Morning journal and courier., 1880-10-12
LOCAL NEWS.
Board of Councilmen.

Petitions Received and Referred-Re- ports of Commfttees-Discussio Re- garding the Congress Avenue Assess ments-Other Matters.
 The regular monthly meeting of the Board of Councilmen was held last evening" Presi- dent Cooley in the chair.
 Petitions were read and referred as fol- lows Of Fair Haven and Westville Horse Railroad company for abatement of assess ments; of c. A. Dorman for damages on Cedar street; of Emily S. Flight for abatement of tax :; of Tyler < Co. for abatement of tax; of John F. Phillips for partial grading of St Roman street; for gates at the railroad cross ing of the Derby railroad at Liberty street j; for gates at the Lamberton street crossing Councilmen Benton, McGee and Shields were appointed on the committee.
 Order for the appointment of committee to select a janitor for City Hall was passed Mix were appointed on the part of this Board.
 Report of the Committee on Streets rec ommending repairs of sidewalks where need ed in different parts of the city; passed.
 Report of Committee on Claims in favor of abating the tax of Antoinette J. Wilkin- son; passed.
 Report of Committee on Claims adverse to claim of Albert E. Plant for damages from defective highway. Passed
 Report of Committee on Claims in favor of abating assessment for sewer on Locust street against Julia Cummings. Passed
 Report of Committee on Claims in favor of abating tax of Erwin Barnes. Passed
 Report of Committee on Claims in favor of damages to c. W. Blackman for damages to his wife from falling on sidewalk. Passed
 Report of Committee on Claims adverse to granting petition for damages to Mrs. Ann Carroll. Passed
 Report of Committee on Claims in favor of abating assessment of New Haven and West Haven Horse railroad company for pavement on Congress avenue was read.
 Councilman Townsend explained that this company have paid more assessments than other horse Railroad companies and as they had never made a dividend the taxes should be abated
 Councilman O'Connor objected to the abatement. He said if this company had never declared dividend, they had used their money for the extension of their road He thought these corporations should pay their share of taxes.
 Councilman Townsend said that these com panies were a benefit to poor people, and the opinion was that they should not be op- pressed for taxes.
 The motion to accept the report of the committee was lost by rising vote.
 Report of the Committee on Streets in fa- vor of a sidewalk on the north side of Ed wards street from it's present terminus to Orange street. Passed
 Report of Committee on Streets in favor of referring the extension of Jackson street to the Committee on Roads and Bridges. Passed.
 Report of Committee on Streets in favor of postponing the laying of sidewalk on Car isle street until next year. Passed.
 Report of Committee on Sewers in favor of sewer on Water street, from East street to Bridge street. Passed.
 Report of Committee on Streets in favor of deferring the laying of sidewalk on Chest nut street until 1881 was referred back.
 Report of Committee on Streets in favor of the extension of Webster street to Win chester avenue was read.
 Councilman Todd moved that SO much of the report as related to the closing of old Canal street be stricken from the report
 On motion of Councilman Townsend the whole matter was laid on the table.
 Order for grading and curbing Elliott lane Passed.
 Report of Committee on Streets adverse to paving in Ashmun street. Passed.
 Report of the Committee on Claims in favor of abatement of tax penalty of Eliza beth P. Peckham, who is insane, was passed
 Report of Committee on Claims in favor of partial abatement oft ax of B. o. Billings was referred back to the committee for correction
 Report of the Committee on Claims in
 
 three Couneilmen to ascertain damages and benefits for regarding Congress avenue was read.
 Councilman Townsend thought this ques- tion should be fully considered before action. He said that if this petition was granted it would open the gates to hundreds of such petitions that would be presented. If the precedent was established it would cost the city $50,OOO. A host of other claims would spring up.
 Councilman McGee said that Mir. Healy and Mir. Starr on Congress avenue were suf fering untold hardships from the change of grade, and if it cost the city $1GO,o he would favor paying it as a matter of justice.
 Councilman O'Connor said that he had understood that it cost MT. Healy from $8,OO0 to $10,OO0 for the grading of Con gress avenue, and before abating the assess ment of the West Haven Horse Railroad company the claims of MT. Hea1y should be considered.
 The motion of Councilman Townsend to amend so that the commission may ascertain benefits as well as damages prevailed.
 Councilmen Benton, Burns and Shoninger were appointed committee on the part of this Board
 The motion to concur with the Board of Aldermen in referring the petition for a sidewalk on Carlisle street to the next Court of Common Council was reconsidered and the matter was referred back to the Con- mittee on Streets Adjourned,