1911 Gravel and Paving

Jan 19 1911

Movement Under Way to Give Township a Fine Gravel Road and Culver Paved Streets

As the result of a meeting of property owners and business men at which Attorney Logan explained the provisions of the three mile law, a petition will be put into circulation this week for the building of a gravel road, nearly 3 miles in length, beginning at the corner of section 20, south of town at Ed Hawk's thence running north and east through Main, Scott and Toner streets and on past the academy to the northeast corner of the academy farm.

It is proposed to make the improvement without incurring the expense of an election, and the town board has the whole matter under consideration. The board feels that the improvement is a desirable one, but wants time to investigate the financial phase of it, and will therefore look into the estimated cost and the ability of the town to incur the necessary indebtedness.

It is furthermore a part of the project to include in this improvement the paving of the main and only highway through town from the south end of Main street to the top of Bunker Hill, such paving, outside of the business section, to be in the neighborhood of 30 feet in width. This is authorized under the provisions of the three mile road law on condition that the property inside the corporation pays for the excess cost of the paving over gravel.

The time has come when not only the people of Culver, but many of the farmers, believe that something more durable and cleanly and comfortable than dirt is demanded.

If there is any contention on this point it will be over the matter of cost and the manner of raising the money rather than over the fact of the desirability of the paving.

It is well known that Marshall county as a whole is behind neighboring counties in the matter of roads.

All over Starke county --- finest of roads are to be -- most of them built since --age of the three mile law and the people are so well ---- with the result of the ex--- are of their money that at --- they ask for roads faster than the roads can be built.

--- the most equitable way of building these roads, it seems to us, is ---- taxation instead of assessing --- the abutting property. The latter plan imposes an undue burden on a limited number of property owners who must after paying the entire cost of the road along their property, continue to pay for the improvement of roads all over the township. The distribution of the expense upon-all the property of the township increases each man's tax but little, especially as the cost is paid in semi-annual installments spread over a period of from ten to twenty years.

If it is decided to pave within the corporation the property owners in town will pay nearly all of the expense the farmers will not be taxed a cent of the additional cost of brick over gravel.

The business property the property most benefited will pay, as it already does, the larger proportionate share of the tax. At the same time, the people who live on the residence streets will enjoy the benefit of the paving to a degree equal, we think, to the amount of the additional tax they will pay. More horses and teams are owned by people living off of the main traveled streets through town than by those who live on Main, Scott and Toner, and even the farmers use the streets so frequently that they can afford to speak an encouraging word concerning the improvement to their friends in town.

No man can live in town without getting a benefit and an increased enjoyment out of every public improvement that is made.

It is because of these improvements that he moves from the country to the town.

He wants the companionship of the larger community, the public and social amusements, the church and school privileges, the good walks, the more convenient house in short, the opportunity of sharing in all the improved conditions which town life affords.

These improved conditions, cost the people of the town something, but the cost is cheerfully paid. Not to be willing to lend a hand and bear a share m the growing demands of modern ways of living is to expose oneself to the charge of being undesirable citizen and few men are willing to be put into that class by their fellow townsmen and neighbors.

Most men have the public spirit and the communal pride to rejoice over the growth of their town, but that growth is achieved only as the citizens apply their money, brains and energy to that end.

When this can be done by a concerted effort, with your neighbor's shoulder to your shoulder, and at a comparatively small cost as is contemplated in the projected road improvement, then things will move.