Evening Republican, Volume 19, Number 90, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 16 April 1915 — OIL IS ORDERED FOR SEVERAL STREETS [ARTICLE]

OIL IS ORDERED FOR SEVERAL STREETS

J. C. Gwin Petition Passed Council and Oil Also Provided For Main, Division and Cullen.

The council at its special meeting Thursday evening disposed of the spring oiling question. About thirty or forty property owners were present and there was some discussion about the best method of dust control. The council decided to adopt the petition of J. C. Gwin and others and to include Cullen street from Rutset south to Grace and Main and Division streets south from the Monon railroad at the Babcock & Hopkins elevator to Washington street. The Gwin petition provides for oiling Forest and Culledi streets from Walnut, which is the first street north of the railroad to Cornelia, at the White Boarding House comer. Also for the oiling of Vine, Elm, Clark, Angelica and Susan streets for one block on each side of Forest and Cullen. The oiling must be done by contract as the cost cannot be assessed against the properties if it is done in any other manner. The ( city will also do some other oiling, a pledge made when the subscriptions were taken recently for the flushing and garbage collection arrangement. The city’s part will be Cullen street one block north from Washington and one block south from Harrison, and Van Rensselaer street the same. Front a block each way from Washington. Washington a block east from Cullen. Cornelia between Van Rensselaer and Front. Delos Thompson, who has had years of experience in the street and road making business, is opposed to the use of oil, stating that its effect is to destroy the binding qualities of the stone. He and others were present to argue for the use of water and sprinkling. As the city is to adopt the water meter system the person supplying the water would have to pay for it on that basis. Persons who use the hose for sprinkling purposes will find it very expensive now that the meter system is to be installed. The council determined not to force the oiling as a general plan, owing to the desire to create no unnecessary hardships. If oil is wanted on other streets the matter will have to be brought up by petition to the council. There is no one here now perpared to do the oiling in a thorough manner and it is probable that an out-of-town contractor will be given the job and this will make it cost more, in all probability, than it should cost. The oil, however, will be materially cheaper than tarvia and as a dust preventative should prove much more satisfactory.