The Logan Republican. [volume] (Logan, Utah) 1902-1924, 1916-12-28


provement, are all equally remark
able and set a record for the en-
gineers and officials in charge. For
instance, when the president of the
Board of Local improvements, I'M
der whose auspices the work is done,
assumed his office in the spring of
1915, he was told that 1t would take
at least six years to get started on
the Twelfth street widening. After
only IS months the project was half
completed, and in Is months more it
will be done.
The number Of separate pieces Of
property condemned by the city and
taken over for the improvement was
301. The owners were paid at
fair rate. for the buildings and
grounds taken and they were then
assessed back for their due share Of
} the cost of the improvement.
There was a city bond issue of ST.
100000 to help in taking care of
the property owners. The bonds
| we're all sold at par within six
weeks. and every property owner
was paid for the ground he releas-
ed to the city as soon as he turned
it over clear Of buildings and gave
the city a quit-claim deed. In this
way the good will and cooperation
Of most Of the property owners were
secured and the progress of the
work facilitated.
When the owners were appeased
the problem frequently was to get
rid Of the tenants, so that the build
ings could be torn down. shaved off
or removed. Then there was the
problem Of sanitary improvements.
In many Of the old buildings which
the owners desired to move, amaz-
ing conditions were discovered.
There were buildings 80 feet long,
with windows only in the front and
the rear. With the cooperation Of
the Building and Health departments
these conditions were remedied.
Owners were compelled to put in
light shafts and remodel the build
ings so as to give light and air in
every room. Ramshackle buildings
on rear lots had to go, to make room
for structures in front to be moved
back on new foundations. and there
was. a general sanitary cleanup Of
the entire district affected by the
street improvement.
The house moving operations were
50 numerous as to become common
place. In several instances a whole
row Of stores. wide open and -four
ishing. with two or three floors Of
domestic establishments above, all
going on as usual. gradually drew
back from the old street line under
pressure OF the movers Jacks, until
the new alignement OF the street was
reached. AZ feet back. In a typical
case Of this kind, three-story
building containing a drug store, a
grocery. and four other stores, be-
sides the overhead population, the
druggist declared that the bottles on
his shelves were not even shaken
by the moving operations. Another
three-story building with cracked
thin stone-slab facings, and contain.
Ing several stores, was moved to its
new location without widening 9
J crack or breaking a pane of glass
At Throop and Twelfth streets, 9
four-story building Of 24O feet front
age. containing many stores and
residence flats, all densely crowded
was moved back AZ feet by horizon.
tai screw Jacks. while business az
usual was the standing sign in the
stores. and no one was concerned
over the safety Of the families up.
stairs. So far no accidents have oc.
Cured during the operations. in
spite Of the influx of women and
children among the wreckage.
AT one point a large brick German
Catholic church. with heavy steep
ie' is to be moved back the required
distance Of AZ feet from the build
Ing line. Nearby the synagogue OF
the Congregation Anshe Kalvaria
has been torn down. and all the
buildings condemned will soon be
out OF the way. There are then two