The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1917-03-29
Back Bone is Necessary.

DHGA DO0O 40 GOSC0OAAJs
If the council expects to pave streets
in the city under its new plan it will
make vital mistake to lay down be-
fore the first protest The new plan is
one which will give systematic street
improvements and it is expected that
it will bring pretty nearly systematic
protests. There never was time when
the property owners Of any street were
unanimous for improvements and if
the people learn that all will be served
alike there is not going to be many per-
manent complaints. Kenosha has done
lot of her street improvement work
well, but the trouble with all of this
work is that it has been done without
system. People on small stretch of
roadway have gone before the council
and sought paving and when this por-
tion of the street was improved the
council has always found that it was
like pulling teeth to get any of the
property owners on the remainder of
the street to agree to improvement.
Possibly when the first improvement
was made it would have been posi-
BILE to have secured enough sigma
lures to provide for the improve
ment of the whole street.
Now the council proposes to spend
much of its paving appropriation for
the first year under the new regula
ton improving stub ends. Many
property owners on these stub ends
are no nearer ready to pave now than
they were when the original pavement
was contemplated. They will not be
any more ready FIVE years or possibly
ten years from now. The people on
the portion of the street that is paved
are entitled to some consideration and
this consideration is best expressed in
the completion of the work.
In the future councils should insist
that streets be improved in their en-
tirety. Any street which runs into a
district which is sufficiently progress
sive to seek permanent improvement
must extend into property which of
fers possibilities for similar improve
ment. This is particularly true of the
streets which are main avenues in and
out of the city. The pavement on
Salem avenue should be finished up to
the west limits just as soon rs posi-
BILE. Park avenue, Sheridan Road and
Rowland avenue should be improved
to the south limits Of the city. Under
the new regulation it should be posi-
BILE for the city to get away from spas
modc plans of paving Well built up
portions of the city, those which have
long paid taxes into the general fund,
should be the first served and this
should bring regular and systematic
improvement of the streets. The same
plan should be followed in the con-
struction of sewers. It is mighty cost
lv to build a few feet of sewer, but
this same few feet of sewer could be
constructed for a reasonably small
price in connection with lot more
sewer on the same street,
People in the new districts Of the
city want sewers so that their proper
ty may be put on the market to be
built up as home property. These
peopel should be willing and reeog
nize that it is to their financial benefit
to have sewers laid in an entire street
at once instead of laying q short piece
Of sewer to take care of lots actually
sold and where pavements can not be
collected until the city sewer has been
provided Systematic city improve
ment not only aids the city, but
it aids the owners of property who
want to sell it.
II comprehensive plan is made for
sewers in the new territory the city
can install these systems at much
lower cost and install them with the
understanding that the city will get
immediate returns from owners of
vacant property who will benefit more
than any one else from the sewers.
Lack of system has been Kenosha s
big drawback in all public improve
ments in the past. A lot Of times the
city council has gone off half cooked.
The present council seems to be of the
idea that this has been the wrong
plan Let Them stick to the idea. Let
them lay down broad lines for perma-
nent and systematic improvement of
the city and then stick to it, even
though variations from the plans as
outlined may bring into ieapordy the
reelection Of some member Of that
honorable body. Tt is way that men
who really seek to serve the city can
find broad field of service.
We have faith enough in the patrio-