Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1874-09-25


exp BRIGADE-MR. KAYsER OF THE
STREET COMMITTEE IN THE FRONT
THE COUNCIL STANDS FIRM.
NC. &C., &c.
The excitement in Staunton for the last
four DAVIS has been the Street question:
The active City Engineer has goneto work
and ierked.p three SOU ares OF the street
at a pop, ready for laying down the new
street. and has filled the cold citizens"
with dismay. They had never seen such
thing before, and were indignant. one
gentleman suggested a public meetlns
which should adopt resolutions requeStl
the CITY Council to resign, and it that was
not done. then the people were to take
charge of the city government. lnJunc-
lions and other legal proceedings were
talked of. Meanwhile, the work has gone
on and the sound Of the pickaxe and tum-
nils browns even the loud appeals Of those
who are about to lose that inestimable fran
cbise. the cellar cap, The owners and
nsers of these patent inventions for break
inc citizens .necks, and which in these
narrow streets occupy tWo-thlrds Oh the
sidewalk, got up a strong protest against
the innovation of the City Engineer, en-
bodied in the following
PETITION
which was presented to the Council at it's
meeting Thursday night:
To the Common Council of the City oil
Staunton:
We. the undersigned, owners and occu-
piers of property on Beverly street, do
most earnestly protest against the passage
nv YOUR honorable body Of an ordinance
requiring the closing up OF our cellar doors.
We believe such requirement will be S.
riously injurious to the prosecution OF our
business. and well calculated to impair the
value of all Improperly devotedsto business
on the street.
An important portion Of the business
upon the street imperatiVely requires the
constant use of the cellar fOr storage and
sale of various commodities, and therefore
any impediment to that use, must, to that
extent. diminish the actual and rental
value of the property. We think the re-
suit would be to drive such occupations to
other localities free from such obstruc-
tions, beside, thus damaging the most
heartily taxed portion of the town. And we
beg leave to say that we do not offer THIS
protest in factlous spirit OF opposition
to improvement, but will cheerfully acqul-
esce in and obey such regulations as may
be necessary to control the use OF cellars.
q A. r. Arthur. w. II. Weller,
B. NJ. Clinedinst, VIM. Chapman,
r. D. Sears, B. F. Markwood
Olivier s. Wheat, Gabriel Hirsch,
r. NJ. Ayres, Turner u Hartman,
Geo. E. Price, N. Wayt L Bro,
Davis A. Kavser. Woods & Glkeson,
f, NJ. Young, James E. Taylor,
Byers Il Summerson, Geo. A. Smith,
Elsom q Piper, L. N. Humphreys,
O7Rorke & Co.. Trout Il Berkeley,
K. M. Kelley, Henrietta Brooks,
J. G. Marquis, u. f. Flick.
When the Council met Messrs. Ably.
Bagby, Bickle, Echols, Evans, Hoge, Cor
man. Kayser and Ker were present to hear
it. and sever al of the signers were in the
il would be q great relief to their feelings
to chuck some of the Councilman over the
front porch. President Bickle explained
the object of the meeting and General
Echols offered a resolution SO amending q
former ordinance relative to the streets, as
to require the removal of the cellar caps
He explained that this provision was not
|, fo, 1,,J;, 1No
cause there were not votes enough then
present to carry this feature. He hoped
now the Council would be able to pass it,
1t was the opinion Of the City Engineer,
and also of the contractor, who had under
taken the work, that the removal of the
cellar caps was necessary to its proper
completion. Coal shutes could be used for
fuel He respected the protest which had
been sent in, but he remembered that we
would never be able to execute any public
work of Importance. if we had to wait for
the unanimous consent Of the property
holders. These signers, too, have overra-
ted the Inconvenience. In the cases Of the
improvement on New street, the facts set
forth about the cutting down Of the Cat
lett and Baldwin property would have led
to the impression that it had been ruined
by the Street Commissioners, and now
everybody is pleased with it, and are sorry
that the cutting had not been made deeper
Mr.. Evans-The cut would have been
deeper if the Committee had not been
driven off by public clamor; I was one Of
the Commissioners Mr.. Bagby then OPP
posed it.
Mr.. Bagby-I was driven off by public
clamor, too. Iaughter.)
Mr.. Echols-I understand now Nh. Cat
lett says he would not have the work I'M
done for 81 600
The City Engineer-He says s., 500.
Mr.. Echols-Mr. Price, one of the Sign
ers of the protest. is here and [ move he be
heard.
Captain George E. Price-We have stated
an our protest all that we urge against it.
Mr.. Evans--What is Mr.. Aliens opin-
ion about the practieability of retaining
the cellar caps If the improvement is
made
Mr.. Allen-I don't think they can be re-
tanned. In all the improvements now be-
ing made in Richmond, no cellar caps are
lowed, and only coal shutes are allowed
for. The City Engineer Of that city re-
ports that in all the large cities this is be-
ing done. 1t is impossible to make coed
pavement with these cellar caps in the way
Mr.. Abby thought the matter ought to be
considered seriously. To close his cellar
cap would, he knew, be great inconven-
fence to him.
Mr.. BaobY-What do Vol loaa1a in ,onr