Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1866-12-11


Fl. b. PACKER, Pittsburg coal, Office
No 1904 Main street. l3s
PAVING THE STREETs.-The following
is that portion Of the amended city char
ter which refers to the paving of streets.
1t will be seen that the Board of Mayor
and Aldermen have supreme control Of
the matter, and the property holders lit
tie to say. The prompt action of the City
Council on Saturday evening will fur
nish us with we'll paved streets, by this
time next year, If not sooner, and there
will be no room for arguing for several
years more as to Which pavement is the
best, while the streets remain in a
wretchedly disgraceful condition for a
city Of the size and Importance of Mem.
phis:
The Board of Mayor and Aldermen
shall have and exercise complete and
perfect control over all of the streets,
squares and other property Of the city,
whether lying within or beyond the linn
its ofthe city - -.
Be ii further enacted, That the Board
of Mayor and Aldermen shall have power
TO require that the cost of grading pa
wing or repairing sidewalks, curbing and
cutters alongside included, and of paving
the entire carriage way, gutter included,
of any street or any portion Of any street
or alley, shall be borne by the owners of
the adjoining property, and in such man.
ner and with such material as the Board
of Aldermen may determine, and when
ever the Board Of Aldermen shall deem
it necessary; and also where the owners
of the major part of the lots fronting on
any street or portion Of any street, may
petition for grading and paving the same,
they shall cause such grading and paving
to be done in such manner as they may
prescribe by ordinance; and the cost of
all such grading paving, repairing and
repaving, shall be borne by the owners
of the adjoining property, and shall be
apportisned and charged on the adjoin..
ing lots in proportion to their front, and
shall be paid by the owners of such lots
respectively.
So soon as the contract for grading or
paving, or repairing of streets or alleys,
shall have been made, the Board of Al
dermen shall proceed to levy and assess
upon each lot bounding or abutting the
said alley proposed to be improved, such
n proportionable sum as shall make up
the entire cost and expenses of said i'm
provement opposite the same to the
centre of the street, and shall fix the
time within which the same shall be paid,
the number of installments, and the
amount to be paid ateach of such Install
ments; and thereupon the City Engineer
shall make out to the City Attorney for
collection the accounts for such appor-
toned cost of the improvement, and the
owners of the lots charged Herewith
shall be bound to pay said cost,
like liabilities contracted by them
selves, and may be sued therefor;
and the lots shall also be held
for the respective apportioned share of
such cost, until the same, with interest
and cost of collection, be fully paid, and
special lien is here given for such APP
portioned charge aud costs; provided,
however, that on all streets where street
railroads are operated, the said railroad
company shall be required to grade and
pave as required by ordinance, so much
of said street as is between the rails and
two feet outside the rails and on refusal
or failure TO do said work in the time and
mode required by the City Engineer, he
shall proceed to have the same done, and
the cost thereof shall be. collected as is
provided in cases of private individuals,
and there shall be lien on the property of
said railroad. .-.u.. -..I-..
When the jury of freeholders shall pro-
coed to ascertain the amount OF compeR-
sation to be paid for the opening, widen
ing or altering of an alley, street or other
avenue, it shall be their first duty TO as
certain the actual value of the land pro-
posed to be taken, without reference to
the proposed Improvements or its
effect upon adjoining lands; % they
shall then proceed to assess against
the city the amount Of benefit to the
public generally, and the balance against
the owner or owners of property bene-
fitted by the opening of such alley,
street or avenue, according to the value
of the property so assessed, aud in the
proportion that such property may be
respectively benefited by the proposed
improvement; and the sum or sums TO
be paid by the owner or owners Of prop
erty especially benefited by the i'm
provement as ascertained by the jury,
Shall be lien upon the property so
charged, and shall be collected as other
assessments for improving streets.
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STEAMBOAT TRoUBLEs.-The steamer
William Butler arrived here this morn
ing, from Cincinnati. Somewhere in
the Ohio river she struck snag and
sprung leak, when several laborers en-
route to work on the levees near Vicks-
burg, who we're passengers, assisted in
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