The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1914-08-11
CITY PASSES,
MEASURE FOR.
CEMENT ROAD.
Council Authorizes South
Twenty-third Street Inn
provement Under Three
Mile Gravel Highway Bill.

The improvement of South Twenty-
third street Is now past remonsIianSe
and in due course will be in the hahos
of contractors.
Council grudgingly gave its approval
to the road plans of South twenty
third street last night with one ols-
senting vote and Mayor Robbins sigh
ed the resolution for the improvement.
The body expressed itself voluaDly
on the three mile road law SOME
members condemning and some up
holding it's workings. Mayor koooihs
stated his objections to conditions OF
road improvement and summed up as
follows:
DO not emphasize the tax question
too much. II taxes represent every
thing, municipal government can
quit everything but actual existence
and the taxes will go down.
1T is unfair to improve under tue
three mile road law SO much In tne
township and so little in the city when
the city pays ITO or $40 OF the taxes
necessary to pay for the improve
ments.
Wants Full Width.
III improvements are held 10 one
half the width of the road way unoer
the law and the property owners pay
for the strips along the edges, we 40
do not want that kind of improvement.
Let the roads be paved the full width
and paid for according to some regu-
lar procedure"
Attorney William H. Kelley spoke
for the Twenty-third street petitioners
at the opening of the session OF coun-
Gil. He said the territory along the
proposed improvement will be well
hut rocjHnnf Hictrint in few
years. He also showed the large
amount of rural territory accessible
over the proposed paving.
Kelley said the taxes would not be
increased as result of the improve
ment. He said the cost will not be
excessive and can be taken care OF
easily.
After the councilmen again discuss
ed the improvement, vote was called
for. Ebert Russell was absent. There
were ten votes for and one against the
passage of the resolution. Frank
Howells, councilman from the fifth
ward, registered the only dissenting
vote.
Favor Judicious Use.
Council did not take action favor
able or otherwise on the three mile
road law but expressions seemed
chiefly in favor of it, if judiciously
applied There seemed to be strong
dissension to the method proposed in
a petition which is being circulated
for the improvement of Northwest
Third street and other West Richmond
streets.
In this petition, one of the council
men pointed out, the petitioners ask
That eighteen feet in the center of the
streets be improved under the three
mile road law and that the remainder
be left to the property owners This
is also the case in. a petition which is
being circulated in Fairview for the
improvement of part of Richmond ave-
nue., Center street, Sheridan street and
other of the important Fairview
streets. 1t is said this petition is now
OF such strength that it will be i'm
possible to overcome 1t.
Councilman O'Neal proposed that
the county commissioners abandon
the present method of securing bids
and awarding contracts for such work
and instead, announce the estimate OF
the engineer and permit the contract
ors to bid openly on The work, each
one undertaking the other.
Council Asks Estimate.
City Engineer Charles was asked by
a vote of council to make an estimate
of the cost of macadamizing South
Ninth street from E to H street anC
the cost of making the street from H
to the city limits.
A report of the Mayors cabinet
committee of which p. c. Hubbard
representing the West Richmond I'm
provement association, is chairman
was returned last night and referred
to the committee on public welfare. II
this report, the committee recommend
ed that the city employ city forester
to take up his duties September l ant
Tat 5000 young trees with protecting
guards be set out at places over the
city where most needed. The com
mittee proposes that the cost b.
charged to the property owners.
Except for the expense of such
proposition council and the mayo
were favorably impressed with tn,
suggestion. Mayor Robbins spoke o
the advantages of setting out younl
trees, beautifying the city and at tn
enu of a few years, having something
of great value as the result.
Want More Trees.
City Attorney Bond also spoke for
short time, saying that tree surgery l
now recognized as much as human
surgery and that the citizens or Rich
mond need someone to instruct then
as to trimming trees. He said mos
citizens wanted more trees but neve
took the time to plant them.
An amendment to the bill postin
ordinance of 1895 was passed las
night on suspended rules in order t.
permit the marking of the Nationa
road with signs. Special provision
was made permitting signs designa,
ing the course of ancient historical
thoroughfares to be used.
Councilman Williams said that cit
liens were complaining that tn
street lights were not turned on earl
enough in the evening. Severa
councilmen demanded to know If tn
citizens in the residence district
wanted to see the lights on moon
light night. Williams replied tina
they feel safer at night if they thin
the lights are on. The matter wa
dropped.
Councilman Burdsall said some on
was not doing his duty in enforcing
the health ordinance on manure boxes
Mayor Robbins asked that affidavit
be sworn out against citizens who dis
obey the law and warned. the council
men that they must have strong ev