Back in August 2013, however, the stretch of Chariton's North Grand Street shown above was included in the city's paving program and more bricks emerged briefly after decades of asphalt overlay were ground away.
So the other day, I came across newspaper reports and legal advertisements published during March and April of 1910 regarding that stretch of North Grand paving as well as those exposed Commercial Street bricks.
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Until late summer 1903, when crews began to lay brick on the west side of the square, Chariton had no paved streets --- none at all. Paving after that advanced by fits and starts, commencing with the square and extending outward from it.
Main Street was the first major thoroughfare to be bricked and by the spring of 1910, paving had reached Auburn Avenue and turned left, but stopped at the railroad tracks. As a result, passengers who disembarked at the depot during inclement weather had to navigate a block or two of mud before reaching brick, a situation The Herald-Patriot of March 10 described as "the worst advertisement Chariton has ever had."
The 1910 paving project was intended to rectify that situation and, once the following resolution was approved during April, did just that. The resolution also contains a good description of how those brick streets were constructed, something I'd not really thought about before.
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Resolution of necessity for the pavement of certain streets in the city of Chariton, Lucas county, Iowa. Whereas, in the opinion and judgment of the city council of the city of Chariton, Iowa, it has become and is advisable and necessary to pave with brick the following parts or portions of the following named streets of said city, towit:
First: That portion of Grand street in said city of Chariton, commencing at Braden avenue and extending north to Lucas avenue.
Second: That portion of Auburn avenue between Grand street and Main street.
Third: That part of portion of Auburn avenue extending from the west end of the present pavement and thereon west to Commercial street and from that point extending north-west on Commercial street to 12th street.
Fourth: that the materials used in such proposed pavements shall consist of sand, concrete, and the best quality of vitrified brick, constructed as follows, towit: One course of concrete six inches thick, one course of sand two inches thick and then one course of vitrified brick, laid on edge with sand filler; and all of the materials used in such work shall be of first class, and said work shall all be performed in a good workmanlike manner. The width of all parts of such pavements located within one block of the public square in the city of Chariton shall be 42 feet wide, and the width of all other parts or portions of said pavements be constructed 30 feet wide. All work and materials shall conform to specifications. Curbing six inches thick and twenty inches deep, constructed of cement, sand and gravel in proper proportions shall be placed on each side of such pavement.
Fifth: That the cost of such pavements shall be paid by the owners of the property abutting thereon, except at intersection of streets and alleys, which shall be paid by the city in seven annual payments, and shall be a lien on such abutting property, therefore:
Be it resolved by the city council of the city of Chariton, that the time for the consideration and final action of this council on this resolution is hereby fixed for a meeting at the City Hall at 9 a.m. on the 11th day of April, 1910, at which time any and all persons having any objections to said resolutions or the adoption thereof, can appear before said council and make known such objections and said council will at that time finally consider and act on this resolution.
Resolution adopted March 7, 1910. Geo. F. Carpenter, Mayor; G.J. Gittinger, Clerk.
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