The Cairo bulletin., 1908-01-08

street work, Contractors have mo-
seen their way clear 20 bid on or fol
work without first ascertaining What
disposition they could safely make 81
the bonds issued 10 them In payment
Ifor their work; and 1t seems that fol
all OF the more recent work for which
bids have been ASKED, contractors
have not been able I'd obtain such
tcffers for bonds as wauld Justify them
lin bidding for the ~ork on the basis
Iof the estimates and assessments
tniade therefor.
| Early this year it became evident
that greater difficulty was going to be
incurred in marketing such bonds OF
almost any kind Of municipal bonds
end later on 1t seemed useless to at.
tempt 1T, and hence the Board of 10
/ cal improvements deemed 1t best to
Idefer for d time at feast. the matter Of
advertising for bids on work.
| The banks here undertook to pro-
vide for the bonds issued for the
lpaving of Ohio street. Twenty-eighth
| and West Twenty-elgnth streets and
for the main sewers, but they could
| give no assurances. or any kind as to
further or other issues: and it lis
therefore, quite certain that we will
| have 10 depend almost wholly upon
contractors themselves arranging for
The disposition of their bonds issued
10 them hy the city; but they will not,
|as already stated, desire to bid until
they have reliable assurances as to
the purchase Of the bonds ii they are
not able to hold t1e same
II is thought that at an early day
contracts can be made for doing all
the paving now provided for by ordi-
nance AT all eeynts, the board win
no doubt soon advertise again for
bids not only for Washington avenue
but .also for Sycamore and Poplar
streets. I, The assesslnents for these
three great streets amount to two
hundred and thirty (230l thousand
dollars Iaad are qu;tef sufficient to Sc
cnre contractors well equipped to do
the work If the bond matter does not
Besides these three streets it is
desired by many persons that pro-
visions be made for paving Walnut
street, st. Mary's Place West. Thirty
fourth street and Eighth street, and II
our bonds can b. disposed of On
proper or satisfactory terms, all this
work ought TO be completed by the
end Of the year. Washington avenue.
Sycamore street and Poplar street
make about three and q half miles,
and should Walnut street. st. Mary's
Place West aud Thirty-fourth street
be paved, they would make almost
Two miles more. or with the other
three. five and half miles. This
much paving can he done before the
eud OF the year If arrangements can
be made for taking the city bonds.
We must also mention the matter
of the paving Of Second street. The
mayor OF the city some months ago
took hold of this matter and arranged
with the Illinois Cen;raL the Mobile &
Ohio and the Big Four railroad com
panies to pave this street at their own
expense from Ohio street to Jeffcron
avenue. The companies obtained
bids on the work which they regarded
as too high aud the stringency in
money matters coming on they decid-
81 to defer the work until spring
There is now little doubt but that
THESE companies win take hold of the
work at an early day and carry it
through to completion.
In this connection we may be
permitted To say that this Second
street work Just referred TO. is fair
and just illustration of the activity
and earnest endeavor of the mayor
NJ the city to push the work of public !
Improvements and advance in every
way the city's interests. |
Il is seen also in his procuring from
The Traction company the very recent /
paving of the intersection of Washing |
ION avenue and Eighth street.
Having been 50 closely connected |
with the matter of public improve
nents in the city now for almost two /
years. and knowing what has been
lone and by whom. We deem IL
proper to say that the mayor of the
eity has given the closest attention |
io this work. and to him certainly /
more than any one other person the
rity and public are indebted for what |
has been done and for the new era 1
In city work and Improvement aud for
IL into line with the more
advanced cities OF the state. He has /
cot been able 10 do everything. of
course: but seeing what he has done 4
and Is endeavoring 10 DO for the bet
ieFment of our city generally. to
point out or seek to point cut errors /
and omissions on bis part shows. It
seems to us. that We are on the sear'ji /
for nothing else relating to him per
sofally or officially. II we seek 10 find |
in another only faults and errors. we
ere sure to find them.
The most difficult matter before !
the city and the people Is that Of
The sewer and street filling work IN /
the westerly and northeriy parts Of /
the city While improvements may /
be made IN different parts OF the city. /
The work viii be very partial and in
complete 50 long as the. large district /