The Norfolk weekly news-journal., 1906-11-16
GRAVEL ROAD HANGS FIRE.
LACK OF GOOD GRAVEL is NOW
PERPLExlNG PROBLEM
ONE PIT is DISAPPOINTING
The Gravel With Which Il Had Been
Hoped to Do the Work OF Graveling
South First Street Has Not Proven
Heavy Enough--Work Tied up.
lrrom Wednesdays Dnlyl

Heavy Enough-Work Tied up.
ltrom Wednesdays Dnilyl
The grayoling OF First street. be-
tween Norfolk and the Junction, In be.
ing delayed just now by an obstacle
which has been met In the way of n
problem as to where To get suitable
gravel for the work. The gravel which
had been arranged for In pit west of
the city has not proven all that was
desired and may not he heavy enough
to fll the bill. Those who have had
the matter in hand are waiting to talk
with II. II. owen, who had made an
estimate on the job, before definite ac-
ton Is taken.
The money for graveling First street
has been arranged for in n subscrip.
ton raised from citizens, property
owners, the city council and the coun-
ty. 1t was estimated that the work
would cost about $1,000 Now that the
gravel problem becomes perplexing, II
Is hard to say what will be done in
the matter.
Junction people are anxious for
good road leading to the business sec
ton of the city and Norfolk business
men are just rs anxious. 1t has been
planned, as soon as II permanently good
| highway can be built, to put an auto
mobile on the route to carry people
back and forth at about the same rates
as street cars charge. This will allow
| Junction people to do shopping in the
business portion of the city without
| high transportation expenses, and
business interest would benefit by 1t.
Fourth Street Gravel Matter.
The Fourth street graveling, which
was planned by residents of that thor
oughfare Is also hanging fire on ac-
count of the gravel problem and the
people interested in that plan are wait
ing to learn where they can get the
right kind of material at reasonable
cost for this work.
Councilman August Brummund, who
has a petition ready to circulate
among residents Of South Fourth
street, will present his proposition to
the public as soon as the gravel mat
| ter Is settled, so that definite hope
of building the good roadway may be
given.
Mr. Brummund says that, while he
| has not presented the petition because
he has not known definitely In regard
to the gravel yet he has discussed the
matter of graveling Fourth street with
every property owner on the street
and he says that all are willing to do
their share and some would even do
more than their share to get the road
built.
Testing Gravel From West Pit.
I'VE are afraid that the gravel from
the pit west of town is too light" said
answer the purpose. In order to test
it, we have hauled in some of 1t near
the postoffice. on South Fourth street,
and If this proves all right we will go
ahead with the gravel from west of
town. II not we will hunt something
else"
Lime May be Used.
In case the gravel proves an unsolv.
able problem, it is possible that lime
from the old sugar factory may come
into service as a road maker A. J.
| Durland said that he intends to visit
the factory, procure quantity Of the
lime that lies there wasting, and place
it on that portion of South First street
fronting his recently built houses. 1t
Is said that some of this lime was re-
Gently placed on a road near the sugar
factory and that it has packed into an
ideal paving. There are mountains of
the stuff at the sugar factory and in
case the gravel from west of town
does prove, beyond a doubt, too light
for use, it is not at all improbable that
this lime may come into use and save
the day. In front of his houses Mr..
Durland had formerly placed broken
brickbats and the lime will be mixed
with that material.
Paving Awaits Sewer.
The paving of Norfolk avenue, be.
tween First and Sixth street, which
has been assured by the signatures to
a petition of a majority of the resi-
dent property holders on the street, is
hanging fire now on account of the
sewer work as 1t was understood that
this matter would not be taken up for
action until work had begun on the
sewer. 1t is planned, however, to
make all preliminary preparations for
the paving this fall so that the work
can begin promptly in the spring.
Contractor o. p. Herrick, the con.
tractor who is TO build the sewer
wrote some days ago that he will be
in Norfolk this week and that some
of the necessary material will arrive
soon, insuring an early beginning OF
the work.