The evening light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1881-1883, 1882-04-19

Yesterdays meeting Of the city council was
one of more than ordinary interest; several
matters of importance were PASSED upon, de-
serving Of more than casual mention.
THE WOODEN BLOCKS.
The granting of the petition of Messrs.
Burns Kerr to class their mesquite block
pavement in class a." was an important
step, as it evidenced the disposition of the
council to be yielding in their views about
sidewalks. The sample shown at the council
room is certainly fine, and, if properly put
down, mesquite block sidewalk will be equal,
if not superior to, cement walk, and can be
put down at about one half the cost of a c.
ment walk. The peculiar quality of the mes
quite being that it does not shrink or warp,
and can be cut and put down green. The
walk is really handsome one. This same
class of pavement can be used for the streets,
and Major Dryer stated that he had witnessed
the excellence of the mesquite pavement at
Matamoras and Brownsville. Before wood
pavement for streets is decided on, the quality
vi IuCStultC iHu ISudi DC GU "
see which is best suited, both being lasting
woods. 1t is commended that cedar will make
the best street, because it will not become as
slippery and smooth as mesquite.
STREET LINE TROUBLES.
The trouble resulting from careless survey
ing of streets seem to have but Just began, and
if Olive street is to be sample, they will
never end. DIR. Herff represents to the coun-
Gil that blackberry street, running parallel
with Olive street, is some seven varas too far
west on its extreme back of the Dlgnowitty
and adjoining properties. There seems but
one remedy for this menacing trouble, and
that is to require the city engineer to carefully
run out the streets in controversy and force
the property owners to comply with the sur
veyS.
THE VALLEY DITCH.
A discussion arose over the report Of the
bids for repairing the Valley ditch in accord
ance with Alderman Niggli's plan. Mr.. G..
Rehmann bid 90 cents for running foot and
C. H. Cotton IS cedts for running foot.
Alderman Copeland moved that the lowest
bid be accepted. This gave rise to running
debate, which was not remarkable for either
logic or insormation. Alderman Pauley had
evidently prepared himself for the occa-
sion, and proceeded to make statistical
speech. He stated that he had gotten the
amount from the books that it had cost to dig
and repair the Valley and Alezan bitches up to
an. 1, 1882, and found that the Valley ditch
had cost but thirteen thousand and odd dol
lars, while the Alezan ditch has cost twenty
five thousand and odd dollars, and therefore
he thought it but justice that the Valley ditch
should be made to cost something like the
Alezan ditch. He claimed that the differ
bitches was an injustice to the east
l'auly's position and argument was even ap
parent to the balance OF the council. The
digging of those bitches to begin with was an
outrage upon the peope;-their conception
was from ignorance and blindness, -they have
proven burdens and nuisances, but because
one has been more expensive nuisance than
the other, Alderman Pauly wants the account
balanced up.
Alderman Copeland took the floor and
made an appeal in favor of the taxpayers of
that section, and pictured a vast expanse of
smiling gardens if only the Valley ditch was
repaired, thereby renumeratng the city in the
advance of values.
Alderman Berg asked Alderman Pauly what
was the difference between the length of the
two bitches; he could not answer, thereby
showing that he had not been careful in his
statistics.
Alderman Schreiner answered that the Val
ley ditch was something over 2 miles in length
and the Alazan ditch over 4 miles in length.
lie also went on to explain facts that COM
petely upset the vegetable Grafton of friend
Copeland. Mr.. S. said that if the river re-
manned as flush as at present enough water
might be spared from the Alamo ditch to sup
ply the Valley ditch, but that in summer when
most needed the supply was insufficient to
supply the Valley ditch, as consumers on the
Alamo and Madre bitches took all the water.
Mr.. S. also explained that the Niggli plan had
faults that could not be overcome. and that if
the city adopted it, he was certain that the
work would have to be all done over again,
and that the only way was to make covered
culvert and let the bitches fill up. Mr.. S. has
had long experience in dealing with ditch
legislation, and while not unfriendly to the
Valley ditch he evidently does not favor the
waste of money proposed by the aldermen Of
the 4th ward. Let the water pipes be extend
ed to the people of the 4th ward dependent on
this ditch for water. The truth is, the bitches
are turned into sewers and are no longer fit to
furnish drinking water to the people.
More tomorrow.
Visit of Railway Magnates.