The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1919-04-15
STREET BUILDING.

streets are to be built at one place
and not at another. 1t will be stat
ed that streets will be built in the
sections where the people with the
most money reside and that streets
will not be built in sections where
the poorer people reside. There is
ruth in the statement, at least in a
measure, but this does not forbid
the commencement of work for sew
eral reasons. .
In the first place, in every public
Improvement there must be a be-
ginning. and starting point. When
we were about to build the electric
light system for the city this charge
was made, and it was made again
when we sought 10 construct sew
erage system, But the lighting
plant has grown sand practically ev-
cry street in the city Tin sections
where colored people live as well as
in section where the whites reside,)
is now we'll lighted. From time to
time there have been extensions of
the sewerage system, and extern
sions Of the water mains into other
streets. In time every section Of the
city will be reached by these enter
prises. But these sections would not
have been reached if the beginning
had not been made in other sections.
But the inequality, il we may call
it that, which will be brought about
by the building of the streets will
not be so great as might at first ap-
pear. For the city will provide that
streets may only be built where q
certain number of the residents Pc
tition the city council to do so, and
when built, the adjoining property
owners must share the expense of so
building. If the people with money
happen to be the first to ask for the
streets, as they will be, and the first,
therefore, to have the permanent
streets, they will be called on to
pay portion of the expense. And
then when the streets are built the
man living on another street, and
not paying the special assessment,
will be entitled to use the streets in
carrying on his business, as well as
the man who has paid the special as
sessment. So that when it is said
that the latter receives a benefit in
the enhancement Of his property
which the other does not, it must be
remembered that he pays for this in
the special assessment.
Another consideration which must
not be lost sight of Is that the neo-
pie who live on the streets: which
may not be paved are mostly work
ing people. They are interested in
employment for themselves as we'll
as others. The building of the
streets will give employment to
great many people. It will have a
tendency to keep up wages while the
work is going on. 1t will draw lab
orers from other employment, and
even though man may not do the
work which is required by the build
ers, nevertheless it will make the
number of men in other kinds of
employment fewer, and will thus
make a better demand for his labor,
with a consequent regularity of
work, and better wages. If the tax
payer happens to be a merchant he
will still be benefited for the rea-
son that the people who labor must
live, and the money expended for
labor by the city will find its way
into every channel of trade. Even
the hackmen will prosper, because
there will be the more people who
desire to ride.
There is every reason, as we see
it, why we should all obtain benefits,
of one kind or another, from the
work which is to be done. And with
it all we must not lose sight of the
fact that the city as sadly in need
Of good streets if we may hope to
continue to be a city. ,....