The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1909-07-23
PARK CENTER OF THE
STREET-SAvE MONEY
East Main Property Holders Have a
Scheme Whereby They Can Beau
fifty Thoroushfare and DO
1t Cheaply.

Although property owners Interested
street have not yet reached an agree
ment as to the variety of pavement
to be laid it is considered a certainty
that the Improvement will be made
There is some talk of parking the cen
ter of the thCroughfare for a distance
of 16 feet, and in case the traction
surrenders it's franchise for a double
track, this may be decided upon.
The street is so feet wide: the street
car. company has a franchise for
double track which is 16 feet, leaving
A feet to be paved. or % feet on
either side of the street car franchise.
If the street car company retains it's
franchise it is argued it should keep
up with the street improvements If
it will relinQuish it's franchises, then
it is the plan to park this 16 feet in
the center of the street AS Walla
Walla has no street improved in this
way and AS this part of East Main is
near the business center of the city.
it will make an attractive feature for
the whole city as it can easily be seen
from the retail districts of Walla
Walla
Parking Cheaper.
It is figured this parking can be
done cheaper than paving and would
materially lessen the paving burden
at this time 1t is also said should
the property owners later decide to
pave this strip, it would cost compar-
atively nothing to take up the park
iy,cr rat tn ,f
one property owno. said the parking
would add more to the value of the
property. as residence property, than
paving or a street car line 1t would
make the prettiest inside residence
district in the city,
Coincident with the parking idea
and in connection with the plan. at
the intersection of East Main. Isaacs
avenue and East Rose is a triangular
strip of ground belonging to the city
which will be beauti1ed into park.
1t has been the plans or Mrs. H. P
Issacs for some time to place in this
small park fountain connected with
city water where man and beast can
quench their thirst and towards the
erection of which she will donate no
little sum of money. The city and
adjoining property owners are al
>eady having this small piece of
ground graded by hauling in dirt
which is being secured from the sur
plus where streets are being graded
in other parts of the city. The two
ideas of parking the center of the
street and converting this piece of
ground into public pa1k is meeting
favorably with the property owners
in this section of the city and is re-
ceiving no little encouragement from
other districts. When Isaacs avenue
and East Main street are. improved
with macadam and paving, autos and
vehicles can travel from near Clinton
street on Issacs avenue to the O. K. d
~ rassengdc station on paved thOro'-
fares and on the journey Will mass by
the East Main park and the parking in
the street.
Estimates of Cost.
1t is estimated that if the entire
16 feet of the street we're paved 1t
would cost the city $40 to maintain
and it would not cost that much dur
ing the few summer months to NOW
the grass and prune the shrubbery
and roses The ground could De
s1I,inkled by a round trip of the city
sprinkler.
That the company does not Intend
to hold its franchise on this street is
borne out by the fact that Manager
OConner, it is reported, has taken
the matter up with the company's at
torney with a view to relinqulshlng
the franchise. 1t is said that When
General Manager WEIGH was here sew
eraI weeks ago when asked concerning
the paving question on East Main
street said that if the company could
not keep up with it's part of the street
improvements, the franchise would be
relinquished.
Whether those in favor of the
parking will win out, is a matter that