Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1920-01-16
TELLS NORTH SIDE ASSN
WORK MUST PROCEED
THIS YEAR
POLITICS IN DEAL.
ARRAIGNc GROUP W no AR
FIGHTING IMPROVE MENT BE
CAUSE THEY WOULD BLOCK
ANY TASK ISTRATlON
MIGHT UNDERTAKE.

His views on the north size paving
his stand for doing the work without
any mere delay and his reasons tor
fayoring asphalt as a surface tOr the
Improvement, We're clearly set forth
last night by Mayor George Y. +
Weeks in an address before the North
Ottawa Improvement Association
While covering these essential points
the mayor told his neighbors how tu
tile 1t was for anyone to bolster up Op-
position to the proposed pavement OF
their section Of he city with nOthinL
more reliable to back their arguments
than political reasons and the fact
that they didn't like the present ad
miniStrdtion
The mayors attitude toward the
proposition occasions deal CT lnjcr
est in sections other than the north
side. because the city has under con
temptation many minor Improvements
which will affect east, west and south
Ottawa as well as the territory nOrtl
Of the Illinois and Mchean Canal
The association meeting was at
tended by about sixty mpmoers Th'
speech making was preceded by
Drief musical program, follcwins
which the mayor, COmmisaien"
Dougherty, Frank Morrison and WI,
liam Sonntag occupied the platform
and spoke in favor Of starting WOrn
on the pavement without any more
delay than is necessary.
Commissioner ijougherty is aligned
with the mayor and is uncquiNocally
against any pustp, ntmont oi the W0ri
unless he can be assured that prices
will be lower in 1921 or 1922 than
they are now,
He stated that il anyone could
prove to him that pavement would be
cheaper In few years he would u'
glad to wait but that he felt it was
due to himself and his family 80 see
that the pavement Went through i'm
mediately. AS he believed ina any dc.
lay would mean an increased cost
He told Of having conversations
with some of the objectOrs, who wan
ed the Improvement delayed Tor rev
years. and upon attempting 70 Ioarr
on what basis they were laying thcr
argument that prices would decrease
he was informed to wait ana soc
He went into the south side question
where some CT tle streets were not
rsved. the property owners waiting
for cheaper prices, telling that nov
when the pavement must 90 in Il
would be at an increase OF - l-& pei
cent over tho original price.
lie discussed the Goose Creek prop
ostion declaring that il would not
be filled in and added onto the paNina
assessment but must be done by =
bond issue Of the entire city.
Mayor Weeks said in part;
Due to the fact that in an effort
to create sentiment against paving
of the north side the coming summer,
some persons have made statements
that are misleading, and are not
founded on fact | think it we'll al
this time to go into the matter in
some detail,
when | entered office there was
one outstanding fact, beyond dispute.
The north side streets were in terri
bic condition, so bad in fact that at
times in the spring We were praCti.
cally without fire protection.
Most people agree, that the only
solution for city streets is to pave,
ana many were urging pa oli lilf'
north side.
we had never used but one type
of paving in ottawa and that was
brick. ! rialized that 1.-The petplo
were largely schooled and welded to
brick. and knew little of other tJpes
and | knew also that vitrifide clay
brick even of the wire cut type that
has largely been used here as we'll as
the better glazed pressed brick were
extremely high in price.
II had learned also that concrete
paving was considerably cheaper
than brick and not feeling justified
in divcrting from brick, for people
schOolod in brick, | brought to Otta-
Wa representatives Of the brick, con
crete and asphalt association. to
speak at public meetings to enlighten
us all on The various types cf pay
ing And in addition thereto | wrote
many cities, making inquiry Of the
mayors and engineers Of those cities,
as to their experience with concrete
and asphalt, and gave the property
owners the benefit of these letters
and the ultimate result was that n
Continued on page 3, col. ~