The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1916-06-27
Meeting Of the Property Owners Was
Held Last Night at Superior
Court Rooms and DecI-
sion Reached.
TO REsURFACE AND OIL
j. o. Boyd and Others Argued for
the Paving, But Majority Ruled
Against This Ex-
penditure.

Reconstruction with macadam and
oiling, the work toSbe borne by special
assessments against the abuttine
property, was favored at a meeting of
thirty-fve Franklin street property
owners, held in the superior court
room last night. The meeting was
presided over by Captain A. H. Evans.
J. /. Annable acted as secretary. J.
N. Collier, j. P. 1ngle and A. H. Evans
were unanimously chosen to consti-
tute committee to wait on the city
commissioners to present opinions Of
those property owners present at the
meeting.
In opening. the chairman stated
that the meeting was not called to
protest against the action of the city
commission in deciding to pave
franklin street. 1t was not for the
purpose OF criticism, but rather to
ascertain the opinions of the property
owners, and to appoint a committee to
present those opinions to the city
commission.
j. P. Ingle spoke first. He stated
that 1t would be year before his
company could get steel rails with
which to relay their tracks. He told
Of three needed Improvements, the
paving OF Franklin street, tie paving
OF West Main street, and the extern
sion of the Mckinley avenue car line
to the Industrial tract, so that work
men in the tire works and other fac
tories would not be compelled to
walk so far to catch a car. He told
Of the financial condition of the CON-
pany; that it was Just beginning to
get on Its feet after reconstruction,
and urged the people to go slow in
laying new burdens on the company.
He stated, however, that no matter
what was decided, his company would
cheerfully acquiesce in the decision Of
the majority.
Figures on Cost.
]. n. Collier then offered a few
hgures as to the cost Of the proposed
work. He stated that it would cost
1927 for every fifty foot lot to pave
with brick. 1t would cost $3.50 to re-
surface block with macadam on
both sides. This would cost about 81
per lot. 1t would cost about $25 to
keep this oiled and in good shape for
five years The interest. on 1927 for
five years would be over $50. There
fore he thought it would be good
plan to resurface and oil the street,
and then at the end of five years, II
this proved unsuccessful, to pave
with brick.
E. M. Majors then stated that he
was in favor of the resurfacing propo-
ton. with the oiling and cited An
schultz hill as an example Of what
wear and tear a well built, thorough
~ oiled macadam street would bear.
Captain Evans, the chairman. then
raised the question as to whether the
work suggested could be paid for by
property assessments. He stated that
the street was in good shape for
such work. 1t was paved over thirty
years ago. with a good grade Of lime
stone, to depth of seven inches. The
surface Of this is now worn away,
but the base is as solid and substan-
tial as ever.
Mr.. Collier stated that he had
talked with City Solicitor Craig, and
that he believed that resurfacing
could legally be paid for by property
assessments. He moved that the
street be thoroughly cleaned of mud
and sediment, spiked and resuTfaced
to conform to the legal grade, and
that it be oiled and that legal provi-
sion be made for oiling in the future,
the cost to be borne, as before stated,
by property assessments.
Favors Brick Paving.
Mr.. Collier called for a speech
from J. H. Ellsworth. Mr.. Ellsworth
was active in securing the petition
for the brick paving. He expressed
himself as being very strongly in IA
vor of permanent brick paving. He
also mentioned the fact that the street
car track would be made much quiet
er with such paving. He said that
some had spoken about the high cost
of brick paving. He had no money to
throw away, but he believed that "
the city had all the money that had
been spent on macadam paving, that
could be only temporary, in the last
thirty years, there would be enough