The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1907-02-08


In some cases will have to be improved
at the expense of the city.
Fundamental Idea.
1 think there ought to be some law
by which no land owner would be per-
mitted to record a subdivision until
it had been approved by a commission
working if possible with expert ad-
vice. 1t is not necessary to go into
details at this time with regard to the
matter. The fundamental idea that the
public interests should be represented
in the laying of streets, even if at some
| inconvenience Or loss to individual
| land owners, is the main point to be
borne in mind. 1t is to be hoped that
such a commission would prevent the
filing of subdivision plats which unduly
reduce the width Of important streets
Or which introduce streets coming to a
dead end, Or which so located import
continuous with adjoining streets
which ought to be carried through as
matter of public convenience. On
the other hand it would be unfortunate
if such a street laying out commission
should insist too rigidly upon the car
| rying out of strictly rectangular
system without reasonable adjustments
to railroads. creeks and other topo-
graphical conditions
The determination of the width of
roadways, sidewalks and so forth, is,
presume, in the hands Of the city gov
eminent. 1 would suggest that streets
be considered as belonging to one of
three or four classes, which might be
for instance, first, business thorough
fares, so to 100 feet wide, in which are
to be located car tracks; second
streets 20 to so feet wide which con-
meet county roads with the business
center of the city; third. long streets,
60 to 20 feet wide, which by reasons OF
their direction Or length are reason
ably likely to be more used as thor
oughfares than short crosswise streets;
fourth, the minor streets which are
mainly for the purpose of affordine
frontage for residence property. The
roadways in the principal streets hav-
| ing electric railways should be about
SIS feet wide, so as to be convenient fol
driving. Those in important streets
not likely to be in demand for electric
railways should be 40 feet, while those
for minor residence streets may be 81
feet or even for the shorter streets
| "A
of streets should be less than 60 fee
in width. In portions of the city which
are to be occupied by the smalles
class of residences it may, however
be permissible to have cross street:
and minor streets only so feet wide
and streets only one or two blocks il
length of no great Importance to thu
general public in such sections of tn
city. may even be as little as 40 feet il
width.
Controlling Commission.
In approving the plating OF street
the controlling commission should pa,
due attention to suitable profiles TO
sewers, and both the location and pro
file should be such as to avoid lnVolV
ing the city in unnecessary expense TO
bridges, and to reduce to a minimum
railroad crossings at grade, and to in
sure the location of such streets
must cross the railroad at grade in tn
beginning in such a way that 1t VII
be as little expensive as may be t
change the street at some future tim
70 n
It may not be easy or possible t
foresee what portions of the city woul'
be occupied by the smallest class
residences and which portions hould b.
improved upon a more liberal scale 10
the better class of residences. 1t seem
to be reasonable, however, to assum
that the lands in the neighbOrhood o
steam railways will be apt to be II
demand for factory sites, lumber YARD
and other commercial enterprises tn
economical prosecution of which cal
be best secured by connection Wit
railroads or spurs from railroads. l
this is so it seems reasonable TO sup
pose that lands in the vicinity OF sucl
factories will be in demand, and shoul'
be devoted to the residences OF tn
factory operatives and working peopi
employed in such factories. Takln
this view of the case it seems to D.
the proper assumption that the north
south and west districts of the city viii
be filled mainly with the laboring pop
ulation. leaving the east side OF tn
city to be occupied mainly by tn
storekeepers. statesmen, clerks, minis
tiers and professional classes.
These considerations lead naturall
to my recommendations in the matte
of a park system.
Triangular System.
With the exception of a few SINAI
triangles at the intersection of streets
the city at present possess. 1 believe
only one park, that known as city PARK
south of Alder street and east OF dlVl
sion street. The land in question
some So or 40 acres in area was no
originally taken for park purposes pu
as a protection to water supply. >
long as the city held its property 10
that purpose it was obviously a YER
reasonable thing to use it for puDli