East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1906-03-27

In the fight for street paving sue
cess thus far has been all with the
council and the friends of improve
ment. Though remonstrance is
known to have been started by j. X.
Dickson, IL is thought 10 have been
dropped, presumably for want of
sympathy. At least all the property
owners consulted, outside Messrs.
Dickson and Taylor, have declared
themselves against it..
Also, 1t is understood that the field
is to be opened. so that all companies
may present specifications and bids.
BY doing so the council will overcome
the objection advanced that an error
was made in asking for bids only on
bitulthic- Also. II Will prevent any
legal action being taken to restrain
the council as was done at Walla
Walla.
The following from Councilman
Rem states the position Of the street
committee In the matter:
To the Editor:---In justice to the
street committee of the city of PEN
dleton and to the other members of
the council who sustained the COM
mittee's report on the street paving
question. | deem It my duty and priv
ilege to answer the arguments of j.
r. Dickson as published In the Morn
ing Tribune OF March 25th.
The petitions presented to the coun-
Gil by owners Of property in the busi-
ness portions of Main and Court
streets, asking for street Improvement
were signed by owners covering more
than two-thirds of the street frontage
proposed to be improved by paving.
The petition for Main street, includ-
ing that portion OF the street lying
between the bridge crossing the Una
tilla river and to and including inter-
section OF Bluff street, calls for "hav-
ing the same paved in its entire width
from sidewalk line to sidewalk line
with bitulithic pavement on bitumin-
Gus base or other permanent paving.
This petition Mr.. Dickson signed as
trustee for 100. foot frontage.
The petition for paving on Court
street between Main and Vincent
street was signed by property owners
on that street owning more than
three -fourths of the frontage and
called exclusively for bitulithic pave
ment. This. in view of the fact that
the council had already advertised its
proposal to pave the entire street
from Main to the eastern limits Of
the city with macadam.
Council Investigates.
The street committee was requested
by the mayor and council to make
thorough investigation of the various
kinds of paving in use in other cities
and entered upon the discharge of Its
duty with the utmost good faith and
conscientious desire to serve the best
interests of the city and the property
owners concerned in paying for the
improvement.
The committee entered into cores
pondence with the city authorities OF
many cities throughout the United
states. The members of the Com
mittee personally went to Walla Walla
and Portland and one member of the
committee went to Tacoma and the
merits of the various kinds of paving
in actual use were fully considered
and tested.
The claims of a number of paving
companies were heard and placed In
comparison. The committee went sc
far as to procure the opinion of j. w
Howard, consulting engineer on roads
streets and pavements. of New York
city, which report is herewith submit
ted for publication, and upon the In
formation in its possession the com
mittee made to the city council ,wha
the members thereof considered al
intelligent report.
The report was unanimously adopt