The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1907-05-30
The GRASS PLOT PAVEMENT
FOR WASHINGTON AVENUE
Adopted BY City Council Almost Unanimously
Many Representative Citizens Extend
Congratulations

A special meeting of tha city coua-
| ell was held last night to take up
| the Washington avenue Improvement
ordinance. The mayor and all mem
bers were present, excepting Alder
man Nellis There were present
large number of representative clti'
| MS, inclwdug Ex-Mayor Nj. G.
Wright DR. W f. Grinstead, l.. J.
Parker, Hon Reed Green, DR. Nor
row, j. II. Galigan, Hon. Walter War
der j. H. Woc dward, Ex-Alderman
Wood w. r. Halliday, Force Balm,
John C. Gholson, NJ. j. Howley, En-
Alderman McHale. DR. McManus, Hon
VIM. b. Gilbert, Oscar Herbert, Judge
w s Dewey.
The report of the Joint committee
lon streets and ordinances was read
iby .he city clerk and on motion the
Iordinance was placed upon its second
Ireading. and it was read at length ny
attorney Leek.
4 AT the conclusion Of the reading the
MAYOR pr sented communication
from President c. O. Patier, OF the
ISouthern Illinois Interurban railroad
lin which he stated that his company
would be prepared to lay its tracks on
lthe avenue from Fourth TO sixth
lstree.s and from Twentieth TO Syca-
lmore strests at the time or before the
city laid the pavement on the avenue
land would pay for its share of the cost
of said pavement on the portions ~
the avenue indicated, to be refunded
10 ths properly owners.
4 Alderman Scullin moved to adopt
1.-The ordinance as read, seconded by
Alderman Snyder.
When the mayor seemed inclined to
give time for discuss on, several alder
men called for the question ana the
clerk was directed to call the roll,
which resulted as follows:
Yeas - Burke, KoehleE Magner'
Thomas. Bourgeois, Kelly, Sclllin, Da-
Wis Meehan, snyder-lo
Navs-Gorman and Thistlewood-2.
Alderman Kelly explained that while
Inc was opposed to some details OF ne
plan OF improvement he had not voted
AGAINST the ordinance in committee,
hut had refused to vote at all.
Tha mayor announced the result and
expressed his gratitude to the council
Speeches were called for from some
lof the citizens, and the mayor called
upon Ex-Mayor Wright who referred
to the obi. elton made to the narrow
pavements, saying that he thought W
fleet amply wide to turn around on.
When he was a young man he had on
several occasions gotten into narrow
err lanes than that and found IT easy
enough to turn around, and quickly
Itco. At Jacksonville, Fla, recently ne
lhad passed over its finest residence
street. which was improved similar
Ito the plan proposed for Washington
avence Ths pavements on either
side were only lG feet. Vehicles were
required to take the right side, and
drivers we're liable to arrest and hne
il they drove the wrong way on either
side. There wers like streets in New
Orleans, in Chicago and ether cities
none of them wider than 20 feet. he
felt sure the council had done the
right thing in passing the ordinance.
Ex.Aldfrman Wood spoke in strong
commentator of the council, saying
that il had done the proper thing IN
passing the ordinance. After the
Board of IEdai Improvement had
gone into the matter as deeply as this
ord nance indicated they had done
and had approx the plan and after
a public hearing had been held at
which no protest had been heard. OBJ
iectiOns raised to some details by two
or three citizens interested ought not
TO have much weight with the council
He felt sure the VIII le city was very
much in favor Of pushing improve
ments.
Hon W. B. Gilbert congratulated the
council upon its action. The law let
he matter Of ordering public improve
nents Entirely with the Board OF Lo-
cal improvements. giving the people
advisory power and the city council
the right of veto. He did nct believe
the concil wocld have a right 70
amend or change the ordinance att-r
It had passed the public nearing lie
lid no believe the 2O-foot payements
too narrow: knew of several citieS
where similar plans Of str ct improve
merit had been adopted with pave
ment no wider. As one OF the eiti-
zens interest d. he thought y in order
to thank the council, for passing the
ordinance.
Hon. Reed Green said the peop,e
wanted Improvements 20 go Forward
and he Eel the action Of thu members
Of the city council in laying aside
their personal preferences in matters
Of detail w,uld he heartily approved
by the people
Hon. Walt Warder said the city
council showed that the interests oil
the people were in safe hands Inc
council had made history in passing
this ordnance. the kind Of history
which would stand long 10 heir ere J.
il in N annals OF the city. Aldermen