Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1919-04-30

the rule and the effect o~fAprohibition
Will be to lessen their number. The
frst rational. step.sstoward Independence
owner Of an anencumbsred tpt lot DESTROYS eas
rot constructing a house of moderate
cost, ! know Of no more helpfub:agency
should be better understood and far
more use made Of 1t. a, 81
Urge improvements
When a man becomes the owner Of
his home, 1T is the result of our obser-
walton that he becomes, stimulated by q
ternally. internally. by the installation
of modern c~onvenlences, Externally by
Improving Its appearance and surround
interests him Of curse it would be de-.
sirable' to have every street in the. entire
city paved but unfortunately the cost
|d o.r p du9Y, IL; be 1t It be.ps19 +. becomes se Q mes
in securing the best substitute.
It being nearly nat that ordinary dirt
BERN. are wholly i~nadequate. The first
step toward securing a permanent roa0-
way must be the provision Of adequate
Our ordinance permitting by petition
%tricts' provides for n desired amount
Of Srs work e,ns; along these Sc lines I regard the.
Improvement to be the placing of COM
bined curb and gutter. ! have taken this
matter up with the city engineer and
such. cutters should be'5 in the center
Of Blocks and of course the discharge
located there. ."t .,.
We have a very convincing illustration
of the .futility Of the reverse form of
construction upon University avenue.
beyond the paying. where the discharges
are at the ends Of the blocks and at a
higher level than the center. by the con-
%struction advised the road surface at
the intersections can be brought up
nearly level with the, curb. making less
lators. but of more Importance, it will
permit of an extension to such districts
of the excellent snow cleaning plan
S aopted ite Gy our If, street commissioners. The
walks now in use interdicting their be-
ing at present treated in this amer.
Wide Streets Unnscsssary
Wetare favored in that the city was
laid out with wide and robmy streets,
but his does not imply that wide road
In my judgment a twenty foot drive
way Is ample for the traffic needs Of
any residence street. This insures a
ent depth of the lot. If such curbs and
cutters are installed they can be If de-
sired; followed later by paving, thus
dividing. the cost into two stages. Until
paving is desired this narrow roadway
can be we'll rounded up to carry off the
water.
The fact remains. however, that our
toward making a wearing surface for
road purposes. 1t absorbes water like
a sponge d~isintergrates with the least
a aStss IN f dryinr a = batter tder and, easily
Jumps and condGces to the formation Of
a rough, unsatisfactory surface. with
opr tractor and surfacer we have been
are as yet far from ideal. 1t seems to
me that the cheapest satisfactory sur
face we can expect to secure, must be
with clay. To obtain the best results
there must be added clay sufficient to
fill the .voids Of interstices in the gravel
or sand; It has been scientifically de-
should be thoroughly done, preferably
with a mechanical mixer. Such a mix
erly rounded surface with requisite
drainage, especially IL a heavy roller
be used, will give IN all year wearing
surface that leaves b u little to be de
This is practically tho construction Of
the streets Of our n~eighborins city OF
The city owns hin apt thirty miles east
Of here, sufficient sand and gravel to
load many, trains. 1t is a waste of time
our black dirt with any expectation Of
securing a road worth while. Water
percolates through the gravel, liquiies
the dirt and the gravel goes down prac-
tically disappearing in three seasons.
A good illustration of this is afforded
In front of the Nash farm In East Grand
Forks. Some three years ago his stretch
the gravel has now nearly disappeared.
An examination. Of country roads where
a wsariIg surface has beer secured will
| side trenches Qlf1Hionf N1ov has hnar
thrown up to form the desired binder.
Some three or four years ago the
Northern Pacific : ! railway contributed
used upon our streets in the rear Of st
Michaels hospital. I prevailed upon
Alderman Valley to have q portion mix
f tSor g!sa clay ZONE T ana the %a1, sfFeet was has not rot
ceived no subsequent. attention but it
stands up today under all weather con-
ditions; A portion Of the street be;
Third street was treated in the old way
and is fast going to pieces. I would
therefore suggest that steps be taken
to store such clay S may be easily OH
Problem Of sliding iBsnks /.
The city is put to. considerable ex-
pense by the moving banks Of our river.
Our bridge approaches move and require
an annual REIMBURSEMENT with a period
ical building Of new abutments. Our
P0tASA oPoAt oIN ~ AhlonS
pipe of our filtration plant frequently
broken off. This movement is account
ed for in the stratiied conformation
want Of cobesiveness in the BOND Of
union between the layers and a want
of balance between the weight Of the
banks and the water in the stream.
Pavors Dam .
Government records show that the
mean water level at this point Is seven
! feet holOw What IL NC g thirty Gyo yoorc
ago. Scientific investigation has demon
strated' that the cheapest counter pres
sure obtainable is-WateF-~uEhis can only
be obtained by the construction Of a
dam. AS an undertaking for this city
alone to accomplish the cost would be
prohibitive.
The two railways maintaining bridges
lem. Our city engineer has taken his
matter up tentatively with the managers
Of the railways. They announce them
selves as Interested. although at present
ment control. If the railways could be
induced to bear each one-thir6 of the
cost and the two adjacent cities divide
haps be broush within reach. This has
been heretofore regarded as a ~naviEable
stream, but I think the government Of
hcials are convinced that If navigation
means Of dams and locks and we should
probably meet with no other restriction
than the requirement of the installation
OF a bulk,head as a provision for a fut-
If such a dam were constructed. IT
would insure sufficient submergance OF
the intake pipes of both cities. Unless
very much more reduced, such a dam
should yield power Of considerable com
mercial value II investigated this
capital. to install a dam. There are. I
think, Sufficient possibilities in these