The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1870-08-27

there must be expended about $1,000 for cross.
walks and cutters which must be deducted
from the $1,000 There must also be de-
duc'el the cost of paving that portion
within the horse car track, which Will leave
the total expense OF the pavement alta little
less than $4,000. In regard to the oeJeo-
ton that so much money ought not to be
spent upon pavement at all. they were only
following out the requirements OF the City Or
dinances which require one fifth OF the appro-
priation for streets to be spent each year IN lay
ing down pavement. This wooden pavement
is not much more expensive than cobble stone
pavement which costs So so, while the wood
costs 81 90 per square yard. In response to a
question from w. S. Dane, he said the gravel
street would last about two wears without re-
pairs. Gen. Mechler had stated to him that
parties had offered TO put this pavement upon
Pennsylvania Avenue, Washington, and guar
an.ee the city repairs for ten yeaas.
Mr.. w. $. Dana said that a prominent mer-
chant OF Detroit, Mr.. johnson, said that in
Detroit where the citizens are obliged to pay
for the paving of streets in front Of their lots,
they petitioned for this pavement because it
enhanced the value of their lots. That in
Detroit they had taken up cobb'e pavement
which was In good repair and replaced it with
wooden pavement
Mr.. G. E. Jose reviewed. the history of the
transactions OF the last year and thought the
contract not binding, though he said all his
Jaw was obtained from serving as jurymrn in
Judge Goddard's Court.
10 reply to a question from Mr.. SWEET, he
sal1 he voted for the pavement last year.
Mr.. Stafford of New York, the contractor
SAID that there was twenty miles Of wooden
pavement under contract to be laid in New
York this year.
Mr. Symonds, City Solicitor stalled tn he did
not ever state that there was no defence to the
contract. He explained clearly his own views
upon the legal aspect Of the matter :showing
that if the facts as stated by the contractors
were true there was none, but if those stated
by MIR. Jose aud some other parties were true
there might be.
Mr.. Reed appeared as counsel for the con-
tractors. Most of the difficulty in the case
prose from Misrepresentation of the facts, and
true statement would set things right. The
City Government last year made contract
which had never been revoked or fulfilled
ibIs year the contractors after repeatedly ask
ing the COMMITTEE on Streets to prepare for
them, finally on the ninth of June notified the
Mayor in writing that they we're ready to 90
on. This was before the street had been put
into its present shape. After the notice had
failed to produce any results letter was sent
to him, and when he brought the facts to the
notice of the City Government, it was voted
almost unanimously to fulfil the contract as
was honorable aud just
Now as to the expense. Instead of its costin Q
$3.50 to make the street from Myrtle to Chest
NUT it only cost S1422 30 to do the work all the
way from Elm to Pearl, and none of this was
wasted. To complete the street if wood was
not laid, would cost $1073 The contract only
contemplated EDO 1000 yards at 81 per yard, which
would be. $4,000 From this was to be sub.
tracted $3.50 for paving 800 yards of horse
car tracks, which is not borne by the city, and
the $l073 saved in cutters aud cross walks So
the whole extra expenditure would amount to
put S5647. This was the total sum involved.
moreover, all the gravel taken from the surface
will be carted to Market street. and make a
good street out of bad one II not taken
from this place it would have to be carted from
one more distant. On these facts the case had
been rested with the City Government and
might safely be rested with the citizens.
The convention then dissolved and the Coup-
Gil adjourned.
Ike Aldermen CONQUERED with the former
vote of the Council, directing the pavement to
be laid on Congress street. Adjourned.