The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1916-04-15
FOR A BETTER
EGAN AVENUE
NONE OF THE COST OF PAVING
WILL COME OUT OF THE
GENERAL TAN.

To the Editor: | would like to
make reply to statements contained
in a letter dealing with the paving
question, which was recently publish
ed in The Daily Leader over the sig
natures of Claus Hexom and ole
Thompson.
The writer said, among other
things, hat the water main on Egan
avenue should be replaced by a new
one before paving is laid.
| should like to know just where
and when evidence was adduced that
would Justify the city in going to the
unwarranted expense of laying a
water main on Egan avenue which
would be adequate for the needs of
a city five or six times Madison's
size, and forego an improvement
which would cost the municipality
nothing and which most cities half
the size of Madison enjoy? Unde-
niably, the Egan enu water main
must be repaired on occasion, as must
other public utilities, but ii is giving
genuine service, a thing that can
11oi t1Ag W R0iA VI ~ oAACt1 AARtAAB
in its present state. 1t is true, as
the writer of the Hexom-Thompson
letter sets forth, that the water main
has served a large part of the city
for years. | do not believe there is
any we'll founded reason for doubling
that ii will continue to carry its full
quota of the city's water supply for
more years TO come.
The inconsistency of the drafter
of the Hexom-Thompson letter is
made glaringly realistic by conflict
ing and misleading statements as to
the manner in which the paving is to
be paid for. The writer strongly ad-
vises the voters of the city not to
support the paving measure, and
gives as a reason that the city will
have to pay for a part of the work,
which it should not do at this time.
A little farther along, in his commu-
nication, the author declares that if
the paving is put in, the city should
bear the expense of s~urfacing the
street intersections, and he suggests
that the city be compelled to pay, in
stead of the property owners.
Little short of an outrage to the
common sense of the members Of this
community was the declaration that
a dozen or so property owners are
trying TO force" the paving onto the
multitude. The chance that either Of
the two men, whose names were
signed to the letter, made the asser-
ton through transformation, is not
to be countenanced. Both men at
tended two paving meetings" of the
city commission, at each of which
there were present some sixty prop
erty owners OF the entire number
assembled, but six were o~utwardly
oposped to paving, and after the sub
ject had been discussed and brought
ought in it's true light, two of the six
who openly had held out, withdrew
their objections, leaving in opposition
TO the improvement only four of the
sixty or so persons present.
Further evidence that a majority
of Egan avenue property owners do
not wish longer to deprive this city
of an undisputed betterment was
given Mr.. Hexom and Mr.. Thompson
when they devoted a number of days
time to at attempt to persuade prop
erty owners to sign a petition of re-
monstrance. 1t is needless here TO
say why the necessary number of sig
natures were not forthcoming.
Attempts at forcing" there have
been and are now being made. but
not by the people who wish to bring
a development that will benefit the
whole city, yet without cost to the
city.
Comment possibly is also uncalled
for on the last straw" bugaboo that
the cost of widening the walks will
be assessed against the city" 1t is
probably no exaggeration to say that
fully one-half of the city's school pu-
pills are aware that property owners
must pay for their own sidewalks,
and for any extensions made to then.
AS to the intimation hat a couple of
owners of property on the upper end
of Egan avenue will urn their lots
over to the city to avoid paying for
their share of paving, it is moi be
lieved possible that the city will meet
any such good fortune.
Attention was called to the fact
that there Is the new school wing to
be considered. Such is the truth, but
the new high school wing has no con-
pection with the paving, as the
property owners on Egan avenue will
not be called upon to pay for the
school individually. The Hexom-
Thompson letter writer could well
have added that no paving should be
installed for the reason that a new
p~ostoffice building and two new the
aters are to be erected here this year.
My belief is that the taxpayers at
large are interested in the paving Of
Egan avenue only insofar as any pub
lie spirited citizen would like to see
his town improved, especially when
that enhancement can be brought
about absolutely without cost to the
city.
/ have been given to understand
that the city will, as a safeguard to
property. make the long talked of i'm