Polk County observer. (Monmouth, Polk County, Or.) 1888-1927, 1912-05-21
WHY PROCRASTINATE?

If the Commercial club wants to do
something truly worth while for Dali
las--and it is to be taken for granted
that it does-it will lose no opportu-
nifty to promote the building of hard
trict. While it Is the duty Of the city
council to help bring about this i'm
pOrtant improvement, yet the Com
mercial club can do much to hasten
the work, If it will only lend it's en-
cOuragement and its influence in Gre
ating sentiment in favor of modern
paved streets.
The pavement problem is one that
Dallas must face, if it's citizens would
hope to see their little city keep pace
of progress and civic improvement.
Every day of delay is expensive. AL
ready ours is the only city of over
1000 inhabitants in Western Oregon
that has no paved streets; or, at least,
that has made no move toward Sc
curing such an improvement Such
a condition of affairs is not at all
creditable to a city so far ahead in
all other lines of growth and enter
prise.
Woodburn, Forest Grove, Hillsbol o,
Corvallis, Cottage Grove, Independ-
ence-none of them better towns
than Dallas, and some of them with
less than half our taxable wealth.
have hard paved streets McMinn-
vile, tired of wasting good money on
unsatisfactory and unsightly macad-
am, voted last year to build smooth
pavement. Through a slight error in
the legal proceedings, the bond cleo
ton was found to be invalid and the
improvement had to be abandoned for
the year. A few weeks ago anoth-
er election was held and the property
owners voted for the Improvement by
a larger majority than before. Con-
tracts will be awarded at once and
every effort will be made to have at
least the greater portion of the bust
ness district paved before the next
rainy season begins
The Observer earnestly hopes to
see Dallas the next town to take up
the work of paving its business thor
oughfares. This newspaper has al
ways favored the hard-surface pave
ment, knowing il to be the best and
cheapest In the long run. 1t had
hoped that Dallas would move directly
from the gravel period of its existence
thus avoid all costly experiments in
unsightly unsatisfactory, and unsan-
itary macadam, 1t believes vet that
the property-owners would now be
money ahead. had the council shared
I'm this view. At no time would il
have been necessary for any property
owner To pay his entire assessment in l
"A lump sum, as the Bancroft Bonding
Act was in force long before the /.
Improvement was begun. /
BY taking advantage of this altogether /
wise and desirable law, any property /
owner not desiring 10 pay for his inn
at once could have met
he expense in ten annual INSTALL
nents. thus making the tax burden
Easy to be borne. This annual pay
nent plan is the one adopted by all of
he smaller cities which now enjoy
he luxury of smooth-paved streets.
md Il is "a privilege which cannot be
lenied TO any taxpayer who desires
O avail himself OF its benehcent pro-
isions.
The Observer desires to urge once
gain the importance OF paved
treets for the otherwise beautiful {
own Of Dallas. Il hopes the begin
ing of this all-important improve
lent is not far ahead. knowing FUN
'ell that with an Of the prosperity
lready enjoyed. Dallas real indus
-ial and commercial growth will date ,
rom the day that the first yard OF ,
pavement is laid in its ,
usiness streets; knowing. also. that +,
o matter how diligently we may.
rive in other lines OF development.
he city will never attain 20 its de-
red and deserved Importance until !,
has paved thoroughfares.
This newspaper would not have it,
n understood as advocating hard !
,vcment for the residence district. :,
here vehicle traffic Is light and !,
here well-made mscadam streets
m fulhn every practical requirement !,
r a score OF years 10 come. Dallas =,
reefs are wide and residence lots are
rge. and IL would be unjust 70 tax 2
FOR an Improvement
ither necessary nor desired. But
the business district. hard pave s
mt is the only surface that VIII y
or successfully withstand the heavy =.
INC. II Is the only surface that