Cameron County press. [volume] (Emporium, Cameron County, Pa.) 1866-1922, 1908-06-18
THE PAVING
QUESTION.

Mrs. 3. M. Newton, of New York city,
who is visiting in Emporium this sum-
mer, to publish the following letter
from Mrs A. E. Howard, of Williams.
port, who owns the large and valuable
business block, corner of Fourth and
Cherry streets, with frontage of fifty
five feet on Fourth street:
The following letter is sample of the trend of
public opinion on the pavement question::
Wlamsport Pa, June 18TH 1903.
MRS. NEWTON,
DEAR FRIEND Yours ofthe 18th at hand, and
contents noted.
In reply will say have no money to put in
paving the street of Emporium You fight it,
and will help you all ! can.
think the times are too hard to start any
such expense as that.
Very sincerely,
MRS. a. f. HOWARD.
| We gladly publish the above, yet we
do not endorse the sentiments. In fact
the PRESS is emphaticaliy in favor of
paving as many squares as our citizens
express a willingness to defraY their
| share of the cost of brick paving. Our
Borough Council having manifested
desire that at least one Thousand feet be
paved at once, commencing from the
brick paving in front of the Olmsted
block, to Wood street corner, dis
tance of one thousand feet or more.
The age of advancement and improve
ment demands that Emporium take its
| place with all important county seat
towns. The work can be done now
very cheaply, much less than when the
| last paving was laid. Thus far Hon.
! Josiah Howard has literally donated
large sum Of money to lay the solid
| foundation that will enable the brick
| ing of our main street at very reason
able price.
Those opposed to bricking the street
are circulating reports that the cost
will be TOO great. Let us see: The
paving from the Episcopal church west
to the Olmsted block cost 81 20 per
square yard, equal to $7,17 per lineal
foot, of which the property owner
would pay one third of the cost, or 81 80
per lineal foot on a fifty foot street.
making the total cost for so foot 'front.'
|
thousand feet, the total cost will be
| $7,170.00-and not $3.50 or $4,000 as
put up by the Independent. These are
correct figures upon the actual cost and
the Borough defrays third of the
cost of paving from Olmsted block.
Now, that our citizens, backed by the
energetic councilmen, desire to place
Emporium where she belongs, and fur
nish employment to large number of
men during the summer months and
pave our streets, up jumps the ''knock-
er" and all kinds of Tommy-rot argu-
ments are used to bemuddle the aver
age citizen. Again, this same class of
obiectors never stop to consider that
the Borough authorities are favoring
the property owner by agreeing to re-
lieve them of one-third the expense,
while they can force the property
owner to pay the ENTIRE cost of the
paving, which the Borough may be
forced to do, or continue hauling mud
into the streets and squandering the
tax. payers money. The public spirit
ed citizens are determined that our
streets shall be improved and the
squandering of money stopped.
We dislike to take issue with our
esteemed and talented lady friends,
yet our duty to our town makes it alb
solutely necessary. You are radically
wrong and mistaken, or misinformed.
A glance at the assessment books of
the Borough, which we made yester-
day, convinces us that the valuations
in very many instances are altogether
; too low.
Paving should be done now and the
cost should be carefully looked into.
We are interested in our, town, heavy
taxpayer and certainly would not
think of urging an unwarranted ex-
penditure.
In closing, we ask all citizens, who
live here, expect to remain here and
improve our beautiful little city, to sit
down and ask themselves honestly:
Does not every public improvement
add to the value of my property.
House for Rent or Sale.
Six room house situated on West
Fifth street, supplied with gas and
| city water and bath, toilet and labora
tory, for rent or sale. Inquire of III.
, Day at the tannery office. 17-tf.