The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1915-02-24
STREET PAVING.

STREET PAVING.
,Abbeville is woefully behind other
cities of its size in the construction OF
permanent streets. 1t is bad enough
to be behind with cement sidewalks,
especially when they can be con-
structed at so little cost, but IT is in
fnitely worse to be without some
kind of paved streets in the congested
sections of the city. We believe
there are ten miles of streets in Able
vile. We are told that a good per-
manent street can be built for $2,5OO
per mile. We.a are paying now about
five or six thousand dollars each year
for street work, perhaps more.
Would it not be more advisable to
build two miles of permanent streets
with this each year, and let the other
streets stand until they could be
reached, rather than keep up the pre-;
sent system of working the streets ?
The city builds one day and the rain
carries off the work the next day. 1t
makes no difference how good the
work done on a street is, it is only OF
temporary benefit.
OF course the public square and
Main street, and the two streets lead
ing to the railway stations should be
paved with paving material sufti-
cient to stand the heaviest tratfic.
Just what that is, we do not know
but the city council can ascertain.
The question always comes up
about the wherewithal, and that is a
pertinent question always. The city
can issue bonds for the purpose stat
ed, but we do not favor any increase
in our bonded Indebtedness at pre-
sent. The other public utilities are
now self-supporting, we believe, and
gradual extensions are being made
out of the revenue therefrom. This
is as it should be. But there will be
no income from paved streets except
indirectly, and we must look to some
other method of building them. We
believe these streets can be built by
direct taxation, a few miles each year,
without much additional cost to the
city. With the new assessment OF
property which is soon to be made,
and the correction of inequalities In
the present assessment, we may ex-
pcct to have several thousand dollars
added to the present assessment in
the city. There is too much proper
ty in this place which is not bearing
its just proportion of the burdens OF
taxation. Pending re-assessment,
we shall call no names, but we are
here to see that every man pays his
part of the taxes of the city and coun-
ty. and we shall not hesitate at the
proper time to name those who are
in default. No man has right to
escape his just burden in the support
of the government. No man shall do
it with the consent of this paper.
But the question now is as to the
building of streets. If the additional
money coming into the, city treasury
in this way b not, sufHe Heient. to begin
on, let us ray san extra mill Or two,
and let as lake at least one-half of
what is now expended on the streets
in building permanently.
But the question Is, who will do
the work and how shall It be done7
That is one question we started out
to answer. We have a most capable
and efficient supervisor Of the streets
at present. We should by all means
keep him. He has learned to build
water-works, and he can build per-
manent streets, ifthe city gives him
the facilities. He should be promot-
ed to the position Of City Engineer,
and relieved of his duties as Chief of
Police. We imagine Mr.. johnson
would be glad of the change. 1t is
too exacting to, have one man in
charge of two departments of the city
on the small salary which Mr.. john
SON receives. The position of City
Engineer is considerably more i'm
portant to the city than that of Chief
of Police and should command a bet
ter salary. The one builds perma-
nently, and his works live after him;
the other has no constructive work
to do, and can build no monument to
himself. Of course, we can employ a
trained engineer to do this work, but
will he be practical Will ne be
honest 2 Will he. be industrious :?