Council met Tuesday evening and a petition was presented, praying for the paving of Main Street from the Pittsburgh, Ft. Wayne and Chicago railroad track to Ninth Street, and including Second, Third and Fifth Streets from the Clover Leaf tracks to the canal. Joseph Roth, appearing for the citizens of this section, stated that between 80 and 85 percent of the residents on these streets had signed the petition and that all were very much in earnest about wanting this part of town paved. He was followed by Wm. Murray, who spoke a few words in favor of extending the paving from Ninth street to the alley north of Tenth street. The question was then asked by Arnold King, in behalf of the citizens of that street, as to what had become of the petition of the citizens of East Third street for paving, and it was stated that same had been received, and would be considered with the others. It was quite evident that council desired to follow the wishes of the citizens, and as soon as possible, but at the same time did not wish to make any mistakes about it. A committee was appointed to visit some of the surrounding towns and see how the different styles of pavement were laid.
Delphos Herald, Mar. 25, 1908
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All Ready For the
Paving Work
An informal meeting of the Council and Mayor with J.E. Conley and Company, of Dayton, the successful bidders, was held Wednesday, and a contract was entered for the work of paving parts of Main, Second, Third and Fifth streets.
The paving company gave bond in the sum of $27,000, one-half the contract price of the work and to have the paving completed and ready for acceptance by Dec. 1, 1908. Berea sandstone machine dressed curbing will be used, and the first shipment has been started from the quarries to Delphos. Tools, etc., are also on the way from Dayton and work will be started in a few days. The question of filler between the paving blocks will be investigated into the merits of asphalt and cement filler, at Kalamazoo, Mich., before deciding.
Mayor Williams and Councilmen T.J. Stallkamp, F.H. Laudick and John Roth, expect to leave tonight for Kalamazoo, Mich., to investigate the filler question. All kinds are in use there. John Ricker has considerable property facing on Main Street, and being interested in all questions affecting the paving, will probably accompany them.
Delphos Herald, Aug. 5, 1908
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Resolution Changing
Kind of Paving Block
It has been understood in official circles for some days that Peebles paving block, made at Portsmouth, O. was to be used in the Delphos street paving work, instead of Trimble block but the resolution authorizing the change was not adapted until Tuesday evening.
J.E. Conley & Company’s bid for the job using Trimble block, was $52,290.52 and with Deebles block; $53,088.52. The company agreed to furnish Peebles block at the same price as Trimble block. A large consignment of brick was on the way to Delphos, six car loads arriving over the Penna., Tuesday night. The work of unloading the brick was started Wednesday morning. The Peebles is a shale brick, splendidly made, and its adaptation is a move that pleases everyone. Stone will cost about 12 cents more per running foot than cement, but would probably be better, on account of possible changes, and cement would be difficult to maintain on account of the grade.
Delphos Herald, Aug. 12, 1908
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Street Improvement
Goes On
Four teams were engaged Thursday in the work of hauling brick from the cars to Main Street, where they are being piled on the sidewalks, ready for the paving work. Thirteen more car loads were received by the Penna. Company at Bucyrus and will be delivered here soon. One of the car loads in the first consignment of six, contained so many poor brick that they will be culled over. Engineer Metheany is watching the brick carefully, and all that thus far have been unloaded are of splendid quality. The curb stone delivered is being dressed, ready to be set.
Delphos Herald, Aug. 13, 1908
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Council Decides To
Adopt This Sort of Filler
At the council meeting Thursday evening, the principal question was, what sort of filler was to be used in the street paving work. Although the asphalt filler is for the most expensive, it was adapted in preference to pitch, sand or cement. Asphalt has so many advantages apparently, that council felt justified in adapting the best, believing that it will be the cheapest in the end. It is a certainty that the streets will not be so noisy with asphalt used between the brick. (The streets could be noisy because of the iron tires used on the wagon and buggy wheels. R.H.) When used, it is heated and reduced to a consistency that causes it to appear like molasses, and hardens soon after being poured between the bricks. While the asphalt serves as a support between the brick and hardens to a degree, it retains sufficient pliability to provide for the expansion and contraction of the brick, when subjected to intense heat or cold. Also it is easily removed from the brick when repairs are made in the street. Citizens who were consulted by the councilmen before adapting asphalt, were a unit in the belief that the best should be had.
Delphos Herald, Aug. 14, 1908
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Progress of Street
Improvement
Several more car loads of curb stone have arrived, and the stone is being unloaded. Brick was placed in the alley just north of the Marian Township Clerk’s office, to be used in Main Street. About half a dozen dump wagons are waiting on First Street to be used in the street work, and two teams were brought from Sidney, Friday afternoon, by the paving contractors. Other teams will be used, and more wagons are on the way. The excavating and brick laying will be started next week, the contractors now say.
Delphos Herald, Aug. 15, 1908
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Progress of Street
Improvement
The distribution of curb stone has been completed to Third Street, and the men engaged in dressing the stone are keeping well up with the distribution party. Paving brick is now being placed in Second Street and in the alleys between First and Second. The old gutter stone is being removed and hauled away for use at crossings and Engineer Metheany is setting the stakes for the curb. O.L. Smith, foreman of the J.E. Conley Company, is directing the work. Cars loaded with paving brick are arriving rapidly, and the work of unloading is being pushed with energy. The brick are of good quality and there has been no trouble relative to the condition of the brick since one of the first car loads to arrive was rejected and the attention of the Peebles Company, at Portsmouth, called to it. The work is progressing satisfactorily along all lines, and more men are being employed as the work progresses.
Delphos Herald, Aug. 19, 1908
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Street Improvement
Progress
J.E. Conley & Co., the paving contractors, have opened an office in the north room of the Schlinck building on Main Street, in charge of Dawson Smith, the time keeper.
W.C. Baxter’s gasoline traction engine is just the thing for pulling the plow that is used to break up the macadam in the streets.
The work of removing the stone crossings is advancing rapidly. Should a heavy rain occur pedestrians would have a lovely time wading mud, but it can’t be helped.
Paving brick are arriving more rapidly than ever, since more men and teams are working. The Clover Leaf is handling many cars by way of Toledo.
Sidewalks are still breaking under the weight of the bricks that are stacked on them. One gave way in front of the Wagner Bakery, and another at the Phelan Hotel.
Delphos Herald, Aug. 26, 1908
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West Third and East
Fifth Street Want Brick
With a desire that east Fifth and west Third streets be paved with brick, the residents of those thoroughfares had petitions before Council Tuesday evening, signed by the owners of the necessary majority of front footage. The east Fifth street petition asks for pavement between the west curb line of Washington street, and the west bank of Flat Fork Creek, with pavement 30 feet wide, to be paved with brick or block, on 6 inch concrete foundation, or 8 1/2 inch rolled stone foundation. All assessments to be levied and collected without reference to the value of the property. The assessments to be payable in ten annual installments, or in cash.
The west Third street petition is similar. They want brick used, but does not specify width of pavement between the Canal and State street. It is not likely that action on these petitions will result for some time as Council feels that they have their hands full just now with the work that is in progress.
Delphos Herald, Aug. 26,1909
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Street Progress
The steam roller was placed in service Friday afternoon, and for the most part the macadam between Fourth and Fifth streets was turned by the “rooter” plow. The roller is now in service between the Penna. railroad and Second street, rolling the bed of the street and packing the earth in sewer trenches. Crushed stone is being hauled to this part of Main street for concrete work.
The brick force is engaged at piling brick in east Fifth street, ready for the improvement. The cars are being side-tracked at the Ricker track on Ninth street.
The work of setting curb has advanced almost to Fifth street.
Delphos Herald, Sept. 5, 1908
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More Street News
With only a few men off on account of Labor Day, the street improvement work is progressing rapidly, since the steam roller has been placed in service. The roller is pulling the “rooter” between Fourth and Fifth streets, and the macadam is being removed almost as fast as it is loosened up.
Foreman Smith states that on account of being unable to get a sufficient force of men on Labor Day, the big concrete mixer will not be started until Tuesday morning, when the work of preparing the concrete foundation for the brick will be commenced. This work will be started at the Penna. railroad track. Crushed stone, sand and cement is ready.
Sand for the street work is being delivered here by the Clover Leaf. It is high grade lake sand, being clean and free from mud.
Delphos Herald, Sept. 8, 1908
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Traction Line
and Second Street
General Manager Hepburn, of the Ohio Electric Railway Company, was in Delphos Tuesday and requested that the traction company be permitted to install 7-inch rail in Second street between the Clover Leaf railroad and the canal bridge, except at the switches and frogs, where the “Y” track exists opposite the city building. Here they desire to retain a four inch rail, but will lay all new ties in the concrete foundation for the paving brick. Where the paving brick is laid between the rails of the switches, the company agrees to have concrete grooves provided for the flanges of the wheels, as it will be impossible to lay the brick under the “T” of the rail. They agreed to start on the work Friday, so that the work of the contractor will not be interfered with. The request was granted. The pavement will be laid flush with the walk in front of the traction company’s property where the new depot is to be located. (Where WDOH is located now. R.H.)
Delphos Herald, Sept. 9, 1908
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More Progress
The paving brick layers will probably reach the Penna. track by this evening. At the rate the brick is being laid, two days will be required for a block. An onlooker timed one of the colored men this morning, and found he was laying eighty bricks a minute.
The old wagonscale in Third Street near the Swift store has been taken out to make way for the street improvement.
The concrete workers are working well along toward Third Street, on Main Street.
Delphos Herald, Sept. 16, 1908
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More Progress
Part of the concrete placed in front of the Lang mill is being removed. Not a sufficient amount of cement was placed in the hopper when the concrete was mixed, and the work will be done over.
The brick layers are working north from First Street, the brick having been laid at the intersection of Main and First, and also the foot crossings over First Street.
The two men who laid the brick from First Street to the Penna. tracks must have had different methods as the results were entirely different. One man laid the brick from the west curb to the center of the street, laying four rows as he proceeded, while the other took up the work at the center of the street and completed it to the east curb. The workman having charge of the west side did not lay the brick as closely as did the other, with the result that at the Penna. crossing, the rows angle in such a matter that there are eight more rows on the east side than on the west. The effect is anything but artistic.
The contractors will have part of the brick laid between the Penna. railroad and First Street, taken up and relaid, to remedy the condition that prevails as a result of the rows of brick being laid unevenly.
Delphos Herald, Sept. 17, 1908
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Dope Cooker
The old dope cooker on Main Street sprung a leak Friday, and there was hustling on the part of the men to get the asphalt out of it before any serious damage occurred. An entire new bottom will have to be put in the vat. Luck was with them, the lost kettle that was shipped some time ago arriving just in time to take the place of the one that was burned out. The foreman thinks they will have two kettle gangs in service next week and the dope pourers will soon complete their portion of the job.
Delphos Herald, Oct. 10, 1908
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New Bridge At Last
A new bridge is to be erected over the canal at Third Street. F.O. Brotherton was given the contract for removing the old structure and putting in concrete abutments for the new lift bridge. For the convenience of school children and others, a temporary foot bridge is provided just south of the town lock. If the structure for the iron bridge is not delayed, it will be completed in a few weeks.
Delphos Herald, Oct. 24, 1908
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About Finished
Employees of the J.E. Conley Company, street paving contractors, have completed the Delphos contract, brick having been laid on Third Street, between Main Street and the canal, which completes the work, save for a small job at the alley between the J.H. Wahmhoff drug store and the Stallkamp grocery. The brick layers have been finishing a job in Wapakoneta.
Delphos Herald, Nov. 10, 1908
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No Hitching Racks
on Main Street
One of the big surprises of the meeting of Council was the understanding that no hitching racks be erected on Main Street. All were centralized upon the idea of disposing of the hitching rack question and they proceeded with business in that direction. It was decided to keep the unsightly racks off Main Street and in order to accommodate the rural residents when they come to Delphos to do their trading, by making arrangements for the erection of 540 feet of racks to be placed on First and Fourth streets and on Canal, Second and Third streets. The racks are to be distributed so as to treat all alike as near as possible. An ordinance was passed prohibiting racks being erected on Main, Second, Third and Fifth, where the paving has been done. Rings and weights are permissible along the above named streets, however.
Delphos Herald, Nov. 17, 1908
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Council Says Anti-Hitching
Rack Ordinance To
Be Repealed
If placing an ordinance on its first reading to repeal the anti-hitching rack measure is any indication, racks will be permitted on Main Street. At any rate, those who have erected racks and posts, and those who may do so before the next Council meeting, will be immune from the provisions of the ordinance which becomes effective Friday; Council having removed its sting by instructing the Mayor to refrain from enforcing it until further orders.
When the meeting of Council opened, the seats in the visitors section were all filled and many were standing. They were there to lend strength to a petition, signed by 78 businessmen, praying that the ordinance prohibiting hitching racks or posts on Main, Second, Third and Fifth streets be repealed, and that those who desire to erect racks or posts be given permission. Judge B.J. Brotherton read and commented on the petition. The petitioners denied the right of Council to compel the removal of racks now existing, as they were erected before the ordinance was enacted. The petition set forth that the businessmen have certain vested rights in this respect, that Council has no authority to interfere with.
The petition sets forth that rings in the curb are unsafe; that horses would probably be on the sidewalk part of the time, and that the use of rings would be accompanied by filth on the street, the same as with racks or posts. Mr. Brotherton stated that if racks are objectionable on these streets, they are also objectionable on other streets, and that Council has no right to discriminate. The petition also denied the right of Council to erect at public expense, hitching racks in any part of town, save on public property.
Delphos Herald, Nov. 25, 1908
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