Four Years, Four Factions, and Still No Pavement on Pacific Avenue

Tacoma, May 13 — Special. The matter of paving Pacific Avenue has for the past four years been the cause of almost endless municipal squabbles. Petitions have been filed by property owners to have it paved with one kind of material, only to have another faction come forward with a remonstrance. There is the bituminous rock faction, the plank faction, the wood faction and the plank-on-a-gravel-foundation faction. Each of these bitterly hates the other. The result is that Pacific Avenue through the center of the town is still unpaved. The planking laid four years ago still remains — at least most of it does. Those who walk are not much bothered by the present condition, but those who ride experience the sensation of being hauled over a corduroy road.

All this has caused the street committee to report to the council as follows, and which report has been adopted:

"We, your committee on streets, to whom was referred the matter of paving Pacific Avenue, report as follows: That we consider the present condition of the street a disgrace and we think that some plan of permanent improvement should be immediately adopted, and as a means to that end we recommend that the city clerk be instructed to notify the property owners from South Seventh to South Seventeenth streets to adopt some plan of improvement and petition the council therefor on or before June 1, 1895. We further recommend in default of any action of the property owners at that time, that the city attorney be instructed to draw up a resolution of intention to pave Pacific Avenue with any material to be selected by the city council, to be presented to the council at its meeting June 1, 1895."

This means that the property owners must cease wrangling and come to some agreement among themselves or the council will do as it chooses.