The Punta Gorda herald. [volume] (Punta Gorda, Fla.) 1893-1958, 1920-11-11

Sldlteu 100 SoUu III the complexion OF
the big bridge is not to find that
street in its present disgraceful con-
di.ion.
If Retta Esplanade be improved as
PEI petition of property owners then
berry street should be improved
from that thorcughfare to Marian
avenue, or further. in order to COM
plete the circuit.
The amount of improved property
on Sullivan street, Goldstein street,
Harvey street, Gill street, McGregor
street and Chasteen street would in
dicate that at least a part of those
streets should be improved
Many other streets, notably in the
eastern section of the city, need i'm
provements, but as stated before, the
order as to time in which the i'm
p oVements are made will depend
upon the manner in which the inn
provements are financed.
! An answer to the third question, /.
c., How must or can these improve
ments be made?" involves the solu-
tica of the problem of drainage for
STERN water.
unfortunately, very erroneous
impression generally prevails, to
wit: that the average surface of the
town is several feet higher, above
sea level, than it really is, and that
the drainage of surface water into
the bay is very simple matter, "as
easy as falling off log" Is the way
one prominent, and usually we'll in
formed, business man expressed it,
and that it is only necessary to con-
tinue as has been done heretofore, to
dig deep bitches or canals along both
sides of each street and the object
is accomplished. These canals have
necessarily been dug so close to the
sidewalk pavement that trees, if
,lanted at all, must be set so close
to the pavement that their roots
soon ruin the pavement.
This erroneous impression and
the policy of maintaining these dis
ease producing, mosquito breeding
bitches MUST be abandoned, and the
space between sidewalk pavement
and the curb line on which trees can
be planted or lawns maintained
must be increased if we are to have
MODERN streets without which
Punta Gorda cannot secure her
share of the prosperity that is COM
ing to South Florida.
"If these deep unsightly bitches
are abandoned and streets with
MODERN cross-sections substituted |
then unless storm sewers are pro-
vided, storm water will in many
cases have to be carried in cutters
having so little fall, or none at all,
that the streets will be flooded dur
Ing storms, and the soil in adjoining
lots completely saturated during long
seasons of each year. If streets in
ms condition remain unpayed
will continue to bog down in
he roadway. and if paved, the pave
nent will require expensive base or
t will soon so to pieces.
"Hirman McElroy, C. E., who ,
made survey estimates and reports {
IN which was based the issue of
$4,000 bonds for improvements and
Who made the most honest and sensi- !,
lie report on conditions in the city +,
nat has ever come to my knowledge !,
recommended storm sewers for all
treets before paving the same-and
believe he was right"
AT the meeting Tuesday the editor 7
1 the Herald was asked to deter =
line, as near as possible, the senti
lent of the people toward the mo-
osed Improvement of the streets.
moving no other way tc determine
le sentiment on short notice he III "
'rVieWed as many as possible of the T
'Wns leading people and of the num- b
er interviewed not one was found to b
opposed to a program of improve h
lent. AS near as can be remember h
! the Following people were intre- b.
ewed, all except one of whom ex- a
ressed himself or herself in favor W
street improvements: O.
H. R. Dreggors: II am heartily in
Vor of any improvements to our a
reefs" Mrs. NJ A. Meadow: 81 st
n for it; we must go either back f
ard or forward" ]. N. Skies: "Yes. b,
favor tive must do something ii
ith Streets" A. p. Jordan: "I
n heartily in favor of improvement of
our streets if it can be done by SO
e issuance of bonds for the pay
ent OF part of the cost, so that
e burden will be more equitably
stributed than under the proposed
an to assess the entire cost against wi
utting property" w. H. Johnson: fo
lou san quote me as being in favor mr.
street improvement am willing ba
stand my share of the cost" F. bo
Cooper: 'Yes, am for it," r. C. ON
1T would be the bigges; ma
ing we could for the future of our cd
wn.' Jas. K. McClelland: II am an