The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1912-08-17
THE NORTH BENCH WORK.

THE NORTH BENCH WORK.
We think that the Municipal Com
mission has done we'll in postponng the
paving OF the north and south streets
on the north bench. The proposition
for that paving does not seem to have
originated spontaneously with the prop
erty owners there, but to have been
stirred up by active canvassing
based upon the desire Of a company
which owns a patented paving material
to get job Of work. But it Is no
rightful part Of the progress Of any city
to take steps Of this kind merely be-
cause some concern wants work and
wants the people OF the locality to pay
for it. 1t is proverbially easy to get
signatures to petitions II given time
enough; and in a situation where no
opposition presents itself. any concern
will be able to meet the requirements
of the law In getting one-third Of the
property owners to sign for something
by overpersuasion or by representations
of advantage which may or may not
materialize. The main point on this
line Of thought, however, is that i'm
provements in city should be from
the city itself and from its citizens,
and not because Of yielding to impor-
tunities of those who want work TO do
And besides, It Is clearly a disadvan-
tage to the city to put itself in the
hands of any patent monopoly, seeing
that the people would be pretty apt in
the long run to pay dear for their sur
render,
Such disabilities as are to be noted
on that bench by reason Of the wash
ing OF gravel and mud upon The paved
street intersections, can be cured very
easily, even the present year before
winter comes. by grading, curbing, and
guttering. This would obviate all ma
streets in good shape. We venture to
say that there is no paving known that
is superior TO the natural surface of
the north and south streets in that part
of town. The earth roads give good
foothold to horses, and the gravel Of
the surface affords the roughening that
is desired. The automobile traffic in
that part of town is not 30 great as to
make it desirable to impose such bur
dens On. the property owners as the
paving would require, merely for the
better convenience Of the automobile,
The Tribune has always stood for i'm
provements, and stands for improve
ments now. It believes that ii voices
the general sentiments Of the property
owners in that part of town when it
says that the grading. curbing and gut
tering will be sufficient for the present,
and that when the time comes for paw.
ing. the Utah material, the rock asphalt,
should be used This makes a good
street, as can be seen on the block be-
tween West Temple and First West
street On Second South and if there be
any fear Of monopoly or combination
against the city to raise the price Of
rock asphalt, it is to be remem bered
that the city itself a few years ago
bought, on representation that the de-
posits were ample and well workable.
a tract of asphalt beds little above
Thistle station, in Utah county. We
see no reason, when the time comes,
why this asphalt deposit owned by the
city should not be worked. and on ia,
vorablc freight rates brought to this
citv for paving on the north bench.
when the property owners really de.
tcrmine that they want paving there;
and this city-owned rock asphalt could
also be used anywhere else where paw
ing is to be laid. The sentiment for
using home material is overwhelming.
and the asphalt beds held by the city
can either be drawn upon for that ma
tive product or can be held in reserve
to prevent any combination that might
be disposed TO raise the prices on the
property owners of the city of the rock
asphalt for the paving Of our streets.