The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1870-06-29
Opening Streets at the Public TX.
Dense.

Opening Streets at the Public Ex-
pense.
Below is Mr.. j. J. Chambers re-
monstrance against the opening of
Fourth Street through his property,
referred to in the Council proceedings
of last night. In these times of lavish
expenditures of the peoples money,
and the fearful increase of the city
debt. it contains some suggestions we'll
worthy the consideration Of tax pay
ers:
To the Common Council of the city of Ev-
ansvtlle:
GENTLEMEN: - hereby remon,
strate and protest against your pro-
nosed order to open and extend
Fourth Street through my property
living between Gum aud Powell
Streets, consisting of Lots /. 2 and II.
ia Out Lot 4, Upper enlargement,
and Lots 1 and 2, in Block 2. South.
ern Enlargement of the city.
AS proprietor of said Out Lot, and
one of the proprietors of said South
ern Enlargement, / laid out said
property in blocks and lots, gave to
the public the present streets and al
leys through the same, aud notorious
" reserved the above described prem
ises as the site of residence for my
self. The proposed extension would
utterly destroy said property for this
purpose, and therefore damage my
property and me to a much greater
extent than the mere value of ground
TO be occupied by the street. In my
estimation this damage would not be
less than $500; aud / respectfully
demand that that sum be paid me be-
fore you proceed further in the prem
Uses. 1t is. perhaps, due to eandor to
notify you that it is not my intention
to submit to the unfair and Illegal
mode of appraisement provided for
by the City Charter.
OF the twenty one petitions for this
extension, one third or more. own
property and reside on the Block
through which it is asked, having de-
rived their title from me. with a full
knowledge that held the above de.
scribed premises for the purpose sta
ted. III this works them any detri-
ment, it is TO be presumed they have
already been fully compensated
therefor. at my loss. IN the reduced
prices they paid for their property.
The residue of the petitions consist
of those who have no interest what
ever, in the extension; and those who
have very great interest in it. be-
cause they propose to secure for their
own property. without cost 10 them
selves. the advantage of being the
head of the Street now possessed by
mine. The two latter classes are nei
Their entitled to my consideration or
yours. But to the first named, / am
disposed to make concessions.
1 believe their principal object in
asking the opening of the street is to
shorten, and make more accessible
aud convenient the alley running
through the block. Now. as | would
much prefer to be let alone" than
to Be paid the sam demanded, here
by propose to give. gratuitouslv, a
fifteen foot alley, extending from Pow
ell Street to said alley. through said
Lot II. 10 Out Lot 4, along the line
dividing Sections 20 and 30 | be-
lieve this will meet the wants of all.
the petitioners who have any sub
stantial interest In the extension of
the street And / suggest TO them
aud toyour Board that, certainly with
this change, the neighborhood will be
all the pleasanter If this property, say
300 feet square, is reserved for one
residence only. instead of being
divided up between eight or ten.
further demonstrate and protest
against the manner in which you pro-
pose to open said street If Fourth
Street is extended at all, instead of
making an elbow in the middle of my
property and stopping at Powell
Street, it should be extended on the
present line of Fourth Street to Wash
ington Avenue. Every reason for ex
tending it to Powell Street applies
with equal force IN favor of its fur
Their extension to said Avenus.
Finally, as citizen aud tax payer,
/ demonstrate and protest against
this, and all similar extensions being
made at the expense of the City Urea
sury. As | have shown, it il OF the
most limited local interest. There is
neither reason. justice or law for re-
curing tax payers generally to pay
thousands of dollars for the fancied
accommodation of a few individuals
who would themselves refuse to pay
as many hundreds for it.
Once establish the precedent, and
equal justice to all citizens will re-
qu;re you to follow il at the expense
of many years revenue Of the city.
Respectfully submitted.
JOHN j. CHANDLER.
Il n