Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1908-02-27

la. Anderson Gives Some Figures
81 The Matter.

o.. the Matter
[The following communication Is published
as the Views Of the writer. for them he alone
Il responsible. In mattersof this kind we be-
lieve Ia giving III sides chaucs for their
arguments. whether or not We agree with
them EDIToR
EDIToR REFLECTOR;
You have published the views Of our
fellow citizen, H. L. Humphrey, there
fore presume it would be wise 70 set
arightany misunde rstandIDg that may
have been created by the statements
therein made, not because ] believe
they were not made in good faith but
because they contained errors which
should not stand uncorrected,
The article states Abilene has city
indebtedness Of $l43, 900. but does not
state that 100000 OF these are income
bonds and will inside Of twenty-five
years pay for themselves. No honest
citizen will say that the buying Of the
water system is notthe best invest
ment Abilene could have made. 1t
will pay for itself without working
any extra tax upon anyone, and will
leave posterity rich. besides supply
ing cheap water Then please sub
tract 100000 from $l4S,OOO and you
have net taxable indie btednsss
against the city Of $50 COO, an amount
that is very insignificant, compared
to the wealth Of the city. Other cities
of the size Of Abilene have. from two
so three times the above Indebtedness.
The second part Of the article CON
tains the information that it would
cost the city approximately $4,000
to pave its part Of the business dis
trict, This might be true If our
streets we're larger but with the pres
ent size our streets would not cost
nearly so much. For instance, the
intersection at Spruce and Second
streets would be 4OxSO feet one-half
Of which would be paid by the city,
making 1000 feet or l77 square yards
at cost Of $3.50 per yard would
amount to 1856 with possible other
expense Of $50, making total cost
S8O5 for the intersection. The condi-
tion at Broadway, Cedar and Mulberry
streets are the same only the city
would pay just twice as much or 500
for each of the three intersections
making grand total for second street
Of $2,135. The intersections on Third
street would cost more on account Of
the additional, size as these intersec-
tions have $50 square yards each ex-
elusive of the sidewalk, thus costing
at $3.50 per square yard 1915 or a
cost Of s4.875 for the five intersec-
tions, The foregoing would cover all
Of the large intersections. with the
exception of two on Fourth street,
which two would make an additional
cost Of 1880, making toe total cost
to the city for the entite teIritory'fg-
ured on; cost 1915 with possible
other expense Of $500 or a little more,
leaving the entire cost to the city
under the $4,000 mark. The prices
which are current this year for pave
ment such as Abilene desires, are
at from s1.4e to $1.46 per
square yard. EmPOria let contract
this week at cost Of &1.4s per square
yard for the best Lawrence brick.
The expense Of keeping up paved
street is very little. and would not
cost the city as much as the dirt
streets. Salina pavement which was
by the members Of the city
council, had not been swept for six
and appeared to be clean and
sanitary. With q surface cleaning by
he rains the streets would undoubt-
'dly remain clean and far more sani-
airy than they now are.
Why should the city sPead $40, 1000
n Grant township, II we are too poor
o spend such an amount within our
wn boardersP The place to begin on
good thing is at the hub and not the
i'm. Let US all pull for better local
onditions and we will soon, secure
be outlying improvements.
The advantages Of paved street are
lany and varied. Every city Of any ,
realizes that street inn q
are next to school inn
and that money spent In q
IL imnrovement Of any street for use