Polk County observer. (Monmouth, Polk County, Or.) 1888-1927, 1911-01-20
PAVING FOR DALLAS.


Forest Grove is another live Oregon
town that is preparing to pave it's
business streets. The people of the
Grove will waste no money on the
macadam makeshift, but will. put
down hard-surface pavement at the
start and thus save the property
owners needless worry and expense.
1t is not yet too late for Dallas to
correct, at comparatively small cost,
the mistake made two years ago when
macadam streets were built in the
business district. BY removing the
mud and surface dressing, it will
probably be found practicable to use
the present foundation as a sub
stratum for the smooth pavement. III
this saving is to be made, however,
the work will have to be done without
delay, as this foundation, in its pres
ent unprotected condition, will not
long withstand the winter rains and
heavy travel.
We believe people who did not
agree with the Observer at the time
will now admit that this newspaper
knew what it was talking about when
it said two years ago that mac
adam streets would be short-lived
in the business portion of the
city. The loss, though, need not be
complete, unless the people want it to
be. BY commencing work early in
the Spring and removing the mud and
top coating, it is altogether probable
that the greater part of the founda-
tion can be saved. Placing the hard
paving material on this rock founda-
tion would doubtless raise the grade
of the streets a few inches, in making
the top dressing sufficiently thick to
Withstand heavy travel, but this
change would be neither unsightly nor
inconvenient; in fact, it is the opin-
ion Of many that the streets would be
better with a somewhat higher crown.
The prices for hard surfaclng have
been steadily reduced in the last two
years, and smooth pavement is now
within the reach of all towns. One
important advantage in Dallas favor
is that the city owns a rock quarry
and a thoroughly-equlpped crushing
plant This is a feature no contractor
would fail to consider when making
his bid on the construction work, for
one of the heavy items of expense to
the street construction companies is
that of securing a rock supply and
installing crushing machinery. Ar
rangements could easily be made with
the contractor whereby the city would
be paid for the use of its crusher and
n neat saving would be effected for
the taxpayers.
The Observer has had much to say
about paved streets for Dallas and II
expects to say much more, unless
steps shall be taken to begin the i'm
provement without unnecessary delay,
There is no getting around it-no
rubbing it out--our town will never
grow as 1t ought to grow until the
business streets are paved. This has
been the experience of small towns
the world Overland Dallas will be no
exception. Paving is not an expense;
IL is an Investments permanent im-
provement. Its value attaches to the
property from the day the work Isl
completed. Aside from its many fea-
lures of utility and appearance, 1t isl
worth more than its cost, for the
simple reason that property on streets
so improved is always most in de-
mand, and buyers invariably are will
ing to pay price for such property
that will leave the seller an actual
,,rnet ~, bfs naxs{nts ipVastuaant This
is true in every city i'm the world that
has paved streets, and 1t would be just
as true in Dallas
No one questions the value of paved
streets; no one disputes their desira-
bility, viewed from the point of use
fulness, beauty, health and cleanliness.
The only feature that gives the prop
erty-owner pause is the original cost
OF the improvement. In this connec-
tion. Il is only necessary to say in
favor of smooth pavement that no
small city ever began the improve
ment without a certain amount OF
misgiving. and no city that has paved
streets would part with them at any
price. once the initial step Is taken
once the Improvement is begun
doubts and misglvlngs disappear and
a feeling Of pride and satisfaction
takes their place. When the property
owners on one street begin putting
down hard pavement what do the
property owners on the next street
do? They Immediately get busy and
circulate a petition asking the council
TO give them some OF the same.
This Is the experience Of Salem. Wood I
burn. Albany. Eugene. Medford, Ash
land. Roseburg-it is the experience
Of every small city that ever paved its
streets
Dallas cannot afford 20 fan behind
in the march Of progress. II must
not fall behind. None OF its people
are satisfied with the maoadam streets
IN the business districts-the council +
men who built them are not satisfied.
They are muddy in winter. dusty ia
summer, nlthy an the time. and unde-
sirabie In every way. Their ufe will
be short. and. unless steps are taken i
at once 10 save the foundation work. T
the expense OF their construction viii
eventually prove a total loss g the
property owners. True economy de-
mands that a. much loss as possible I
be averted The saving can come
only through prompt action.
The Observer has no expert kuowl-
edge of street building. and Il l. not
certain that smooth pavement could
be successfully laid on the present
usscadam foundation But Il sees ne
reason Why Il could not be done and
feels confident that the experiment 4
would BE- worthy Of a trial The opin- 4
ion of an expert could be secured at
q trsfing cost. and the city cEhefrs
mcurs thsn - n a position e decide