Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1881-10-04
wxsenspx fw Pavement an Main ss.ezs

"A<ennH ~ fnEoinont a. mhh Hfoe"
"a xmnfA N a teapot" was craAted
Yesterday EfeHft the proposed wpHf'is
Of the sidewhks on MAIN street, between
Twelfth and Fourteenth. The facts in
the case are that, some two or throe
months ago, several OF the enterprsirg
merchants doing business in the two
squares above mentioned, circulated
petition 10 the City Council asking for
the proposed improvement. The peti.
tien was presented to every bhsinsss
man and owner OF property on Main
street besweon Twelfth and Fourteenth,
who was at home or accessible at
the time, and was signcd
by all but two. Only two OF those
whe were asked 10 concur in the move.
ment, refused to sign the petition. Phe
paper was read in Council, and, the two
branches ooncurrine, the Improvement
was ordered, the approval OF the Com
mittee on Streets, Alleys and Grades
having first been obtained. The City
Surveyor marked out the lines, widen
ing the sidewalk three feet on each side
Of the street, 30 as to correspond with
the pavement of Main street above
Twelfth, and the Street Commissioner
set men TO work yesterday morning TAX
ing up and resetting the ourbstones in
accordance with the terms OF the ordl-
nance. The work was no sooner actually
commenced that the gentlemen who
had refused to sign the petition began
to canvass the street soliciting signers
to remonstranoe, asking the Council to
rescind its former action and stop the
work. Some OF those who had asked
for the improvement signed the counter
petition. The Mayor was sent for and
his authority invoked to stop the work.
men from taking up and Eesetting the
eurbtones, and the air was thick for
some hours with talk OF inpnctions,
suits for damage, and all that sort OF
thing. In the meanwhile the worknen
employed at the job kept quietly on,
and at nirhthll q considerable part OF
the work on the west side OF the street
between the alley and Fourteenth had
been done.
II was represented that the widening
OF the sidewalks three ieet on each side
and the consequent narrowing OF the
wsgon-way ak feet, weuld render the
street too narrow for convenient use.
But this has not been the result of a
similar change above Twelfth street, nor
cRp 1t be shown that the street
viii net remain amply Wide
for all business purposes. There
arc many streets in New York city upon
which business amounting to millions,
where that upon Main street is repre-
seAted by thousands is transacted, which
are narrower than Main street will be
after the widening ol tho sidewalks has
been made, and no inconvenienee 1,
felt There is plenty OF room for the
passage OF vehicles and the loading and
unloading OF trucks. In faet the claim
that Main street will be tse narrow for
business purposes is mere nonsense and
will not bear investigation. 1t Is earnestly
hoped that the City Oounelll will not bs
persHadsd 10 resoindi ts action in this re,
gard, but will continue to extend to the
business nen between Twelfth and
Fourteenth stsets the advantages oi
wide pavemsnts enjoyed by the store,
above Twelfth, and that thus the wish
of the great majority OF those ddpg
! business in that locality may contt1He
to be teasrded The authority OF the
UG OpGdA g sppreme in this psto
and, hsrfhafRksp a step forward, w
trust dat dur CitS Fathers will pot Se
| traee ft MERCBkrT.