Council Proceedings: August 6, 1906

To the Hon. Mayor & City Council;

We your street and alley committee recommend that bids be advertised for so soon as it is determined what kind of material shall be used for paving and we suggest that the City engineer be instructed to make investigations and report to this Council at its next regular meeting as to what kind of material is best for ^the paving^ of Hemphill St

R. F. Cook Jake F Zurn

Fort Worth, Texas, August 8th, 1906.

To The City Council of Fort Worth, Texas.

Gentlemen:-

I hereby respectfully suggest and recommend that the Council comply with the request of the petitioners who ask for the paving of Hemphill Street from Magnolia to the city limits.

Their petition has been on file since May 21st.

I am informed that the signers constitute all or about all of the owners of property fronting on said part of said street.

They offer to pay the full amount of the cost of the paving in front of their respective properties, except that part which would be paid for by the street railway company, to-wit: between the rails, and for eighteen inches on the outside of the rails.

In making contract for this paving it should be done with the proviso, or agreement, that the cost of paving the street intersections should be paid for by the city, in one, two and three years, or some such length of time. The same to draw interest at a low rate, payable annually or semi-annually.

The large amount of money which these citizens are offering to put into street improvements, fully justifies and warrants the city, in assuming the cost of paving the street intersections other than that part thereof which the street railway company will pay.

The fact that there is necessity for the Council, so far as possible, to refrain from incurring debts which call for cash payments, will not warrant our declining to act upon the matter.

It would be shortsighted for us to reject this proffered help towards a class of improvements which we so much need in our city.

It is not proper or right to have a matter of this kind delayed to argue and parley over the question as to whether another

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kind of pavement might not be better than the kind this petition calls for.

The petition calls for Rock Asphalt, of a specified thickness, laid upon a five inch crushed rock basis.

Where the citizens who own the abutting property desire a pavement of a kind that is in common use as a pavement, the City Council should contract for that kind rather than have delay, and possibly defeat the movement altogether by trying to substitute something else.

What I have said here with reference to Hemphill Street should also apply to any other street where the property owners on it for a considerable number of blocks make a like offer of their help to make valuable street improvements.

Of course, in getting bids for this work, and similar work, we should give that notice to the public which will insure the best contract possible, and the contract should be clear and specific; and reasonable safe guards should be made against defective work, and intending to do the right kind, will be willing to give bond guaranteeing a faithful performance of their contract.

Action on this petition, I think, has been delayed too long. I suggest that you take steps at once to see how good a contract can be secured.

Yours very truly, W. D. Harris. Mayor of Fort Worth.

Mayor, Communication to City council

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[stamp: FILED AUG 6- 1906 Jno T. Montgomery City Sec'y]

July , I906.

We, the undersigned owners and representatives of owners of real estate either in Block C 2 or C 3, Daggett's Addition to the City of Fort Worth, Tarrant County, Texas, as shown by description set opposite our respective signatures, hereby respectively state that we have no objection to the City of Fort Worth putting in a larger and deeper sewer through the center of said blocks, running parallel with Main and Rusk Streets, provided we nor either of us nor any one we represent, is at any expense or cost whatever in or about the contructing of said sewer, nor for any material used in or about same nor for any connections with said sewer, and provided further that no damage is done in the construction of said sewer to any property owned or represented by us or either of us, or any tenant or tenants occupying any of said property.