Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1919-03-25
SPRlNG.Mup

The condition in which most Of our streets se 1t
this time has given. rise to frequent statements that this
is the muddiest time on record. A peculiarly of the seA-
son is that 80 much mud and slush should follow such d
comparatively small snow fall, but the conditions have
been peculiar. There have been occasional thaws ever
since mid-winter but none Of these have been great
enough to cause the water to flow freely. Instead, the
frozen sides Of the openings and has frozen as it flowed.
80 that by the time the real thaw came most of these
openings were filled to a considerable distance below the
surface with solid ice through which the surface water
could not make its way. That accounts, In part At least,
for the difficulty which has been experienced in taking
care Of the surface water.
It may be a little Interesting to recall some other ex-
periences. The spring Of 1897, unlike the present one.
followed a winter Of unusually deep snow. Aad while such
sewers as existed wsre probably open, they were incapa-
BILE Of taking care Of the enormous amount Of water
which seeped gradually into the soil. Grand Forks at
that time had no street paving, neither in fact had any
other North Dakota city. Our streets were Of the natu-
raj soil and when the wet earth was churned up by the
passing vehicles 1t quickly becomes an ifapassable morass,
One who has not witnessed those conditions would find
It difficult to credit an accurate description Of them. The
streets in the business part Of Grand Forks and most Of
the other streets were not fisuratively, but literally, I'm
rassable. Street traffic was actually abandoned. Here
and there stuck in the mud were wagons and bugsies-
there were no automobiles in those days-left where they
had become begged down to await dry weather when
they could be dug out. Grand Forks was then, as now,
a considerable Wholesale center and the distribution bus
mess was carried on after a fashion. The wholesale
houses were on North Third street about where the Mer.
camille company is now located, and while the Northern
Pacific cars could easily be loaded from the rear, there
was , " way Of getting a wagon. load of goods from W.
wholesale houpe to the Great Northern. Great Northern
cars were therefore switched on to the siding near The
Herald. and the goods from the wholesale house were
wheeled IN pushcarts by man power up the streets and
the distribution was taken care Of in that way. The walks
were nearly all of plank, and the crossings entirely 80,
and the navigation Of the pushcart loaded with groceries
across the greasy crossings at DeMers avenue was a feat
to be compared with Blondin's crossing Of Niagara on a
tight rope. One difference was that Blondin did not slip
off. t.
The need for better streets which had been apparent
for some time became quite generally recognized. and
paving projects were discussed. The most expensive
was the cedar block variety, the cost of which was about
$1.oo per square yard. At this rate the cost Of paving the
business section of Grand Forks reached a sum Of which
in the opinion Of not a few people was utterly prohibit
i've and alternatives were suggested. One was that the
streets be macadamlzed, another that they be planked,
but while 1t was ultimately decided to pave with cedar
blocks the decision was reached with a good many mis-
gfvings, and there was not a little doubt of the ability
Of the citizens to pay the price and live. Since then we
have worn out the cedar block paving, have paved not
only the business section but, a large part Of the, residence
district with modern pavement Of an enduring character.
Our streets are as we'll paved as those -. any CITY. Most
OF our paving is paid for, and the town grows and the
people thrive. The vision of Grand Forks streets paved
as they are, had it been presented to our people a little
less than a quarter OF a century ago, would have been be-
lleved by most of them to be an undertaking beyond the
possibility Of realization.