Bedford inquirer. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1857-1884, 1867-06-07
a rAx-rAYER oN rnE sIruArIos.

The following communication from a
$ Tax Payer il kindly referred to the
Town Fathers
BgDFoED, june 9Th, 1867.
Emgogs or rHE IEQuIRER
Gefts-In several recent issues of your pa
per, you speak of the work being done in our
Borough as an Improvement, and call upon
the Town Council to improve Juliana street.
You we're no doubt actuated by desire to
have the streets Of the town so worked as to
render the citizens more comfortable in their
use but permit me to say that in giving this
advice you exhibit an erroneous judgment
An examination Of what the Council has
done during the past few years, think win
convince you, that the peoples money has
been expended very freely, but very little to
their comfort.
To the facts, The taxpayers very we'll
remember that several years ago, the Council
after mature deliberatiou, determined to inn
prove {as It was called Richard Street.
Men, horses, wagons. carts and barF0ws we're
brought into requisition Digging hauling,
filing grading, eurbiug, and gutteriug were
done, beautiful shade trees were destroyed,
steps to houses removed, lots originally high
we're left higher, and those before on level
with the street were low too low to be drain
ed. Few citizens complained, for the Bor-
ough Fathers promised to imprors the street
so that persons living in the east end Of town
would not be annoyed by water. The result
Of all this work failed to satisfy any person,
except the members Of the Council and the
contractors, for the water ran where it always
had run, and also into hoases it had never
before visited. Persons owning property on
the street we're not satisfied, for they said
they were injured, while other tax payers
com planned that they had to pay money
which benefited only the contractors. Can
any one tell what this work cost
A culYert was built across Pitt street, at
Richard, too small to contain the water Of an
ordinary shower, and the water consequently
runs where it did before the culyert was made.
On Penn street the cutters are made OF
stone so small, that any school boy knows
that the first hard rain viii wash them from
their position. 1t might not be out Of place
here to notice, that s pile Of stone has been
left for week on much used pavement
and although one citizen came near being
killed by falling overlt in the dark, the pile
still remains 10 obstruct the way.
On West street where a gutter could have
been made TO carry off all the water at q small
expense, q ditch varying from six inches to
three feet has been dug without any regard
to the grade necessary and this ditch is being
stoned. One half less digging would have
been ample and the soil here don't require
stoning. It is said some members Of the
Council are so delighted with this work that
they intend having photograph taken of the
ditch. In John Street our wise men have
only made a crooked gutter this spring A
wag remarked that the reason OF its taking so
many turns was because the man who dug il
could not see straight but the councilman
who had charge of the work, said It was made
as he wished 1t and that every person Of any
sense knew that water ran tatster in a crooked
gutter, if 1t we're not the case, the Good Man
would not make streams run crooked on their
way to the ocean.
Bedford Street on ul,ich are situated one
house and two stables, is receiving the best
cutters 7 notice, and the only trouble vii! be
to get the water of the street into the cutters,
the former being lower than the latter.
JuIiana Street was impToEsd few years
since by a covering ofyeIlow clay, which sup
piled mud in wet, and dust in dry weather.
have heard thar since that time the people
residing there have incorporated into their
daily prayer these words: From the I'M
provements of the Town Council Good Lord
deliver us. BUTT seems they deserve punish
meat for last week worllneu were started to
digging IN this street.
Walls for a reservoir have been erected at
an expense of sII57. .0s which are so cracked
and bent that there is very l....z. chaaee that
they can be made to hold water, and It IS now
discovered that another wall viii be necessary
to sustain the roof by reason Of the reservoir
being made TOO wide. What this improve
ment will cost when completed no one can
possibly tell
In conclusion let me call attention to the
I Treasurers published account which shows
an expenditure of s68.09 paid in attempting
to destroy private property, which common
sense would teach was an outrage, and which
the Court decided was contrary TO law.
Yours truly
TAXPAYER.