Rogue River courier. (Grants Pass, Or.) 1886-1927, 1910-02-18

Inc one subject IN the mlnus VI
a majority of our citizens is street
paving. Mud has so long been a
part of life in this city that men and
women are in open revolt because of
the nuisance. They have demanded
not only that the streets be paved
but that the best material be used
Nothing short of bitulithic will be
tolerated. Once they would have been
glad to have had macadam, in fact,
anything to do away with the mud
holes, but as time wore on they be-
came more and more resolved to have
pavement and would accept nothing
short of the best. The property own
ers, like wise people, led the way and
made it possible that street improve
ment should start without delay.
The tenth year of the twentieth
century will see the inauguration in
Grants Pass of numerous important
features in our municipal advance
ment, but the one Of greatest i'm
portance will be the paving OF our
business centers, and 1t will also be
the first enterprise to be undertaken.
People are so anxious to do away
with former conditions in our thor
oughfares that they will hail with de-
light the commencement of the pub
lie work which our city fathers and
our citizens committee have so faith
fully labored to bring about.
The street committee has about
completed its apportionment to the
property owners, Of the costs Of the
various improvements, contemplated
on Sixth, F and G streets, az taken
from the estimated cost prepared by
the city engineer. This will appear
In the form Of report and state
ment of items of cost, together with
a certified abstract of title to the
property assessed.
There are so many conditions
which have to do with the distribu.
tlon of the costs OF improvement
that some explanation at this time
may not be amiss. According to the
city charter the corner lot shall pay
for flve-ninths of the cost of the
quarter intersection of streets and
alleys in the block, and the remain
ing four-ninths OF the quarter inter
sections is borne by the remaining
lots or parts OF lots to the center OF
the block, according to the area as
originally plated and numbered, re-
gardless OF any transfers which may
nave been made under other descrip-
tious.
The entire cost of the pavement,
storm sewer, new walk IL feet in
width, and old walks where already
in widened to IL feet, or an addition
al width OF 1.5 feet, Ia estimated for
the length Of the improvement and
assessed to the abutting property
as stated above, so that property in
front Of which shall be built walks
entirely new, has a greater assess
ment to pay than where old walk is
widened. Also there is a difference
In the intersection costs at F and G
streets from the other intersections
under the same conditions, from the
fact that these two streets are only
80 feet In width. Again, where the
corner lot is 25-foot lot and pays
five-ninths OF the quarter intersec-
ton, the four-ninths is distributed
over the remaining five 25-foot lots
to the center OF the block, which
makes a smaller assessment to two
2o-foot lots than is assessed to one
5O-foot lot where the corner lot is
feet, for the reason that the five
ninths Is distributed over a larger
area, leaving one hundred feet to pay
the four-ninths, while in the case OF
the 25-foot lots 1875 feet pays the
four-ninths. For example: Lots 7
and s in block 40 pay intersection
1862. while lot in block 33, OF
the same area, pays intersection
s95.40. The street plans and meth
DDS OF calculation and assessment as
provided by the city charter are on
file In the office OF the city surveyor,
who will explain the conditions 10
those who may wish TO enquire.
General Plan.
The first step will be removing