The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1919-01-02
PAVING ON MAIN
STREET ASSURED
PETITION SIGNED READILY BY
EVERY PROPERTY OWNER
APPROACHED
BIG MAJORITY KILLS ANY OPPOSITION
Brookings Will Start Her Share OF
Reconstruction Work With Greatly
Needed Improvement

From an interview with Mayor W.
H. Leighty, yesterday, the Register is
advised that out of a frontage Of about
five thousand feet on Main street, be-
tween Folsom street south Of the track
street and Eighth street from Main to
street, the owners Of w three thous-
and feet of that property have already
signed the petition. Others living on
seems very probable that the FIRST con-
tract may call for paving all of Main
street and Eigth street from Main to
Medary venue The reason this
looks so favorable is because in order
to prevent any paving there must be
sixty-ive per cent OF the frontage OPP
posed to it. And as than three
fifths are in favor, with others to see
who are expected to get on the band
wagon, there car be no doubt but
what the same is assured. BY fall, 1t
looks as if Bookings would rank
ahead of Elkton and DeSmet with
their gravel streets, something we
have not done heretofore. There
seems to be two opinions concerning
the material to be used on Main
street as far north as Sixth. Several
men of experience seem to think h a
blocks should be used SO that when
further improvements in building are
made along the main ~thoroughfare, it
will be easier to take them up for
necessary connections. In the resi-
dence section it also appears that
asphalt would naturally enlist the
greatest number of supporters. To
determine this no doubt the council
will call for bids for different kinds
and then submit it to the property
owners for a final say as to the kind
to be used.
When this paving is once started
and the benefits become Immediately
apparent, there is no doubt but what
the other principal streets, like Sixth
Fifth and Williams, will take this mat
ter up at once and get busy. The
streets o. Brookings have been a howl
ing disgrace, for no matter how much
you improve a dirt road it goes to
pieces with the first rain. This fact
is becoming admitted all over the
country and new highways are all OF
them being provided with a permanent
hard top. Another thing that we are
assured will take place when Main
street is paved, is that the lighting
system will be changed, all the old
wooden poles removed and real re
spectacle lights that will be good look.
new street. A suggestion has been
made that from Sixth to Eighth streets
Main street be parked in the center
as is Madison and many other cities
In their residence sections, and the or
namental lights placed jim this park
way. Quite a number of real things
can be done in Brookings, If we get
some paving, one of which would be
the building of a real storm sewer on
Sixth street to take the place of the
present unsightly ditch. If Sixth
street is paved the city will have tc
construct such a sewer as a matter Of
necessity. But as it Is a necessity
right now anyhow, it would be reason
able to do this.
Quite a number Of property owner:
have not been seen, but they will be
called on. While there has been {
suspicion that this or that man would
he against such an improvement, there
is nc expectation that anyone viii
make the least protest.