The Peoples' Voice (Norman, Okla.), Vol. 18, No. 6, Ed. 1 Friday, August 20, 1909 Page: 1 of 8
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VOICE
VOLUME 18.
NORMAN, OKLAHOMA, FRIDAY, AUGUST 20, 1909.
.NUMBER 6
A GOOD PAVING
CHANDLER CITIZEN
THINKS IT IS
DANDY
REDUCES
COST 1 HALF
Council May Investigate
It Before Letting
Contract.
The city council last night receiv-
ed a communication from Harry Gil-
strap, of Chandler, a former regent
of the University here, and one of
the most prominent citizens of Ok-
lahoma, relative to "Petrolithic" pav-
ing, contract for fifty blocks of which
has been let at Chandler, and which
is now being laid. For the benefit of
our readers we print the communica-
tion. It follows:
Chandler, Okla., Aug. 15, 1909.
„The 'Petrolithic' paving is all
right, I think. Our paving has not
progressed far enough to constitute
a test, as yet, but to watch their work
is to inspire one with confidence that
it is the thing we want. There are
several reasons tor my confidence in
this new paving, and I will give them
to you and you may accord them
such weight as you deem proper.
"In Southern California, where the
preponderance of wealth is so great
that cost is absolutely no considera-
tion, they are paving more with Pe-
trolithic than with any thing else. In
Pasadena, where there are probably
as many homes of millionaries as in
any similar area in America, they are
using this paving almost exclusively,
because it is dustless, and the only
dustless paving that has been found.
We first got to studying the Pero-
lithic through Hugh Johnson, presi-
dent of the First National of Chand-
ler, and our chief good road booster.
His attention had been attracted to
Petrolithic through government re-
ports, and he spent two weeks in Cal-
ifornia, about Pasadena, Monrovia,
and other points, this spring, look-
ing into it. He was convinced that
from the standpoint of cost, comfort,
and duribility, it was the thing, and
while there he made tenative arrange
ments for a demonstration here. As
soon as he returned we ratified his
plan, and as quickly as the prelimi-
nary steps could be taken we arrang-
ed for three blocks as a demonstra-
tion, and have passed resolutions cov-
ering about 50 blocks more. The
three blocks now being paved with
Petrolithic invlude the block in front
of my home, so I have a good chance
to watch it. Our contract is on the
basis of $1 per square yard, which is
about 40 per cent of the price usually
paid for sheet asphalt or brick. The
process consists in thoroughly pul-
verizing the soil, treating it with
liquid asphalt with a thorough mix-
ing and tamping so as to make it al-
most as solid as rock, and then fin-
ishing with crushed stone and as-
phalt, rolled to a hard, smooth sur-
face with a 12-ton steam roller. In
appearance it resembles sheet as
phalt, which appearance grows more
like tiie asphalt with use. Johnson
tells me that in California he would
occasionally go from the asphalt on
to the petrolithic paving, or vice-
versa. and that he could not tell liic
difference by the looks of the two,
•!tc difference being only thit the
Tetrolithic war. dustless.
Through the assistance of Bird Mc-
Guirc, 1 secured a construction en-
gineer from the office of good roads
in the U. S. department of agriculture.
His name is P. M. Speichcr, and he
is saiil !t be the best man the depart-
ment bi's. He wa9 for many yeirs a
lorstruction engineer in Philadelphia
, and came here from El Paso, Texas,
where he has just let the contract
for about $400,000 worth of hard-sur
face roadway, lie is here to overse".
the building of our .13 miles of hard-
surface road across the county, lie is
rooming in my house, and I there-
fore have a good opportunity to talk
with him frequently. He is of course
unbiased in his judgment, and he is
very enthusiastic in his approval of
Perolithic paving. He says he has
seen it in all sorts of places, under all
sorts of conditions, and under all
kinds of traffic, and that it gets bet-
ter with age and is superior under
heavy traffic. There is a good deal of
it in El Paso, and it is very satisfac-
tory. He will probably recommend
its use for our hard-surface road ac-
ross this coilnty.
"There is no Petrolithic road in
Oklahoma now. There may be oil
roads, but they are made of native
or Texas oil, which has a paraffin
base instead of the asphaltic base. I
am informed that Petrolithic paving
is easier to repair than is sheet as-
phalt."
In conclusion Mr. Gilstrap sug-
gests that Norman send a committee
over to Chandler ana ex;.mine the
paving before they let the contract
for the contemplated paving, which
suggestion we think a mighty good
one and which we hope will be fol-
lowed.
Some time ago the Independent
published an article relative to this
new paving and suggested that it be
investigated. We are still of the opin-
ion that it might be a good thing for
the council to do so. If Norman can
discover a paving for approximately
$1.00 per yard, or not more than half
as much as regular asphalt paving,
it will enable us to pave practically
the whole town, and the objections
to paving will practically all disap-
pear.
We would like to see the council
send a committee over to Chandler
to investigate the new paving.
C 0 N T INUED DROUTH
HAS BEEN HARD
ON THEM
intending to have the water works ex-
tended. We sincerely hope that the
work will be hastened. Action, in this
direction was begun last April but
later such action was stopped. It is
time that something is done.
When the trees were practically de-
stroyed on the West Side school
grounds a big fuss was raised. It was
a dastardly trick; every citizen of
Norman was not mild in his condem-
nation of the act. And yet is such
work much worse than the letting of
just as valuable trees die when a lit-
j tie water would save them, and when
the city is provided with something
like $11,000 more money to provide
the water? We think not. One was
the result of cussedness; the other is
the result of carelessness and indif-
ference and neglect. The one is about
as bad as the other.
What is said of Norman's trees
may also be said of her lawns. During
this hot weather many of Norman's
splendid lawns have been badly dam-
aged because of lack of water to keep
them alive. There is nothing that will
acid so much to the appearance and
beauty of a city—nothing that will
create such a favorable impression
upon visitors here, as nice laws and
fine trees tor shade. Norman people
have gone to considerable expense
and trouble to plant shade trees and
provide lawns; many of these same
people arc today clear away from
water; they help pay the taxes of the
city and the interest on the water
works bonds; they will have to help
pay the bonds—they are doing so
now. Therefore they are entitled to
a share in the benefits of a system for
the protection of their property.
The biggest boost Norman ever
got would be to extend her water
works system to all parts of the city
and then in times like these to give
people whose trees and laws are suf-
fering free water to save them from
ruin.
That's the kind of boosting that
counts, and the only kind of boost-
ing that ever amounts to a thing hi
the long run.
Ought To Be So That
They Could Be
Watered
The spirit of planting shade trees
along the streets and avenues in Nor
man was kindled at an early day in
the history of the city, largely due,
no doubt, to the enthusiasm of Dr.
Boyd, who was president of the Uni-
versity. Dr. Boyd surrounded the
University grounds and the avenues
and drives through the campus with
rows of trees, and also planted sever-
al plots of ground in the campus in
trees. This work attracted the atten-
tion of the citizens of Norman and
today perhaps no city in the state
of equal size has as many shade trees
growing along the streets and aven-
ues as Norman.
The people have been at much ex-
pense and labor in growing and car-
ing for these trees. The past six
weeks of dry and hot weather is hav-
ing its effect on many of them and
they are shedding their foliage badly.
Some of the trees are in a dying con-
dition. Should the hot and dry weath-
er continue much longer many of the
trees will no doubt perish.
It would be a good thing for the
trees and also for the entire city, if
in a time like this, these trees could
he watered. If water were accessible
many of the trees would be watered,
and in some places we observe, that
even the high price of water does not
prevent those who have hydrant-
from laying hose to their trees i i
their yard. How nice it would be i.
there was a water line along all of
the streets in the city, and in a time
like this the city could say to the peo-
ple: "The city water works belong
to all the people and the expense of
operating falls upon all of the peo-
ple, use city water to protect such
property as all of the citizens are in
tcrested in having protected."
The people have provided the city
council with money sufficient to lay
4 inch water mains adjacent to every
foot of property inside of the origin
al townsite of Norman, and in all of
the settled parts of the additions.
These water lines are needed and pe-
titioned for by over 300 of the home
owners in the city. The money is in
the bank, and a statement from th
superintendent of the water and sew-
er system is filed with the council
calling attention to the need of new
lines. A plat showing where same atv
needed and the estimated cost ot the
same is also filed.
We understand that the council is
SALARY RAISED
The Norman city council held an
adjourned meeting Monday night.
The question of the resignation of
the superintendent of the water and
sewer system was the main purpose
of the meeting. Some of the council-
men seemed to think that if the sal-
ary of the office was raised from $80
per month to $112 per month the
sum Mr. Fox was offered by Mus-
kogee people that he would with-
draw his resignation and remain in
Norman. In talks some of thj coun
cilmen had had with Mr. Fox they
inferred that he wouM no so provid-
ed ilie salary was raised and mp.iy
of the councilmen ligured tha: Mi.
Fox hould he retained if possible
and that at this time his services
were worth more to the city than
any person they might secure, foi
$!JU per month. Six of the membc.s
of the council were present at the
meeting, Mr. Monn;tt and Prof. Git
tinger ncing the absent members. A
motion was made by Councilman
Lindsay that the ei'y ordinances be
so amended as to increase the sa'a-y
from t<: $112, but t! < motion was
ost Un' \rinl of a s? «nd. Some dis-
cussion. with nothi'i ; before the
body, was permitted by the mayor,
after which Councilman Baker re-
peated Councilman Lindsay's motion
Councilman Lindsay seconded the
same and the matter was again
brought before the body for discus-
sion. Runyan proposed an amend-
ment making the salary $100 instead
jof $112 but this amendment was lost
and the motion that the ordinance
committee be instructed to prepare
an amendment to increse salary from
$80 to $112 carried.
City Attorney Keiger then present
ed an amendment to ordinance and
this was taken up and discussed,
changed some, amendments propos-
ed and voted down, and finally read
a second time and discussed more.
Some feared that if the ordinance
was amended that even then Mr. Fox
might not stay and some feared that
if they did amend the ordinance they
would not be able to change it if he
wouldn't stay. An opinion on this
point was asked of the city attorney
but he called for a copy of the con-
stitution, and not having one, the
opinion of the city attorney was not
rendered on the profound legal pro-
position of "whether a city council
has the power to fix tre compensa-
tion of its appointees or to change
the same during term for which the
same were appointed."
The whole discussion of the mat-
ter, was dropped at this point and
the question of a lost claim for four
days work cutting weeds, was then
.brought up and Mr. Mayabb was per-
mitted to make out a new claim and
s^me ^vas allowed under a suspen-
sion of the rules, after Mr. Mayabb
had expressed himself pretty freely
about ihe way his claim had been
treated.
A communication from Mr. Gil-
strap of Chandler in regard to new
kind of street paving being put in at
Chandler was read, after which the
council adjourned.
During the discussion and the
making of amendments to the ordin-
ance it was proposed to raise the
salaries of the marshal and night
watch; and also the city scavenger.
These amendments were, however,
voted down.
SIZZLING HOT AT CITY.
Oklahoma City, Okla., Aug. 18.—
Sizzling heat that scorches and brings
thought of cloven hoofs has been the
lot of Oklahoma City Tuesday. It wa-
even worse than Monday. Hourly re
ports from the U. S. weather station
give at 9 o'clock 93, an increase of 1
degrees over the 9 o'clock figure of
Monday. From 7 degrees increase at
9 o'clock there was an hourly aver-
age showing a general rise of about
three points.
At 3 o'clock the thermometer show
ed 107, the highest heat of the year.
It had been 101 at 11 a. m. Pavement
temperature down town in the sun
was 115.
GOVERNMENT NOT TO
FAVOR HASKELL'S
SCHEME
Merely Shows Compliance
With Law--Really
An Aid.
Washington, D. C., Aug. 18.—Treas
ury department officials say that Gov
ernor Haskell of Oklahoma will not
get far with his protest to President
Taft against the issuance of federal
liquor licenses in Oklahoma. The in-
ternal revenue office had not heard of
the letter which Governor Haskell
has addressed to the President at
Beverly, charging that the federal
government is aiding the violators of
the Oklahoma prohibition law by is-
suing federal liquor licenses, and de-
manding that the President issue an
order prohibiting the treasury de-
partment from issuing such licenses
in states where the sale of liquor i
forbidden. Internal Revenue Commis-
sioner Caper being out of the city
one of his assistants had this to say
in reference to the Haskell request:
"We received and refused a similar
request from South Dakota a few
months ago. The law is plain; we
issue a federal liquor tax receipt to
any one who applies and pays the
amount fixed by statute for selling
liquor. It is not license to do busi-
ness, but ai; evidence that the federal
liquor law has been complied with. It
does not give immunity to any man
who undertakes to sell liquor in a
state or section where the sale of
liquor is prohibited. Instead of being
an aid to violators it ought to be an
aid to the Oklahoma state official-
in enforcing the law, in that it furn-
ishes them with a clue as to who is
probably selling liquor in the state
We do not look for any instructions
to refuse to issue such licenses in Ok-
lahoma or elsewhere until the feder.il
law is changed."
THE SURVEY MADE
COMMITTEE ON BRIDGE
MATTER IS AT
WORK
REPORT IN
TEN DA YS
Estimated Cost Will
Range From $10,00
To $15,000.
The committee on the South Cana-
dian bridge matter is at work and
will have something definite to offer
the public soon. Three bridge men
are now at work drawing plans and
making estimates on a bridge. Mr.
McClure of the Illinois Bridge Con
struction company was here vestei
day afternoon with a force of men
and went over the grounds making
soundings and measuring the dis-
tance with members of the commit-
tee. With the data on hand now Mc-
Clure will draw plans and make an
estimate of the cost of the same. IX
H. Young representing the Kansas
City Bridge Construction company
was also here yesterday and went
over the ground with members of
the committee. He will also make an
estimate of the cost and submi: plans
to the committee. Another bridge
man was also here and went over
the grounds.
It will probably be ten days before
these estimates and plans will be
ready for the committee. As soon as
they are received the committee will
hold a meeting and take the matter
under further consideration. After
ascertaining the co>t of the bridge
the committee will take the matter of
raising the money by subscription up
and see what can be done. Every busi
ness man *o far talked to about the
matter is very enthusiastic over it
and will help liberally.
The distance across the river at
the point proposed ranges from 1,-
165 feet to 1,207 feet, one bunch of
surveyors making it the former and
the other the latter. The committee
estimates that to build an ordinary
pile bridge it will cost about $8 per
foot, or something like $10,000. But
the committee is of the opinion that
a part of the bridge at any rate ought
to bo of more substantial material
than ordinary piling. The bridge men
who have gone over the grounds are
of the same opinion. That will run
the cost up some but not beyond
what the cimmittee thinks can be
raised.
OVER EIGHT THOUSAND
The soil of this section of Oklaho-
ma is found to be peculiarly adapted
to the growing of cantaloupes, and is
pronounced by experts to contain
more saccharine substance than is
found in the soil of any other section
of the United States. The melons rip-
en two weeks earlier than in the fam-
ous Rocky Ford section of Colorado,
and have an excellent flavor. With no
developments of this industry and on-
ly scattered patches, one county ship-
ped $86,000 worth of cantaloupes last
year and the several western counties
of Oklahoma promises to become
famous for this product. While the
i rainfall has been sufficient during the
| past few years to develop this crop,
a proper expenditure of the money
I due in Oklahoma for irrigation pur-
poses would place many thousands
| of acres of this saccharine belt under
! extensive cultivation.
TINE VIOLINIST TO
S. I. B'ggins of Clay Center, Kan-
sas, has purchased two lots on Asp
Avenue and starter the erection of a
residence. His family will join him
here early in September. He is mov-
ing here for the pun >>se «>f educat-
ing his daughter, Miss Cora Higgins,
who is an excellent violinist who ha >
already made quite a reputation in
Kansas and Illinois as a performer on
the violin.
Why
Be Without a High Grade
Sewing Machine
When
When
Down
50c a
50c a
one.
one.
HOTTEST DAY.
The government termometer at
the University, which is kept in the
shade and has a free access to the
wind and air, registered 114 yester-
day, the highest it has ever register-
ed in Norman. The next hottest day
ever had was in August, 1901, when
the thermometer ran up to 112. The
highest the thermometer has been
this year before yesterday was 104
The thermometer Monday ran up to
103, or lacking 11 degrees of being
as hot as yesterday. According to
press reports Norman was the hot-
test point in the state.
Have The
Line of MACHINES
Made.
Such as the Wheeler & Wilson, White,
"The Free", Standard, Paragan, New
New Royal and many others. Let us
showyou these and you will be convinced
Remember $1.00 Down and
50c a Week Buys One.
And Your Credit Is Good.
MEYER, MEYER & MORRIS,
D«y Phone 67; Night Phone 242
Norman, Oklahoma
"The Mouse Furnishers.
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Allan, John S. The Peoples' Voice (Norman, Okla.), Vol. 18, No. 6, Ed. 1 Friday, August 20, 1909, newspaper, August 20, 1909; Norman, Oklahoma. (https://gateway.okhistory.org/ark:/67531/metadc118277/m1/1/: accessed April 24, 2024), The Gateway to Oklahoma History, https://gateway.okhistory.org; crediting Oklahoma Historical Society.