The Morning herald., 1876-08-12
CITY COUNCIL.

CITY COUNCIL.
AdjoNsned 6ession Walnut. Street to b
Puved- I'sststons Read and RsfsrrsdE
~. Fsbtger Speaks.
City Council met last evening in adjourned
session with Mr.. McIntire In the chair.
The following petitions were resd and re-
ferred to the proper committees:
FROM Vim. Miller, 10 have paving done on
Second street, between Market and King;
Henry Pretchner, asking Council to take
no further action as regards Fourth street
until their committee was heard from;
Henry Talnall, to have capitation tax, as.
sessed to him before he was Of age, refund
ed; Banday Simmons, to have the per
centage on $4,000 refunded to him;
paid It twice. Harlan g. Hollingsworth
Company asking to have the percentage on
$1,000 Refunded TO them, as the tax was
paid on a building on Water street which
was torn d,wn, but the assessment roll had
not been corrected properly.
John Fisher to have capitation tax refund
ed to him, for he was assessed at $500,
when it should have been but $500.
Mr.. Wailsmith to have cuivert on Ship
ley Run investigated.
Thomas Curl4y asking for guttering and
paving the south side of Second street near
Harrison.
Thomas Stewart, for paving aud gutter
ing Bennett street.
Union American church entering protest
against paving Walnut street, and asking
Indulgence on the part of the city in their
present indebtedness.
j. C. File for water. way at Eighteenth
and Tstnall streets to carry the water that
is contiDnally backed up At that point to the
Brandywine; Mrs. 8 Shepherd asking to have
her name aud six others withdrawn from
the petition for paving Walnut street and
protesting against the intent of the petition,
Mr.. Fehiger moved to grant her request.
NJ. Me cMinamiu objected as did Mr.. Mur-
ply but it was carried by 10 Yeas to 8 nays.
From 8. Bickta asking to have gutter
made and paved at Adams street.
The following resolution, offered BIZ Mr..
Febiger, drew forth considerable eloquence :
Resolved, That the Street Commissioner
be instructed to hereafter make pay roll
for all men employed whose pay is charged
against the appropriation for opening and
grading streets. t..1
In support of the resolution Mr.. Febiger
said that great amounts had been charged
to the opening of streets, which was con.
trary to the City Charter. By virtue OF
acting President on the previous evening he
had sign some orders, and his attertion was
attracted to the excessive sums then charged
which led him to investigate, and In going
back over the book he found that amounts
of over $50 had been expended on jobs that
should have been bone by contract.
Mr.. McMenamin said that the grading
| referred to had been doing for three years,
small portions at time, as was required IN
| order to allow the water which would col
| lect there to run down Fourth street hill,
and that the grading on jackson street Eas
oyerestimated by Mr.. Febiger, and If pro-
perly estimated would como at much less.
Work had been done on Delaware avenue
and other places, which was really necessa-
ry, and that these thing had swelled the ex-
penditures of that appropriation.
Mr.. Farrell thought Mr.. Fcbiger was
making his campaign speech and assailing
| Democratic members Of the body, and
he would call the gentleman to order. He
| thought Mr.. McMenamin was Obeying a
higher lava law of necessity, by provid-
ing for the unemployed.
Mr.. Febiger fui ther charged Mr.. McMen-
amin with having commenced work on
Claymont street, which was ordered by
| Council not to be begun until the 1st OF Oc'
tober.
Mr.. Paynter asked why this work had
been commenced and no report made to
Council.
Mr.. McMenamin replied that all the work
that had been done there was the digging
awav uf an embankment to fill up at anoth-
er place to the proper grade, so as to allow
it to settle by October, when paving and
curbing could be done. more safely.
The resolution was finally adopted by q
unanimous vote.
The ordinance providing for the paying oI
Walnut street was then read the third time
and passed by vote of II yeas to nays
but not without considerable controversy -
Mr.. Febiger said this ordinance had beel
discussed, and remonstrance after remon-
STRANGE against it had been received, unti
inow only IS property holders along tn;
street asked to have 1t done, and the Others
whose names appear on the remonstranc'
would withhold from paying such enormous
amounts as long as possible.
Mr.. Murphy said it had become ques-
tion of great importance, all were interested
in it because It was an avenue from naviga
tion to navigation and should be done. Al
It is it was a common reservoir for all th'
filth for those fine houses on French street
1t was always full of filth and dirt and i
paved all this thing would not be. LOOK a
both sides of the question, and If properl!
, investigated no objection could be raised
. The rich men on French street do not wan
! Il paved because they never expect to sci
their property and want no improvement Q
, said street until "Kingdom come"
/ Mr.. Paynter said he was always in favo
, of paving streets and Is now, but could nc
! see why the Republican members were nc
now, when they were about May 26, wbe
. tho petition was acted upon and signed b
] them. AT that time no demonstration wa