The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1915-05-27
1lRN=Ij CONDITION OF STREETS
CAUSES CITIZENS TO. COMPLAIN
Vigorous Protests Are Made On Methods Of Improving
theSThorough Squares of Main Street and
Fairmont Avenue Are impossible.
CONTRACTORS INTERFERE WITHEACH OTHER
Business Men Say Company Has Not Kept Its Promise
Regarding Method OF Paving Between Tracks.

s[ubECQd1tSs dIolb Md1H SLASSL anu
residents along Fairmont avenue are
protesting vigorously against what
ttey&allege to be unnecessary incon.
Henfence and danger resulting from
seldsh and unbusinesslike methods Of
making the street improvements.
They say that the contractors for
the Traction company have torn up the
principal ithoroughtare of the city from
twelfth street alond Fairmont avenue
end Main street to Quincy street, a
distance of 16 long squares, in such a
way that 1t will be impossible for
weeks.
IN case Of fire in the business sec
tton ofs the! city, it would be absolutely
impossible for the fire apparatus to be
takenSalong either Main street or Fair.
mont avenue to the threatened build
ing The fire truck might be driven
alopg the sidewalk on Main street,
but store windows and pedestrians
would be endangered, or it might be
taken to within half square or a
sduaresofs a fire by roundabout way
through side streets and alleys. In
eitherscase the would have ample time
togge entirely beyond control and the
greater part of the business section
otsthescfty might be destroyed.
The work of tearing up the pavine
and the sold street car track was start
edsa month ago and for the last week
the entire 16 squares OF Fairmont ave.
nue. and Main street. the principal
thoroughfare Of the city, has been
closed stoivehicle traffic. Last Monday
the thin cement or grouting was pour
ed between the bricks of the paving
laid from Twelfth street to Tenth
street, but even this short section OF
tie street will not be open for auto.
mobiles and horse-drawn vehicles un-
fiInext Monday under most favorable
weather rfcondttions as it requires from
aSWsek, oriten days for the grouting to
settle.
Heavy trolley cars have been run.
ming over the two squares completed
between Twelfth and Tenth streets
and the four partially completed
squares from Tenth to Sixth streets,
although Fairmont avenue at this
point as we'll as elsewhere Is closed
to4 other vehicles. Men familiar with
road dSconstructton work declare that
the far and vibration caused by the
heavy interurban trolley cars as we'll
as the smaller city cars prevent the
proper setting, of the cement grouttng
and of the concrete, and that as re-
suit 1t probably will be necessary to
rebuild the street within few years.
Business men Of the city say that
the traction company has failed TO
keep its promise regarding the method
81 paving between its tracks where
fiieabffcks have been laid in the sec
ton from Twelfth street to Ninth
street along Fairmont avenue, and IT
fsSalieged that as result owners or
automobiles and horse.drawn vehicles
Will suffer. The pavement between
thestracks is so laid that the top OF the
bricks are from one and one.half
inches Ito two and one.half inches be-
low the top Of the rails, thus making
if difficult to turn wagons and auto.
mobiles out of the street car tracks,
and causing vehicles to bounce and
6nmpsdangerously when driven across
fheStFacks. The traction company, 1t
Is alleged, has failed to make the
icrowng:or middle part of the pave,
ment; between the tracks as high IS
was agreed upon.
The dilatory methods used by the
traction n company contractors after
tearing up and rendering impossible
NE principal thoroughfare OF the
Eity for. It's entire length, are now
holding back the work of the con-
tractors employed by the county,
and as a result 1t is said that the
mont avenue will probably not be com.
Oieted before the middle Of July. and
that the delay may be even longer.
8The contractor doing the paving
work for the county has been held up
FOR some time at Sixth street, where
ne Is blocked by the old track which
fiieS Traction; Company was permitted
by the city to shift to the side OF the
street to be used while the new track
was being laid. Although the new
rack Is, in use all along Fairmont ave.
nue. the old track was permitted to
block the work OF the county contrac.
fors. Instead OF removing the old
Track promptly after Its use was dis.
continued, q the traction company put
lis force of men at work tearing up
Main street, SO that now the entire 16
blocks OF the principal thoroughfare
of theHcity is torn, up and only two
SQUARES anyway. near completion. The
road builders are criticised for tearing
40 the entire street instead OF finish
tTE section at "a time so that II can
SeR thrown open for use.