The Rice belt journal. (Welsh, Calcasieu Parish, La.) 1900-19??, 1920-04-24
THE CITYS STREETS
GREATLY IMPROVED

Since the first of January nearl,
all of the streets in Welsh have beef
graded. The work, some of which hat
to be done during the recent rainy
period, is now showing up to very
good advantage. Surface dragging is
doing much for the improvement Of
the freshly graded streets. Generally
! they are in far better condition than
for several years.
/ When the new Board of Trustees
took Office last year, they wisely Sc
lected Mr. Chas. F. Jeter as chairman
Of the committee on streets. In &C.
Cepting the important appointment
Mr. Jeter is not known to have made
any elaborate promises or apollo
gy, but he has seen to it so far that
the streets of Welsh got what was
coming to them in full measure, and
considerable credit is due him for the
good work.
During the past two years there has
been little work done on the streets
practically no grading at all having
been done AS a result they were in
a very bad condition at the beginning
Of the present year, in some instances
impossible. The special five mill tax
for streets and bridges brings a reve-
nue. of approximately $4,000. About
$4,000 of this amount has been spent
so far on grading, ditching and drag
ging, including the hauling Of dirt to
fill in a number Of bad mud holes Mr..
Jeter proposes to spend the rest Of
the proceeds of the tax on street m
proyement during the year, which
should put the STREETS in very good con-
dition.
Considering that there are more
than twenty miles of graded streets
in Welsh, and that about $4,000 Of
the $4,000 is required to keep the
crossings and cutters cleaned, 1t will
be seen that the cost of grading and
maintaining will amount to less than
100000 per mile, a very reasonable
figure, indeed.
Petitions have been presented for
the graVelling of a number of streets.
These petitions have been passed up
Oh by the Board of Trustees and re.
ferred to the ordinance committee TO
have the proper ordinances drafted.
The streets for vhlcA gravelling has
bee assured are Elm Street from Rus
sell Avenue to South Railroad; Rus
sell Avenue from Adams to Sarah
Street; Polk Street from Russell Ave-
nue. to Rowson; Rowson from Polk to
Adams; Nichols from Adams to Crow
ley Street and Crowley Street to South
Street. Also residents of a number
of other streets are planning on grav-
ell. Each street graVelled will reduce
the total maintenance cost proper
tionately. 1t Isl estimated that the
cost nf nard suTfacing the streets will!
amount to about So cents per front
So0t.
On the basis of the above figures
the gragelling of the streets will prove
a big move Tor economy. The saving
il the cost" Of maintenance would in
a few years pay the entire cost of
hard surfacing It believed that when
the work begins and the property own
ers have an opportunity to appreciate
the the full value Of it there will be
a demand for the travelling of every
street in town
In the matter OF cement sidewalks
Welsh occupies position in the front
rank of the towns i'll Louisiana We
have more cement walks per capita
here than any other town in the state.
The walks have proven good invest
ment. Hard surfaced astreets would
prove even more economical.