The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1919-04-01
!. ABOUT STREET BUILDING.

streets and the construction of side
walks in this city. The streets anc
sidewalks have been needed a long
time. Whether this is the time when
we should actually commence work
we are unable to say. Just now Ia
bor is none too plentiful, but we be,
lieve that by the end of July there
will be a great deal of labor going
idle unless there is work Of this kind
to be done. Necessarily if there is
considerable idle labor at that time
the price will be such that we might
commence building the streets and
sidewalks.
But whether we commence the &C.
tual construction of the streets and
sidewalks then or not, is not OF so
great importance as getting ready to
commence the work when the time is
ripe: There are many things to be
done before the work can commence.
The first thing, and the all import
ant thing is to finance the building
of these streets and sidewalks. This
can be. done only by the T. necessary
bond issue. It will take time to cir
culate the petitions, time to order
and hold the election, and time to
find purchasers for the bonds. This
is q matter which should receive i'm
mediate attention from the City
Council. It will meet in a few days,
we believe. Let them start the cir
culation of these petitions at once.
If the people who pay taxes do not
sign them, it will mean that these
people do not want the. streets; if
they want the streets they should
have an opportunity to say so.
...' What Amount of Bonds! t"
Without having given the matter
full investigation we believe the city
under the laws recently passed by the
legislature may issue about one hum
dred thousand dollars in bonds. These
laws provide that the abutting prop
erty owners on each side shall each
pay one-fourth of the cost of these
streets and sidewalks. Making due
allowance for cases where the amount
may not be collected, we should by
issuing this amount have about the
sum Of one hundred and seventy-five
thousand dollars for these street i'm
provements. If we build twenty
miles of sidewalk (and we are in IA
vor of building a sidewalk at this
time on at least one side Of every
street in the city, we will spend for
these sidewalks perhaps fifty thous-
and dollars. ;" This will leave one hun
dred and, twenty-five thousand dollars
to be expended on the streets proper.
It will cost we imagine, about twenty
five thousand dollars to pave the
public square. This will leave one
hundred thousand dollars, with which
we may build at this time about five
miles of first class streets. With the
improvement in property values
bound to follow this work, and the
growth of the city which is coming
we may soon. be able to add to these
paved streets other miles of pavec
streets and in the of few years we
should have ten miles of pavec
streets in the city. If we, build at all
we are in favor of building on every
street where the people will pay stht
necessary assessments, just as fas
as may be done.
How Shall The Work Be Done?
4 The most important thing whicl
will come before the City. Council
for decision is the manner of doing
the work. With the experience w
have had in building, limited though
it has been, and with the observation
of results obtained by the two sys
TENS, we are decidedly Of the opin
ion that it is, better. sor the city t,
ds the work t#slk z&he1 tAsua1i
oft by contract In this way We ar
s@s e obtain szisa* kind af xaEl
NJ sity nay snpiay . :arss elaa eu
.r...' -.