Omaha daily bee., 1908-10-01


not. personally, say whether this report as
to the payment of royalties in England is
correct or not.
w are just beginning upon an era of
the construction of great plants for large
cities, while a multitude Of sewage puri-
fication plants will be required for the
smaller municipalities. Our municipalities
are interested in this matter not merely
from a financial standpoint, but from that
of public health. Poor sanitation will be
fatal to the development of our cities and
towns. 1t is the duty of each progressive
municipal officer to thoroughly inform him
self in regard to all aspects OF this great
question"
How Detroit Does Things.
The delegates paid the closest attention
to the last address of the morning, that by
F.. r. Schreiter, clerk Of the common coun-
! ell committees of Detroit. The subject of
Mr.. schreiter's address was How Detroit
Handles Paving Contracts, Cleans Streets
and Controls Its Light and Water and
by reason of its triple dealing and with
! subjects OF interest to every municipality
the address was we'll received.
Mr.. Schreiter stated that Detroit is au-
thorlzed by charter to force paving to
the amount of $4,000 yearly. BY this pro-
vision in the charter the owners of vacant
property cannot hold up the paving of a
street by refusing to sign a petition asking
that the work be done. Should the ooun-
Gil decide that a certain street should be
paved, 1t CAM order the work done and
tax the cost against the owners OF the
abutting property. In addition to the
forced" paving, on the average OF $4,000
a year is spent in paving streets where
petitions have been signed and presented.
The property owners pay for paving the
street the first time, all repavihg being
paid by general tax The intersections are
paid out of the general fund.
During the present year the city Of De-
troit spent 81, 4S6, AZ IN paving and repairing,
the amount being divided as follows:
Forced paving, sSoO,OOO; petition paving
$4,000; paving street intersections. $4,000
paving along and between street railway
tracks, $25.OOO; patching, repairing and Sc
surfacing, s5s4O43.
Mileage and Materials,
Detroit has 10 miles of streets paved
with cedar blocks, seventy-four miles Eaved
with brick, nfty-four mics paved with as
phalt, five miles paved with stone and one
mile each OF mscadam and c~reosote block
paving.
lhN oNNld6N biue AOl aSHAeAA IaNiAS iI4h
t2.27 Ier square yard, the city built its
own asphalt plant at a cost OF SIS 900 and
the commissioner Of public works now doe'
| the city's paving at a cost Of Si.s4 o ysrd
The plant has the capacity of 1850 square
yards a day.
The metropolis OF Michigan also owns
its " electric light plant, which saves
the municipality 500 per year per arc light
The plant was bull. in 1898 ana cost $685. c0
Nearly 4,O0O street arc lights, 5000 mean,
descent lights In school buildings and en-.
CINE houses and $50 motors are run by It.
The water works plant has been owned
by the city since 1858 and is under the d.
rect charge OF a commission, resulting II
Detroit having fewer cases OF typhoid feyel
than any city In the union. The metel
rate for the fret $1,000 gallons of water In
Detroit is n.7S. The municipal waite
works plant. including the real estate
buildings, docks. basins. tunnels and en-.
gines Is valued at Ss.49,s0.
Detroit expended NS.OO for cleaning ia
streets and Nl3,sA for cleaning its alleyi
In 1907. Machine sweepers. flushing ma
chimes and white wings are used.
FAvOrs Municipal Ownership.
Il certainly believe in municipal owner
ship Of public utilities said Mr.. schreite.
In conclusion. our experience in Detroi
has shoNn That We make a large stvine Fl
tne Cost oi street hshung ia The cost .