The September 16, 1904 edition of the Ridgeway Journal reported that a number of the dilapidated walks about town were replaced by new ones—some of them by the property owners and others by the order of the city authorities.”
The City of Ridgeway had already had one lawsuit against it for “allowing dangerous sidewalks to remain”. Property owners were expected to maintain the sidewalks on their properties, but if they didn’t and an accident happened, the “taxpayers of a city are responsible in personal damage suits instead of the property owner whose property is out of repair.” The city, therefore, had great interest in encouraging owners to keep the sidewalks in good repair. “Individuals may complain because they have to fix their walks but the public will applaud the acts of the officials it they keep up the crusade until every sidewalk in the city is in good repair. It is the only way to protect the taxpayers from personal damage suits.”
