Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1911-01-12
PAYING DONE
ABILENE HAS $4,000 WORTH OF
SMOOTH STREETS.
Asphalt Covers Entire Business Sec
tlOn and Now COmes the Mat
ter Of Paying the Bills
Law Gives Plan.
From fridays Daily.l

EtOm rttuhy OahJt
The paving Is done at last! Lat
last evening the asphalt surface wal
laid at the intersection Of Fourth
and Cedar streets, and 1t was all over
There are several days, yet before
the time limit specified in the city's
contract with the Capital City Con-
struction Co. expires. All day yes
terday the men employed on the con-
tract worked feverishly. They wanted
it to be the last day. For awhile II
was thought the finishing touches
would have to be laid over till this
morning. Accidents to minor parts
OF the machinery of the asphalt mixer
delayed the work. but these were
finally repaired and the job went
through on schedule time.
The general sentiment seems to be
that 1t was a pretty good job at that.
When the excitement of official in
spections and consultations with the
engineers had died down and the mis-
givings Of the prescriptions had
subsided, people began to realize
that the specifications Of their con-
tract called for a grade Of paving
far better than what the average
town receives, and that the spirit
Of the contract. in the main, had been
lived up to. II any defects appear
the city has the bond Of the con-
struction company absolutely guar
anteeing their work for five years.
and on part of 1t ten-year guar
anty.
Alleys Must Wait.
1t was the original intention of the
council after streets were finished
to proceed at once with the paving
Of the alleys In the down town dis
trict, using the same material as for
the streets. But this idea has been
abandoned, and the contract with
the Capital City people for the alley |
pavements has been withdrawn. An
other contract will probably be let
in the near future and the work will
be taken up in the spring. The
council has decided to use concrete
blocks instead Of asphalt for the al
leys.
Paying the Bills. i
Now the question Is, how to pay
tie fiddler. The council will proba-
bly, authorize the tax levy to meet
the expense Of paving at its regular
session tonight. After the levy is
made, property owners will have thir-
ty days in which to pay their assess
ments in full. After that the assess
ments remaining unpaid will be COW
cred by an issue of ten year bonds,
which will be taken up by ten equal
annual payments. Add five per cent
interest to the amount of your as
sessment If you decide to meet 1t
on the ten-year annual payment plan
instead OF cash in advance.
Method of Assessment.
The manner of assessing the cost
of paving has caused much discussion.
Many have an idea that each lot pays ,
50 much a front foot for the cost OF
pavement and gutter to the middle
Of the street. Another theory is
that a block bounded by four streets
is assessed in a lump and the amount :
apportioned according to value of
each lot to pay the paving around
the block to the center of the street.
Neither of these is correct" said ,
City Attorney Crawford to the Re-
Hector. THE supreme court has
PASSED on the method Of pavement
taxation twice and Interpreted the
statutes. The method used is to pay
for each section OF stleet block
long by assessment propcrtionately I.
to the valuation on tit two half
bEeC ks fal'g. the street. .
For instance the block of Third
street from Broadway to Spruce, af-
ter the total expense of paving, gut
tering, filling and excavating is fig :
ured and its share apportioned to
this block will be paid -; by the !,
north half Of the block Of which the