The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1908-05-14
Balm Wagon Co. Begins Work
Of Tearing Down Old Build
ings on Market Square
LAST DAYS FOR OLD EYE SORE
Company Will Erect Brick Buildings to
Replace the Old Wooden Ware
house, But Work May Not
Be Done This Year
(From Tuesdays Daily.)


People owning property on Market
Square are having a quiet little cele-
bration today on account of the fact
that this morning a force of workmen
began the work of tearing down the
old wooden warehouses which have so
long been the eye sore of Market
Square. The Balm Wagon Company
which owns the building has taken
this first step in carrying out the agree
ment with the city which carried as it's
reward the vacation of small portion
Of Pearl street to the company. The
old buildings have been standing on
the Square for more than a quarter of
a century and for the last ten years
they have presented a decidedly dilap-
idated picture The buildings from
Church street to Chicago street will all
be taken down at once and the property
will probably be vacant before the end
Of the week. 1t is the purpose of the
company to erect brick buildings on the
street, but it is possible that this work
will not be done this year. Under it's
agreement with the city all of these
buildings must be torn down and the
company must at once build a retaining
wall before the Square is filed up for
paving. Contracts for this wall will be
let today and the company will make
an effort to have the work completed
before the paving contractors are ready
to go on with their work. The removal
| of the old buildings and the building
of the brick buildings will be one of the
greatest improvements made in Kenosha
in years The ordinance for the vaca-
/, ton Of the portion of Pearl street which
was the condition for the removal of
| the buildings was signed by Mayor
tScholey last night after the company
had made written agreement with
the city in regard to the things that
were to be done. In addition to tear
ing down the old buildings the company
has agreed to pave Pearl street from
Main street to Chicago street. The east
end of the street will be curbed with
lime stone and paved with vitrifed
brick while the hill at the corner of
Chicago street will be paved with cedar
blocks it being found impossible to pave
such a steep grade with brick. The
work Of improving the street will start
at once and will be completed within
another month The company secures
fifteen feet Of the street from Crooked
alley to Church street and it is under
Iscood that the company will at once
remove all the stock that has been piled
on the south side Of Pearl street and
the street will be opened for the use
of the people. It is expected that the
work on Market Square will be under
way within the next two weeks The
contract for the paving of the Square
has been let to Chris Petersen and he
lis to start work in six weeks. In the
meantime the city has ordered that the
sewer, gas and water stubs be laid in
the street and the street assessment
committee is to solve the question of
sewer for the street. This promises to
be quite problem, but it is thought
that a solution will be ready for the
Council by next Monday night and that
the sewer can be put in before the paw
ing contractor is ready to start work.
The Council is determined to have all
this work completed before the opening
of another winter.