The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1913-03-14
needs Of the time, the criticism is all
the more pertinent.
STREET INTERSECTION PAVING.

The House having concurrcd with
the Senate in the passage of the Dill
to permit the assessment Of the cost
Of paving street Intersections upon the
adjoining property owners for hair
block in each OF two directions for
each quarter Of such intersection,
doubtless the Governor will sign the
bill. Thereupon it will be open to the
people of the city to get on with their
street paving unobstructed, and with
out loading an impossible burden upon
the city treasury.
As explained heretofore, this meas
uYe provides for the division Of the
intersection into four small squares,
each to be taken care Of by an
equitable assessment upon the prop
crty Of the block in each of two di-
rcctions from the intersection. The
cost Of paving this small quarter OF
the intersection will be very light
when distributed among the property
owners of $50 feet frontage on the
large blocks or $50 feet frontage on
the small blocks. Where there are
street car lines, the square to be taken
care of by each Of these divisions OF
realty proprietorship will be very
small, and the cost will be correspond
ingly reduced.
The measure Is properly guarded,
however, so as not to be oppressive
upon any property owner. The realty
owners along the block are the ones
who will have the ultimate say in the
whole matter. If they do not want
the paving, 81 per cent of the
frontage involved can stop it. If
they do, they will cheerfully assume
the small cost of their portion of paw
ing the quarter Of the street inter
section.
Some years ago when this was pro-
posed under the American administra-
ton, there was a howl Of indignant
protest on the part Of those who quiet
ly acquiesce in the adjustment as
now made. The Deseret News was the
special organ of that bowling oppo-
sition. What an outrage it all was,
to be sure, to make property owners
pay for the street intersection. Why
could not the city bear its just portion
of the improvements just as 1t had
done in the pasts The fact is that that
outcry simply represented the obstruc-
tive element in the population that
was opposed TO city Improvements in
and of themselves, and that element
%
could raise against tho American
party to influence the members Of the
from the outside 70 put
quietue on the proposition. The idea
OF assessing the cost of paving street
upon the property owners
was Just rs fair then as it
is now, but then there was de-
termined, bitter, and utterly unfair
prejudice against the American party
which defeated this measure and by
so much retarded the advancement of
the city
IT is to be hoped that the applica.
tion of this measure will allow of
good deal Of street paving the coming
season. At the same time, in any por-
tion OF the city where the cost OF
paving would be oppressive upon the
property, the property owners have
it within their own hands to resist
and prevent the paving. This is evil
IDENTIFY n fair proposition, because it
would be unjust to put into effect any
burden OF this kind TO the
end that property owner might
be afflicted and possibly lose his home.
But with the cost of the improvements
extended over a ten-year period, there
would seem to be no reason why the
measure will not work equitably, and
also allow Of considerable amount of
street paving in the city.