Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1906-08-17

WALKS
WANTED
Meeting at City Hall to Dis
cusS Width of Street
Improvement

Consequent to a previous meeting,
and under call of the city recorder,
a meeting Of the property owners in
terested in the State street improve
ment was held in the city hall Thurs
day night. Only few were present,
but there was general discussion.
John Bayne and P. H. Darcy led
the discussion for the opposition.
The mayor was attacked by both
Bayne and Darcy as not a proper
person to preside. They said this
was purely a meeting of those own
ing property on the street, and they
could organize and select their own
chairman. Mayor Waters said he
would withdraw for either Bayne or
Darcy, if the property owners pres
ent so desired, but said he was there
as a representing property owner on
the street, and had as much interest
in the matter as anyone. Mr.. Darcy
moved that it be the sense of the
meeting that the street be not i'm
proved. The mayor ruled this out of
order, as the meeting was called to
consider what width of street should
be improved, and whether the side
walks should be widened or left as
at present. j. Frank Hughes car
rio nf
three be named to get the concen-
sus of opinion among the abutters
on the question of proper width of
street. Carried. Mayor Waters
named Hughes, Paulus and Patton.
For Wider Walks.
Several of the speakers favored
wider walks, even though they were
opposed to the bitulithic pavement.
Mr.. Darcy, who did most of the
talking, waxed eloquent over the
dangers of confiscating all property
under the new assessment. The coun-
Gil should go slow and wait year
or two, and see whether any of the
abutters could keep their property
under the new valuations, which, he
feared, would raise taxes enormous
ly. He favored oiling the streets
until they could get on their feet
Not a piece of this property but was
getting all the rent that it was pos
sible to get. Extending the walks
would make a beautiful city. He
waxed eloquent in glowing pride
over what that street would look
like If the walks were made four to
six feet wider, and the curb lines
perfectly straight. He regretted thai
there were only six or seven proper
ty owners present. He had expected
a bigger crowd to protest against
this Improvement. Mr.. Bayne was
also opposed to the improvement. He
thought it would be all right to i'm
prove one block along the court
house, and see what it would be like
If it was all right, pave the rest Of
the street. He was opposed to wider
walks. Widening the walks would
cost a great deal more than the pave
ment. To widen the walks would
ruin State street, in his opinion. Mr.
Hughes, who has seen service in the
city council, corrected Mr.. Bayne as
to cement walks costing more thar
the pavement. Cement walks could
be laid for 16 cents per square foot
and the pavement would cost twice
that lat least. 1t would be cheaper
to widen the walks four feet on each
side, it would give better crown to
the street, and the street would be
easier kept clean and maintained
f. M. LAHORE gave his impressions
of the Walla Walla streets that hac
wide sidewalks. They were yer,
beautiful, and cost less than pave
ment. The walks in a city like. Sa
lem were more apt to be congested
than the streets. He corrected Mr.
Bayne as to the sidewalks in Salem
being wider than the sidewalks o.
Broadway, n. Y. Mr.. Darcy sns
tanned him in that. The meeting was
very pleasant one, and after ad
journment some of the talking citi
zens remained to Chew the rag
little. more SO as not to get out o.
l o,aotina