The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1913-10-20

| | kesearCn.
Richmond has the poorest street
| system of any city of its size in lndi-
ana. A few of its macadam streets ars
models and what brick streets il has
measure we'll up TO standard. but the
policy of paving streets has never re-
ceiyed enthusiastic encouragement.
| principally because the city's financial
condition has forbidden such encour-
| agement.
| Records at the street commission
er's office also show that during the
years 1910. 1911 and 1912 only Sls.241
was expended out of the funds of the
street department for the rebuilding
and repairing OF macadam streets, and
one-fourth OF the streets of the city
are macadam. Over one-half of the
street mileage consists of graveled
roads, unimproved roads and pixies.
Less than four miles of the total 6S
miles of streets in Richmond are paw
ed.
Macadam Streets Not Standard.
These records show that in Rich
mond under the present and former
administrations. the policy of building
macadam streets has met with the
greatest popularity. In certain dis
( tricts these streets are as serviceable
and as desirable as paved streets. pro-
viding they are well made But, I'M
fortunately some of the principal
streets where the heaviest hauling is
done are of macadam. and during the
past four years. through a spirit of
false economy. Richmond's macadam
streets have not been made properly.
AS a result of this inefficient and
shortsighted policy of building mac
adam streets which do not have the
required surface Of crushed rock, the
frequent necessity of repairing them
has been one of the principal items in
the expense account of the street de-
partment.
| Competent street construction men
in Richmond state that while the ini-
tial cost of constructing macadam
streets with a surface OF from four 10
six inches of crushed rock. which has
been Commissioner GEMS policy.
comes close to the minimum expense
of constructing such streets. they are
in the long run much more costly than
standard macadam streets, with
crushed rock surfaces varying from.
ten TO fourteen inches. The reason for
this is that streets which have too
shallow a crushed rock surface must
be frequently repaired.
How a Good Street Wears.
Over four years ago North Tenth
street from Main TO A was remade
with a crushed rock surface of four
teen inches. That square today is q
model thoroughfare OF its kind, al
though il has been subjected TO the
heaviest kind of traffic and no repairs
} have been made on IL. The street was
built by former commissioner Ed. Dye.
I South Fourteenth street, from Main
: to c. was built by Dye with a crushed
rock surface of twelve inches. II is
, still in excellent condition, although
il has been down four years and has
cost nothing for repairs.
l. South Fourteenth street below G
street was macadamized by Gem with
his usual shallow surface OF crushed
rock. Within a year that section of the
street had to be repaired.
On September % the board OF pub
1 lie works discussed the poor condition
OF many macadam streets constructed
during the present administration
! North End Streets Bad.
, The poorest streets in the city are
to be found in that section north of
the Pennsylvania railroad. which has
only one thoroughfare which is not in
a disgraceful condition. North Tenth
street, which has been paved most Of
: its distance, for the most part under
the three mile road law. A large mum
Der OF factories are in this district and
J the traffic is very heavy. but the fac
tory owners have applied in vain for
as heavy traffic as any street in Rich
mond, but no plan for paving il has
ever been formulated and TO keep it
relief. North street is subjected 10
macadam in repair is a useless waste
Il of public funds. In many places the
ruts are cut down to the surface and
in wet weather IL is a quagmire.
Another street which needs to be
paved very badly is North Third
street. The c. & o. passenger and
4 freight stations are located on this
street and the traffic over II is very
a heavy. \ few days ago il was patched
Il up with crushed rock wherever the de-
pressions and ruts were the worst
Within six months il will again be in
need of repairs Incidentally il has
been estimated that the money ex.
pended by the city 70 keep North
q Third street in repair would have al
most equaIled the cost of paving it,
Main Street HHPs Condition.
Bad as North r and North Third
! streets are. their condition is quite
good in comparison with East Main
I street. from the bridge to Fourth
\ street This section of Main is made
4 of macadam and is almost constantly
in need of repairs. In wet weather the
: water pours down this street and that
part between the car tracks, sunk seE-
eral inches below the grade OF the
street. serves as channel for torrents
2 of water during unusually heavy rains.
: WHY this section of Main street has