The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1914-04-16
THE ISSUE REL TING TO
THE WIDTH OF STREETS
OF THE CITY OF MITCHELL

municipalities.
Il am therefore, of the opinion that
this chapter applies to petitions like
the one in question, and the affidavit
required by this chapter not being
attached to the petition. l am OF the
opinion that the petition is insutfici-
ent in that respect to justify you in
submitting the ordinance to a vote,
and if you did so, there would be a
very serious question whether or not
the ordinance if adopted would be of
any validity.
Il would therefore advise that you
do not submit the question on the pc
Itition limits present form and that
you advise the persons filing the petit
ton of the defect which prevents you
from submitting the ordinance, and
they can then easily remedy the mat
the question either at the coming
municipal election or at a special
election to he held later"
The statute referred to by Mr.. Mil
Ter requires the following affadavit to
be attached to the petition:
Il, .......... being first duly
and solemnly sworn, on my oath
state that | an a qualified voter OF
The State of South Dakota, That | am
acquainted with all the persons
whose names are effiXed to the above
and foregoing paper and know that
each of said persons signed said
paper personally. and added thereto
his place OF residence, p~ost-office adj
dress and date of signing. That each
and all said persons are residents and
qualified electors of the county OF
........, state of South Dakota;
That each of said persons signed said
petition with full knowledge of it's
compensation for my services in cir
culating said petition"
The affidavit attached to the petit
ton presented was in the following
form:
........... being duly sworn,
on their oaths respectfully do say
that the. foregoing petition is made
in good faith, and that they verify be-
lieve all the signatures there 10 to be
genuine and those of duly qualified
voters"
The mayor and all members of the
council are entirely willing to submit
the question contained in this petit
ton to the vote of the people when
presented in the proper form, but
such petition must be such that the
result will not be in doubt, and place
upon the ordinance book a question
able law.
In addition to this explanation it
may be stated that the principal rea-
sons of the council for passing this
ordinance reducing the width of road
way are practically these:
l. Modern engineering specifics
the width of streets in residence dis
tricts in cities and towns outside of
the main business streets to be thirty
l(30) feet or less. This width is found
in a large number of cities through
out the different states, and is &C
cording to the advice given by NUM-
lcipal Engineering publications.
Within the last month the city of
Watertown, s.. D., has made provis-
ion to pave it's residence streets,
where sewers have been installed,
with the width >of the residence
streets fixed similar to that of the or
dinance now in force in the city of
Mitchell.
= 2. The narrower road way is
deemed desirable on account of less
ing the same drained, and free from
weeds and improving by oiling, gray
cling or paving.
IN The narrower road way by CIV
ing a wider parking is deemed much
more attractive, from the standpoint
of landscape beauty.
4. ,The narrower roadway tends
to lessen the dust nuisance by giving
less space as. a source of dust for the
wind to whirl in the house on either
side of the street.
When the question arises for fur
Their discussion upon it's merits fuller
explanation should be made as to the
cost If any, which will be occasioned
by the road of lesser width. 1t can
be stated with authority to any pro-
perry holder of the city that the cost
will be so small it will not be worth
considering.
The present administration has at
N HAN Wynn tillS SiNcI HUGH
Difference to the wishes of the ma
jority of property n regarding
street improvements. Sidewalks are
not made, or sewers constructed with
out a majority of property owners
desiring the same, except in a few in
stances where public policy and well
fare demanded action by the council.
Whether the roadway of the streets
be thirty or forty feet wide, no curb
ing, parking, cutters, paving of any
kind will be installed unless the ma
jority of the property owners on eth
er side of the street desire it, and UNI
til after fair chance is given for the
citizens to express their choice.
A. E. Hitchcock.
Mayor.
Mitchell, S. d., April 13, 1914.
iRY@Y YArrcNs Accom-