The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1914-02-10
MODERN STREET PAVING; IT'S
VALUE TO AUDITING PROPERTY
Raleigh Now Following In Footsteps OF Other Progressive
Cities In Building Permanent Streets - Abuttlng
Property To Modern Paved Streets Given Big In
crease In Value.
crease In Value.
CBy IRVING VI. CHEEK

With the city Of Raleigh now IN the
midst OF putting down permanent
street paving on several or its pronl-
nent residential streets and sevral
stretches already laid the question Of
improved and modern street paving |
has already gotten q strong grip IN
the discussion of Interested citizens
and officials Of Raleigh. II is not TO
be assumed that modern street paw
ing has not found advocates before.
These have been plenty of them in
Raleigh and this method of paving
has been discussed here and there for
some tome, but not until the attract
iveness of the asphalt paving in the
business section and the recent
stretches laid on Hillsboro and Will
mington streets We're observed care
fully did the present enthusiasm find
its place with the citizens as is now
being shown
Good pavements and good roads
have spread to hundreds Of American
cities, townships. villages and coun-
try highways and even after a long
time ii is very evident that they have
spread IN voluminous form, but a be
ginning work in the city Of Raleigh.
The people and government have
awakened to the great necessity OF
permanent streets and roads and
those in close contact with the situa-
ton predict big things in the street
paving line for Raleigh.
Necessity To Civilization.
Good pavements and good roads are
q necessity to civilization, and as the
cities begin more freely to realize this
necessity the more d the COM
munity grows. To the ava a foot
oath is sufficient and the woodman IS
satisfied with an ordinary road. At
one time the farmer could get along
with q well constructed dirt highway,
but in this modern age, with the au-
tomobiles tearing up the roads, Great
ing dust and mud, the farmer must
soon realize that permanent and
modern pavements are a necessity for
getting his produce to market eco
nomically. 1t is more essential that
a municipality must have good pave
ments, n the more live and pros
porous the town. the more thrifty and
enterprising its inhabitants, the bet
ter viii be it's pavements. No one
feature is so indicative OF a well-gov-
erned and up-to-datc city as the con
dition Of its streets. They are gen
orally the first thing a traveller no.
tees. and on their condition more
than anything else is based his i'm
preston OF the city.
1t is very evident from appear
ences OF the streets that some cite:
nave conceived the idea that an.
kind Of paving fills the needs anC
comforts OF the city. Some cities il
this modern time stick to that staid
old manner of street paving, and hav'
long ago reached an obscure state
The traveller and visitor has nothing
10 say in the form of an impression
and they are little known beyon,
their own communities. It is differen
with the cities of modern and perma
nent street paving. They are adver
tised all over the country and thei
streets are praised on all sides. Thei
names a be heard thousands G
miles q way. This idea Of ancien
pavements hat is detrimental to tn
progress and health Of a city is fas
being discarded for ideas and enthuSi
asm for modern and permanent stree
paving, and as a thos
cities that have long since learne
that a poor pavement is q very bad il
vestment are forging to the front.
Raleigh, however, is backward j
the matter OF modern and permaner
street paving and at the present ca
claim only about three miles of tn
Kind Of paving. 4 half of mile OF
has just been completed and anotht
half, that on North Blount street.
now under construction. Fifty tho
sand dollars is to be expended in tn
permanent street paving, and alreaC
the city is figuring plans for gettir
hold OF more money TO carry on II
good work. In laying the present ne
paving the city adopted the plan
having abutting property owners pa
o~ne-fourth the cost and more pet
tons for street paving have been r
ceived han the money on hand W
go. More money must be secured
the permanent street paving in Re
eigh must be postponed until later.
Modern Paving Praised.
Asheville, Charlotte. Durhal
Greensboro, Wilmington. Goldsboi
and other cities in North Carolina a
way ahead of Raleigh with mode
and good street paving, and the
cities are known for their miles
modern paving. Other cities in t
Southern States are fast adopt
modern methods in their street il
proyements and information concer
ing sue streets gives strong recol
mendation Of the necessity OF perm
nent street paving. Birmingha
Ala. has been laying improved str,
paving for the past ten years. a
according to the city engineer OF Il
CITY the "heneftS TO admitting prope