The Delta independent., 1923-02-16
BRINGS OUT PROBLEMS DErRI.
MENTAL TO STREET PAVING

The following article ON paving our
Main street has been prepared by Mil.
lard Fairlamb, one OF the heaviest
taxpayers on Main Street. Consider
it carefully, SO that in the future you
may be prepared to exercise your
| best judgment in the matter.
Delta is looking forward to a per-
iod of growth that will include the
paving of Main street and possibly of
some of the well settled portions of
our side streets. 1t is therefore me-
cessary that we consider carefully
some phases of the paving question,
that are not ordinarily discussed in
connection with the problem of paw
ing.
Our water works system is SO ar
ranged that the main service lines
are laid in the streets, and the water
taps run from the mains to the front
end of the lots. Unless we are to
break into our paving each time that
new tap is needed or each time that
repairs are needed. either on the
main line or on the service lines. it is
necessary that these water mains and
service lines be changed from the
streets into the alleys, and that con-
nections be made from the alleys to
the business houses and dwellings
supplied with city water. No sane
person would contemplate the prob
lem OF paving our streets without
first removing the water mains and
service lines.
Another matter that has to be con-
sidered in connection with the paw
ing. is the installation of proper
system of street lights. The modern
system Of street lighting makes it ne.
cessary to have under ground wires
carried in conduits placed under the
connections to lamp posts properly
spaced. These lamp posts would
have to be installed at the same time
the paving is done SO that they could
be built into the concrete and given a
proper foundation. Hence. 1t is ne.
cessary for us to consider not alone
the problem Of street paving. but also
the reconstruction of our water main
lines. and the installation Of a satis-
factory system of street lighting.
The expense Of removing the water
pipe lines and service connections
from Main street and replacing them
in the alleys. on each side of Main
street. and Of putting in an up to date
system Of street lamps. would necessi-
tate an expenditure on the part Of the
city Of from 5000 to $4,000. This
could not be assessed against the pro-
perty included in the paving district.
but would have to be paid for by the
city out of fund to be raised by gen.
eral taxation.
It would seem that the time il now
ripe for the city to commence to plan
the accumulation of such fund by
making provision in the annual bud
get for the raising each year for sew
eral years Of portion of this sum.
SO that when the time is ripe for paw.
ing. the city will be in position to
do its part.
Besides this expenditure, a certain
amount OF cost of the installation OF
paving has to be paid by the city, be.
cause under the 1921 Statutes OF Colo.
RADIO what portion OF the cost OF street
paving cannot be assessed by reason
of the benefit to the abutting proper
ty, is required to be paid from the city
Treasury. Just what this proper.
tion would be, is a matter for deter.
mination at later date.
The larger question for those con-
sidering paving, is the question OF the
effect upon the city that the installa.
tion Of paving would cause. It is OBJ
vious that paving might injure the
town as well as benefit 1t. Property
owners who have to make additional
expenditures for the Improvement of
their property. would demand increas-
ed rents, because Of the investment
made. These increased rentals will
be reflected in the increased cost of
goods so that the consumer has to
pay for the interest on the additional
Investment as we'll as the amortiza-
tion Of the cost of construction. This
raise in the cost Of merchandise to
the buyer, might divert trade to such
an extent that the installation OF paw
ing would result in a detriment to the
city instead OF a blessing.
The proper time for the installation
Of paving. is when a period Of strong
growth in city has occurred. and
when prosperity in the surrounding
territory II at its best. In the mean.
time patchwork paving should be
avoided, for when the streets are paw.
ed, the work should be done rightly
and as an entirety. Patch work paw.
ing will not match with the perma.
nent installation, It will block off sep
arately. and cannot be connected up
rightly with subsequent pavement. II