Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1917-12-04
TRAFFIC ORDINANCE
and Street PAVING
Assessment Against South
Commercial Property Own
erS Objected To


The new automobile traffic ordi-
nance and the bill calling for the as
sessment of abutting property to cover
the cost of improvement of South Com
mercial street were the two chief mat
ters of Importance to receive the at
tention of the city council at its ses-
sion last evening.
The traffic ordinance was in an ex.
tremely precarious situation for a time.
After its introduction Alderman Will
son proceeded to go at it with long,
sharp scissors and it soon became ap-
parent that certain sections of the
ordinance would receive no mercy at
the hands of Mr.. Wilson. Aldermen
johnson and Rfgdon then came to its
rescue, and the fray was soon Joined by
Alderman Ward. Sections were strick-
en- out entirely, then reconsidered and
reinserted Amendments were Offered
pro and con, until there yav -ome
doubt in many minds as to Just what
was left of the ordinance. Motion was
made that it be referred to the ordi-
nance committee to be gotten into
snaps for consideration at the next
meeting, and Mayor Keyes voiced the
sentiment of the majority of the alder.
men when he stated there we're parts of
the ordinance he would really like to
give further study.
That portion of the ordinance, how
ever, prohibiting the parking of auto
mobiles in the business sections of
Commercial and State streets, however,
has been amended to provide that au.
tomobiles parked within the fire limits
shall be backed against the curb, head.
ed to the right at an angle of 80 de-
grees, and as close as possible to the
cars next in line
Considerable dissension was heard on
the section of the ordinance dealing
with the method of passing other
vehicles on the street, and the matter
of age limit of boys who are allowed |
under the present ordinance to drive i
cars on the streets only on permit of
the chief of police.
Vigorous protest was made by Oliver
Jory against the bill for assessment to
cover cost of improving South CONNER.
cial street. Mr.. Jory asserted that
facts pertaining to the cost of the i'm
provement had been .misrepresented to
the property owners and directed his !
accusation mainly at the head of the |
present administration. He commend I
ed the present administration for its
policy of retrenchment, but pleaded |
that Mayor Keyes and his aldermen re-
lieve what he termed the present 'fde- /
porable state of affairs" by killing
the assemment ordinance bill.
The Assessment naocod n,
mously by the council.
On motion of Alderman Ward it was !
ordered that employees of the city who
have gone into war service are to re.
ceive their positions back when they
return, according to action taken last
night.
A petition for lights was received
and filed.
A petition from business men on
State street opposing the proposed
automobile ordinance was received
and filed. The ordinance bill provides
that autos shall not be parked in the
business sections of Statet and Cdm-
mercial streets.
A resolution was adopted provid-
ing for signs at Che city limits at
points where important thoroughfare
enters the city, warning automobiles
to slow down to fifteen miles an hour.
The city recorder was authorized to
advertise for bids for the signs.
Alderman Elliott moved that the city Il
attorney be empowered to employ the
assistance of an abstractor in obtain.
ing description of property covered by
street assessments where any difficult.
les in description are presented.
Deductions Made on Claims.
Alderman Unruh representing spec
al committee, reported on claims 1
lied against the city by the Salem I
company and the Salem {
Sand & Gravel company, recommend I
ng that 10 cents a yard be deducted s
rom the amounts claimed for all con- {
.rete gravel and crushed gravel fur ]
lished the city, for the reason that on !
Nay the street improvement commit 4
zee was authorized to pay 65 cents y
rard while later the companies sent in
,ills asking IS cents. The amounts of /
he claims were $22.50, $1107.60, $522.S0 I
nd $6l8. The report recommended that !
he warrants be held up until the ac- c
ual amounts due are figured after de- =
luctions of 10 cents yard. The total
Ieduetions will be about $400. The re-
,ort was adopted.
Street Commissioner w. s. Low re- !
,orted a total of $109s.62 spent on :
treets during November. The items
we're: Street repairs and miscellaneous !
york, $738.19; street cleaning, 1927; =
ever repairs, $33.43. Other expenses to-
aled $65.25.