Putnam patriot., 1910-09-02
Streets aad Side walks.


 blems of all growing municipalities Is providing good streets and sidewalks in order to get the best suited for each different portion of the city according to the amount and character of the travel thereon. Tho business streets re- autre one kind of treament and the re- sidential portion another.
 Street and sidewalk improvement Is now the order. Each is indispensable where city, large or small, expects To grow and prosper as il should. Attrac- tive streets and sidewalks are an indis- pensable asset even while possessing all other advantages that give attrae- tiveness. What apparently appears too costly may. tn the end, prove the most economical.
 The citizens of Putnam, within rc. cent years, have siriyen to have both good streets and good sidewalks, and have willingly incurred large expense to possess each.
 It may be thai they can look back and see how they might have done bet ter had the matter been more carefully considered both for appearance and eco nomy.
 In the recent movement to have the main thoroughsares oiled and laid with trap rock, our city has not only been guided by the best practical experi- mental work in the country and the maturest judgment of the ablest road experts, but has undertaken the work ahead of some of the larger cities. The appearance of the streets may not seem handsome or inviting, but our faith must look to the future when they will be seen In their complete and finished condition, ana consider the attending benefits they will indirectly confer up- on all our citizens.
 In time some more important and valuable system may be discovered and nc doubt will in the march of i'm. provement going on--but our citizens will never have to feel regret that they adopted the best possible when they had to build their streets.
 As to the sidewalks: that Is more difficult problem to solve. There is no settled standard to pattern after. The large cities use fiag.stones Of var ious quslities--all enduring, and the best kind to have where they can be had reasonably cheap. Brick is used where they are not too costly, In large and small places, and make good and lasting walks. Tar walks have been popular everywhere, and where laid by experts, of the best materials, are not only pleasant to walk over but are nice looking. For outlying streets cin- ders and ashes are used and make very good walks.
 Our city took up the construction of sidewalks at an early dat. and on q large scale--choosing tar, or concrete, az they are properly designated. As an entirety they have not proved satisfac- tory; neither have they proved econi- cal when the aniount of repairing re- quifed is taken into account. When out of repair the concrete is very un- pleasant to walk overland most of them are in that condition about all the time. It is possible they can be made more enduring.
 We notice, in travelling around the city, that the wide-awske property owners, gre using various materials in- stead Of concrete. We cannot name them in detail. Among the good ap- bearing and no doubt cheap side aIks, are those of cement, but there are other new and no doubt chesp materials sused In preference to concrete. And ., mum. ber--hslf . dozen or more--lots with gfanolithic walks are to te scen--much to the credit of. the property owners. In every wsy they appear superb. If they are enduring as they are beautifsi the best streets should have such sidc- walks. They would greatly enrich the appearance Of such streets. The raii- road eompany-which studies economy in such matters very clo~<iy--has laid down good many thousands of square feet Of gFanoiithio around its station, and looks as perfect as when laid down about two years ago.
 Our object In this article is not to ad- yocate any systsm or kind of side walks. The city has come to time in ils needs, when t must take up the question for final settlement. and de- eido what system of plan must bs ths guide for building tt1 stdswaIks. Not tearing. up any unneesauariiy, b0s Whoa . sidswalk is to be Iakd down t is - - nads to sonf0sm sO soms ssttled plon0 thae wh1n . stsess ia naished it VIII te h hosmony, in iia entiseey. with IT. pian afsptsd.