Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1867-09-14
PAVING MAIN STREET.
The City to Pay Half the Expense
Of Removing and Rolaying
tho Railway Track.

tno HailWay ItScb.
The Board of Aldermen twice de.
clared the street railroad a nuisance aud
ordered its abatement II being under.
stood that ordinances aud resolutions
were intended only as specimens of AL.
dermanic literary architecture, the order
was not executed. A short time ago
Acting Mayor Lynn issued instructions
to the paving contractors to remove the
railroad track from Main street. The
latter were not ready to proceed, aud
now we have compromise between the
contending parties. At the special
meeting of the Board of Aldermen yes
terday afternoon the compromise limited
ut in our last issue was agreed upon.
According to its provisions the city de-
cides to pay half the expense Of remOv-
ing and relaying the track, but the com
pany reserve the right to force the city
to pay the other half if such decision
can be worked through the courts. The
proposition secures the paving, and is a
pretty sharp thing for the railroad com.
pany; but the city, as usual, to adopt a
more expressive than classic phrase,
comes out at the little end Of the horn.
The Board Of Aldermen have conceded
everything at present demanded by the
railroad company. We subjoin, as a
matter of interest, the text of the
accepted proposition:
OFFICE MEHPHs Cry r. R. Co..,
MEMPHIS, Sept. II, 1861. !
Hon. W. o. Lo1and, Mayor of Memphis;
DEAR SIR: The Memphis City Rail.
road Company desire, through you,
respectfully to submit to the Board of
Mayor and Aldermen, the following
proposition in regard to the paving Of
Main street, feeling sincerely DESTROYS
that the paving shall not be delayed,
and also that the company shall not
seem to stand in the way of a great
public improvement.
1t is evident from an examination of
the new grade for the pavement for Main
street adopted by the City Engineer,
that the grade Of the railroad track must
be changed as the paving progresses.
This work, as we understand, will cost
about ten thousand dollars for the entire
street.
The railroad company are of opinion
that, having laid their tracks on the
grade furnished them by the city last
year, the city is now bound to pay the
expense of the change rendered neces-
sary by the change of grade.
We understand that your honorable
body claims that the Railroad Company
is bound to pay said expense.
Now, in order that this difference of
opinion (Which we consider to be hon.
estly entertained on both sdes) may not
be in the way of the prompt completion
of the work, we propose:
That a contract be made on the most
favorable terms possible with Messrs.
Forrest, Mitchell & Co., or other suitable
persons, to change the track on Main
street so as to adapt it to the proposed
grade of the street; the railroad to be
placed on stringers and cross-ties, aud
the whole line of the track to be adapted
to the proposed pavement as the paving
progresses.
The expense of this change to be nd
vanced in equal proportion by the city
and the company as the work progresses
That the question as to whether the
= IL al II
amount so advanced by the company, or
whether the company shall refund to the
city the amount so advanced by the city
shall be reserved and not affected in any
way by this agreement but shall be left
hereafter to arbitration or to the decision
OF the courts, as the contracting parties
may hereafter determine.
That nothing in this agreement shall
be construed to affect the ultimate La
bility of either party to pay the whole
amount of said expense.
We think the above proposition rs
emineutly fair and just, and as such it
commends itself 20 our judgment
Hoping that your Honorable Board
may be pleased to accept the proposition
in the same spirit Of concession and
compromise in which it is offered, and
that the result may be the prompt paving
of this great thoroughfare of our city.
Yours, very respectfully,
KoRTRECHT & CRAFT,
Attys for NJ, C. r. R. Co.
1t is to be hoped, now that the iDjunc-
ton nightmare no longer disturbs Alder
manic slumbers, THAT the music of the
pick and shovel will soon be heard on
Main street
"a STORY OF Doom" by Jean Inge-
low, for sale at
BLELocK & Co s, 3l5 Main street