people
! Of the city.
1t will set forth what has been done
with the $4,000 of bond money already
! srent and what will be done with the
$50. 0G0 to be paid cut for street improve
| ments during the year beg-nninG March
/. 1890 and ending March l, 1901.
| Among other things in this report the
| committee will say in effect:
The amount of work accomplished
| with th.l first $4,000 of the bond money
| has been very satisfactory and OF sub
stantial and lasting nature.
| In the first place we had to purchase a
.ot of new machinery for the rock quar-
~. We have thoroughly equipped that
plant With. new machinery and We have
| now one Of the most complete rock
| crushing outfits to be found anywhere.
With the first S50.G0o spent. we We're
compelled TO lay the foundation for
| future work. This we have done most
! ell'ectually and we are now ready 10
I ,lsh the work during the coming year.
| During the past year we have not
| only equipped the rock quarry. but we
| have graded and curbcd 10 36 feet of
! sidewalk and street which means 66
| blocks and about 10 miles Of street.
| counting both sides. The total number
of feet Of ctIrbing set since we started
| our improvements have been l3l.S3l,
or 1853 blocks, which means about 70
| miles of street.
! We have laid during the year lJ.96S
square yards of granite blocks and
nlacadamized IS blocks of street.
Ia:s makes 323S5 square yards OF
granite blocks laid since we started the
| present street improvements a few years
AGO. and total number of blocks MAJ
ca,iamized. II. besides one block of Yit7
riiied bi.ck pavings.
| W.. have excavated and graded dur
lug the year -, los cubic yarG's of earth
or total number of cubic yards since
We started our present improvements OF
2i9,:3223.
| II i, our purpose TO give the work
| done in The last four years in detail.
j but we foind that ii would make such a
| arge volume that we were compelled
10 content ou:selveS with the totals as
| above stated. We are very proud OF
he record made in our department. We
have endeavored TO conduct the Stree,
! Department along Ines of the best ap
| proved method. our earnest desire heing
| 70 obtain the best results for the CITY
or every dollar spent. An accurate ac
count has been kept of all receipts
| and disbursements and We can give the
most minu.e detail concerning every
niece Of work done in our department..
We believe that We can macadamiZe
m an average at least two blocks OF
street each week or total of loo
blocks during the year
/ TIL ;. together with the maradam al
ready put down. will cover all OF our
| principal st. Gets and avenues and give
Is a we'll paved city.
| All Of the sidewalks which have been
| graded and curbcd will be paved with
good hard brick When this is done we
| will have one of the cleanest. neatesr
and prettiest cites i'll the South.
We have planted out on every street
| which has been graded and curbed
handsome sugar maple trees which We
| purchased from a very reliable firm in
| PENNSYLVANIA These were the best
trees which could be found. in our judg-
ment and were selected after thoroughly
| studying. as best we could. the subject
of shade trees.
We believe that the sugar maple tree
is better adapted To this climate and
soil as Il shade tree than any other. Ii
$ not only a rapid grower, but is SYM
metrica in shape. is long liver and
| it is not easily broken to pieces by wind
| ,r Seet We have planted during the
year about 1900 of these trees. Oul
plan is to continue planting shade trees
| every year. whenever we improve tine
J streets. in order that we may not only
have we'll paved streets and SIDEWALKS.
| hut beautiful shade trees as Well
Every department. Of business in Raj
eigh seems TO he on the upward grade
| Of prosperity New houses are being
built in every section of the city, and
we do not believe that any
thing has added more largely 10
these beneficial results than the improve
ments which have been made on our
| streets Our citizens are beginning to
| realize that we have ii real live town.
| and we are taking more interest in our
| .ity's welfare and sounding its praise
more loudly than we did i'll former
| years.
We no longer hear strangers talking
| lbout Raleigh being Il dead town. hut
| everyone who comes to Raleigh is
| struck with wonder at the progress
whch mas been made in the past few
| years
a healthy public spirit is growing rq2
in our midst and our merchants and
business men are working together III
more perfect harmony.
We now come together and consult on
matters of public interest. and it is the
desire Of all to push the city'S welfare
along instead Of trying To impede il
Everyone has realized that Raleigh is
bounding forward and we wish TO speed
he good work.
ONLY few days ago Mr. Abner Nc
Kinley uhe brother of our own Pres
dent visited Our city. after having Wis