The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1917-12-05
Ardmore, Wednesday, December 5, 1917
WHY NOT PREPARE FOR REAL
EITX9

The Ardmoreite heartily commends
the sentiment and the recommends
tions contained in the official commun'
ication Of Mayor Roberts 10 the city
commissioners last night but II feels
that he has not gone far enough in
proposing plans for taking care OF the
rapid expansion OF the city. 1t is true
that more real constructive work has
been done during the past eight months
than during any similar period in the
growth OF the city and the present
administration is to be commended but
II Is little less than a crime to propose
to take care OF present needs only and
not look a little way ahead to take
care OF the needs of the future.
Ardmore is no longer a market town
only. 1t is fast assuming the proper
tions and obligations of a city. II is
common justice to the people who are
now here and to those who are coming
here every day to provide adequately
for the future. Only those who come
into direct contact with the problem
have any conception of the number Of
people who are coming TO Ardmore
day after day with the purpose of max
ing their homes here. The Ardmoreite
is just completing a canvass OF the city
and in calling back to some houses
that were vacant at the time of the
first canvass or where moves were fore
casted the fact was brought out of the
81 families visited 80 were new comers
to the city This was not a discovery
of weeks but was the work of two days
this week. Day after day new people
are coming here and very few of them
are going away.
The housing problem is entirely out
side the Jurisdiction OF the city but
adequate water supply, sewer facilities,
fire protection, good streets and side
walks are proper subjects to come be-
fore the city commission and indeed this
body has the whole matter in its hands.
The mayor suggests that 100000 be
voted to complete the present water
system and to supply additional water
mains and fire plugs.
What should be done right now is
to take up the matter of securing an
entirely new source of water supply for
the present one is hardly adequate to
the needs of the city today 1t may be
disturbing information but the time has
come when the city must go to the
mountains to get an adequate supply
so why not vote the amount of money
TO take care of the present needs and
in addition provide sufficient amount
the necessary plant? 1t is folly to do
otherwise for Ardmore has passed the
turning point now and will grow with
rapidity from this time on which will
require facilities far ahead of anything
yet considered.
Another item and a big one at that
should be included in the suggestion
of Mayor Roberts. The old paving in
the business district and on some OF
the residence streets should be replaced
by new paving and this should be done
at the expense of the whole city.
Every citizen of the city has had the
free use of this paving for ten years
and il is unfair that the citizens who
own the abutting property should be
compelled to pay for repaving, especial
ly when the fact is taken into consid-
Grafton that very few of the bonds if
any have been fully retired Under
present conditions a street is no longer
a local affair to be used only by the
people who live thereon. 1t is a high
way for all the people of the city and
all others who may visit IT ana the bet
ter the street surface is the more en-
phatically is this a fact,
Under the present administration the
utmost care is being taken in the lay
ing of the street pavement, a careful
inspection being in force which assures
the use of proper materials. The fact
has been developed in the laying OF
the last pavements that the amount of
bitumen in the asphalt used has not
varied one per cent. from the first test
made at one end of the street to the
last one at the other end. This means
that the former careless way of doing
street paving has forever been aban-
doned so far as the city Is concerned,
and that by careful attention the best
of pavement will result with each sue
ceeding contract, insuring a much
longer life to every piece of pavement
laid in the future. And that is just
another reason why the city as whole
should pay for the paving of the old
streets. many of which were improperly
laid at the very start.
The mayor is right in asking for
money for the extension or the sewer
system and especially for storm sew
ers. the lack of which has resulted in
no end of aggravation from damage
suits caused from flood losses.
The garbage disposal question is
live issue and no time should be lost
i'm building an incineration plant as the
quantity of waste here Is far IN excess
of what is found in the ordinary city
the size OF Ardmore, the lack OF any
sort of a market for paper even when
il is properly bailed, contributing large
'ly to the general untidy appearance OF
the city and making one OF the worst
forms OF garbage to handle success
fully. The city stables should be NOV
ed out Of the heart of the business dis
trict and other similar improvements
made during the coming months.
This is entirely too large question
TO be settled off hand and the RESPONSE
bility is far too great to be placed on
the shoulders OF the mayor and four
commissioners. The Ardmoreite would
like to see conference called at once
and the large property owners and the
principal citizens. together with those
who have some vision as to what Arc