The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1907-06-01

ing. The meeting. ostensibly for the
purpose of considering the bids sub
mitted for the paving work, turned in
to sort of public meeting after
matters had been carried along for a
time.
The paving contract was not award
ed The committee composed of the
members of the paving and the public
improvement committees made a re-
port. The report was divided, several
of the members favoring the bid on
creosote block while several made no
recommendation. The reports of the
two sections of the joint committee
were laid on the table. The committee
members were divided as follows:
creosoted block, K. c. Hunter, Willis
A. Joy. R. NJ. Carothers and Oscar
knudsOn; no recommendation. E. ].
Davidson. G. w. Buckingham and
George H. Wilder.
Following this petitions signed by
the citizens We're presented to the
council. a number Of citizens favored
the Blome pavement, and asked that
the council accept the lid Of the
Blome company. Those having their
names signed on the other petition
were in favor of creosote block. and
asked that the bid OF the Kettle River
Quarry company for that kind of pave
ment be accepted.
Alderman Day made the motion that
the petitions filed by the citizens
should be recommended to commit
tee of the city council for the purpose
OF verification. said committee to re-
port at meeting of the council to be
held on next Monday evening. Mayor
Duis, City Engineer Smith, Alderman
John Valley. G. w. Buckingham and
r. NJ. Carothers are the members of
this committee. the latter three men,
bers being appointed by the mayor,
while the first two were made men,
bers of the committee through the
resolution adopted.
This committee, into whose hands
the petitions We're placed, will, be-
tween now and Monday evening, go
over the list of signatures and de-
scriptions of property attached to de-
termine the exact amount of property
has been signed up for either kind of
pavement. Last evening several of
those who had signed in favor of the
creosote block withdrew their sigma
lures, their names also appearing on
H.
With the paving matter thus sum-
marily disposed of for the evening,
the large attendance of citizens who
had come up to "see the fireworks
began to show uneasiness, expecting
that there would be nothing doing,
and in fact. President Lander of the
Commercial club suggested that rain
checks be issued.
With M rooro b,,eivae, ~
acted, the city council asked to hear
from number of the citizens on the
paving proposition, and before the
meeting adjourned, quite number of
taxpayers had an opportunity to ex-
press their opinions, not only on paw
ing matters but also on the street
car proposition.
NJ. F. Murphy was the first person
called upon. Mr.. Murphy stated that
he was not very well posted on the
paving matter, but that he would like
very much to have the proposition dis
cussed.
E. ]. Lander was next called. In
his talk Mr.. Lander referred to the
report of the committee of the council
which recently visited eastern points
examining paving. This committee
returned home with recommended
ton for Blome pavement. Mr. Lander
said that the committee no doubt told
the exact truth when they said tina.
the ideal pavement was yet to be
found. People of the new paving dis
trict have been rather busy of late,
ne said. investigating the various
kinds OF paving materials. Mr.. Lam
der thought it quite unfortunate as
we'll as unfair to bring in the fight
for Blome pavement at what he called
the eleventh and half hour. The tax
payers have not had an opportunity
to investigate into the merits of the
paving, and for that reason did not
know what they were getting, in case
Blome was decided upon. He said
that he had confidence in the ability
OF the council to determine on the
kind of material to be used. On gen
eral sentiment, he said that about IS
of those directly benefited by the paw
ing were in favor of creosote. The
cost of the pavement should not en-
ter into the proposition, he said. as
it was the quality that Grand Forks
wanted at this time.
Wanted Wider Sidewalks.
George B. Clifford said that the
paving proposition was one that must
be determined at once, as the COM
mercial future of the city depended on
it. He did not believe that a street
car line such as was promulgated
recently by local paper, could be
laid for any excess in cost of paving,
and had several reasons for saying
SO. Mr.. Clifford brought up the mat
ter of wider sidewalks as a matter
that should be determined on before
the streets are paved. In other cities
that he had visited. the sidewalks
were all wider, while the streets were
only from 40 to 4S feet wide. The
running of street cars did not hinder
traffic in any way. The cost of the
increased width of sidewalks would be
Offset in the price of the paving.
Mayor Duis informed Mr.. Clifford that
petitions had been circulated looking
forward to having wider walks. but
that the property owners did not sign
them. Therefore the council could
take no action.
About this time Alderman Caroth-
ers made few remarks on the lay
ing over OF the paving matter, he be-
lleving that the council should have
taken action on the paving bids in
stead of referring the petitions. If
petition such as was presented last
night had been given to the council
on sewer Or water main proposition,
the council would have taken immedi-
ate action. AS to public opinion he
said there was only one conclusion to
reach, that being that the people
favored creOsOte
t.