Arizona republican., 1911-06-14
.C0MM|SSI|Ul.Inli' I|Ul.Ili'''''
AND COUNCIL
Discuss Paving and Light
Problems
SUCCESS WITH CONTRACTS
Yardage Totaled $4,000 Last
Night Success Predicted
Was Fully Realized Two
Greatest improvements In
History of Phoenix.

A joint meeting of the city council
and the paving commission was held
yesterday afternoon in the directors
rooms Of the Valley bank, to dis
cuss matters relative To the prepar-
alton of the streets for paving. The
new lighting system recently proposed
and recommended by the commission
was also discussed.
At the last meeting of the council
the installation of five three-light
standards on the frontages of the
city hall square was authorized. three
standards to be placed on the Wash
ington street frontage, one on the
First street and one on the Second
street frontage. The standards IA
vored by the council were similar to
those now in use before the National
Bank Of Arizona building.
This action Of the council brought
4 request from the paving commits
sion that the style and number OF
standards be reconsidered. as that
body had recommended the use of
eight standards to the block. four on
a side, and il was hoped that the
council would consider its order.
as the placing of three lights before
the city hall would i'm a measure
spoil the symmetry of this plan
Instead of advocating the use Of
either three or four lights to the
standard. the commission. after care
full investigation. has decided 10 rec
al
wired that four may be turned off
after midnight, and the fifth left
burning all night. This arrangement
would furnish brilliant illumination
in the earlier hours of the evening,
and would give adequate light by
night.
No action was taken i'm the matter
but the members Of the commission
hope their request will be granted as
the effect of the lighting system
will be greatly increased If the lights
are placed in uniform and symmetri-
cal order. The illumination furnished
by five-light standards would be
sufficient to make the down town
avenues of Phoenix famous for the
excellence and brillance Of the light
ing system, and the use of lights of
the same number and power i'm other
cities justifies the recommendation
Of the commission.
In the question of changing the 10
cation Of the grade monuments, the
two bodies have not yet reached
definite agreement, the commission
advising that they be moved to the
side Of the street, and the majority
nf hn1 ~. ,ft
engineer, that they should be left in
the center. If the recommendation Of
the council is followed the monuments
will be left in their present posi-
ton. and will be made accessible
by having manholes built around them
in the paving This feature was OBJ
jected to by Councilman McElroy, who
stated that the report of the street
commissioner of New York declared
the heaviest expense of the city in
street repairing to be in keeping the
paving around the iron manhOles in
good condition. The heavy iron of
the manhole. resting on the softer
surface of the paving. has, he said.
damaging effect on the bitulithic
when a heavy load is driven over it,
and the cost of repairing these breaks
IS heavy when any number of man
holes are installed. His contention
was that If the work is done with an
idea of future economy. there should
he as few manholes as possible built
in.J the stieet.
The city engineer maintains that
the money spent in putting in the
manhole. and in keeping the paving
around them in good repair, would be
justified by the money saved later in
surveys, it being stated that the eX
pense of surveying from side monu-
ments would be greater than from
the monuments if left in their pres
ent position This contention was
partially overcome by the statement
Of the fact that it has been found
larger cities to place the monuments
on the side of the street. the cOntrac-
tors representative, Mr.. +. p. Con-
way, having explained to the COM
mission the methods followed else
where in disposing of the problem.
The question will be considered in
greater detail before n definite con-
clusion is reached.
The success predicted for the con-
tractor yesterday in gaining enough
additional contracts for paving to
was realized. when it was found. on
tabulating the result of the days work
that the total was slightly greater
than that amount II was stated last