The Black Hills union and western stock review. [volume] (Rapid City, S.D.) 1904-19??, 1909-07-09
Want STREET
PAVING NOW
Petition Presented Asking to
Have Quincy Street
Improved.
VERY MUCH NEEDED
Rapid City is Taking Rank of
Commercial Importance
and must Improve

AN0 OVS
The meeting of the council last
evening developed the fact that
others have ideas about ''my poll
cies" as we'll as does Theodore Roose-
velt A petition signed by practi-
cally all of the residents on Quincy
street, between Sixth and Twelfth,
asking that the street be graded
and nacaldamized between Sixth
and Twelfth streets brought out the
policy of Mayor Wood, not to run
the city into debit. The petitioners
agreed to pay for all of the work
with the exception of that done on
the intesecting streets. The petit
tom was presented by John j. Hayes
and he had with him several sup
iporters, incluil ilhng George Bennett
and ]. G. Haines.
After reading the petition, Mayor
Wood said am not opposed to
the improvements, favor them, but
we have no money. My promise to
the people before my election was
that If elected would have dol
lar i'm the city treasury before ex-
pended a dollar. am willing to
walk on the honest old dirt side
walks and streets If we cannot pay
for better ones. am pledged to
pay off our old debts before we con-
beautiful but before we have a city
beautiful insist on having a city
with credit
T At this point Mr.. Hayes interrupted
with the remark that the city had
just seen fit to spend $500 for a
firemen's tournament and he thought
it high time that something was done
of permanent use to the city.
This brought Chief McElroy to
his feet, who said '"The $500 was
all spent on the streets In grading
and repairs and, this is of permanent
value to the CITY," :.
Continuing, Mayor Wood said:
1--WE pay no taxes for permanent
improvements; should the town vote
to go dry next spring / don't know
what you would do to run the city
government. While l do not own
the city government or control the
council, still affirm my policy,
which lis not to spend a dollar un-
til we have it in the treasury
George Bennett then took occa-
sion to say: II admire the attitude
taken by Mayor Wood in 1896, when
we were a small village, now we
are a city and a growing one at
that Everyone who comes here de-
,plores the condition of our streets
and sidewalks. Three bankers, who
spent several days at my home
recently, asked: What's the matter
with your streets and after ex-
planning the city's debt and how 1t
was incurred their only reply was:
This is poor time to retrench.' In
refusing to improve our city as re-
CARDS streets and sidewalks l can
not help but feel that we are adopt
ing policy of penny wise and pound
foolishness. By doing SO we are
driving people away who desire to
locate here, build homes and make
Rapid City their permanent abiding
place. II we can bring homes and
capital to Rapid City that is what
we want. This is no time to re-
trench. Even if the mayor is OPP
posed to these improvements, /
think the council should do some
thing, as things exist at present we
are the laughing stock of eastern
South Dakota"
Someone twitted, Mayor Wood of
having been mixed up in the $40,-
900 bond deal at the time the Elk
horn branch of the North Western
vas built to Rapid City. After ex-
planning the pressure which was
brought to bear on citizens by the
railroad officials at that time the
mayor concluded his story by saying:
II have no apologies to make, my
action then and the action OF men as
sociated with me made Rapid City
what it is today
In reply to Mr.. Bennett he related
the story of the wealthy New York.
ers, who during the war visited
President Lincoln seeking protec
ton for their city and principall,
for their $60,O00.000. Lincol1
said to them: 'If had $50, 900.
900 worth of property wnuI
build some gunboats and protect m!
property"
Now" said the mayor, ito shoy
4 you that l am interested and wan
to see the improvement made
i will suggest that the city pay one
half Of the expense Of paving tn
intersecting streets II the propert
/ owners will pay the other one-half.
I'VE won't do It. 2 came the quic
!. reply from Mr.. Hayes. 5s
well chen" said the mayor. 9
lwiM par for one Of the intersection