The Logan Republican. [volume] (Logan, Utah) 1902-1924, 1912-02-01

paving is generally met by direct
taxation, by loans, or by the better
ment system.
g.. direct taxation. Taking all the
streets of a town as whole, you
have what amounts 70 current
charge for street paving which Is
about the same each year; thus, the
charge for street.paving is not
CAPITAL expenditure but current ex-
pense on the other hand, as far as
each individual street is concerned,
the charge for paving Is a capital ex-
penditure. Thus, on the whole, 1t is
fair that much of charge for streets
should be paid for by direct taxation
BY loans. Cost of street paving paid
for by bonds spread over as long Il
period as possible, usually for a
longer period than the life of the
street. itself If there Is any surplus.
inst Fad of going to help pay off the
bonds, il is frequently turned into
the general fund of the town. TNis is
a very pernicious method. as IL Is ,
great drain on the city.
6etterment system. The principle
of this is to make the owners OF
abutting property pay portion OF
the cost. The amount levied on the
abutters varies from 10 to 30 per
cent of the cost, determined ~ the
state legislature in an act authorizing
such betterment taxes. Payments
are made either by the frontage foot
or on the assessed valuation of the
property. The cost naturally depends
on tho frontage not on the valuation,
but there is more advantage got from
tho road where the valuation is high
er. Sor,etimes a portion OF the tax
Ia paid IN both ways. BetIorments
may be raid in one year or spread
over a term of years. This systcm.
N..h assessment, based upon 'sna-
ton is enc which could be used in
E oSyr.
The cost depends directly upon the
the parking plan is adopted to de-
crease the cost. II Is inadvisable in
the dry climate of Logan to park the
center of the street; but II the bust.
ness districts had the sidewalks wild
ened and the residential districts had
grass plots beyond the sidewalk it
would lessen the cost of paving and
maintenance and yet give the effect
of a wide street. For example, Main
street in Logan is 1870 feet wide. IL
the sidewalks are made 30 feet wide
it would leave only 20 feet, of street
to be paved.
the Boosters club appointed to con
slider the question Of street paving
reports that the electric light and
telephone companies are willing to
put their wires underground in case
the city decides to pave the streets.
Then If the street car company would
move their poles to the side of the
street (and put in better looking
ones the street would be much i'm.
proved in appearance
"a
way calls for the maintenance of the
road between its rails as is usually
the case, this would also reduce the
cost of paving. In paving around the
rails of street car tracks usually gran
tie blocks are used on either side
when asphalt is the paving. After
the road between the rails is thus
paved as the jolting of the car is Il
able to crack the asphalt if II Is laid
close up TO the track.
The report of the state engineer of
the highway commissioner in Wiscon-
sin states that nine foot road Of
gravel cost in Wisconsin 81 800 per
mile, and crushed stone road $4,000
per mile. Some idea of the first cost
of paving streets can be obtained
from figures received from Milwaukee
and New York In Milwaukee the com
missioner is requesting the city coun-
eli to allow the city to do the road
work instead of doing it by contract
and gives the estimated cost of paw
ing the streets under such conditions.
In New York the figures are for the
average cost of all the work done
throughout the borough of Manhat
tan.
Cost Per Square Yard for Paving.
Milwau- New York
kee 1903 1910
Wood block &C.. ....2.40 3.24 800
Granite block. ....2.9O 3.14 3.22