Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1886-04-16
rgE OPENING OF GRANT STREET.
Testimony rs to IN. value Of the Demuth
Property,

Testimony rs to the value of the Deinuth
Property.
A. ii. Peacock, John X. Stoner aud Rich.
ard McGrann, the viewers appointed by the
court TO assess damages caused by the pro-
posed opening Of Grant street, from Christian
to North Queen street, met at the orphans
court room this morning to hear testimony
as to the value OF the property taken by the
proposed street. A draft Of the Demuth
property, occupied by George r. Erisman,
coniectioner, was presented. Mr.. Brosius,
In his opening speech said that all that Mr..
Demuth asked was a fair and just compensa
tion for the property to be taken.
The first witness called was William ID.
Sprecher and he testified as follows: al am ac-
uuainted with the Demuth property and have
known IL for 40 years would consider the
ground to he taken worth from sl4,5OO to
Si5OOO and the buildings at from $1,000 to
%, 500; would be bidder, If the property
was offered tor sale, at nearly that figure the
property on the north owned by ]. l.. Stein
metz, would be benefited about q, 600 when
the street Is opened ana the Deichler prop
erty would be benefited about 5000"
Mr.. Reynolds, of counsel for the street, said
the viewers could only take into consldera-
ton the advantages or disadvantages to the
owners of the property, by the opening and
could not inquire whether adjoining prop.
erty owned by other parties would be hene.
fitted or not, asno damages could be assessed
to them.
The viewers said the question as to tho
beneftting of ad Joining property had only
been asked for their own information.
John Charles testified as follows al have
known the Demuth property Tor 40 years and
would value 1t at S25, ,OO0."
Frank Pfeifier /: 81 know the property
since it has been a store would consider it
worth $4,000; the building worth $4,000.
This was all the testimony submitted 10y
Mr.. Demuth
bn lnI l>l
who owns a property on North queen
street, near the Demuth property. He testi-
fed that the property was worth $1,000 per
foot or Sl9,333; the buildings he estimated
were worth $1,000; the Steinmeu property
would be benefited by the opening but it
would not add much to the value of the
Deichler property, as he has frontage Of
only 10 feet
The viewers said they desired to examine
other witnesses as to the value of the prop.
erty and in order to give them time 10 sub
pnna the witnesses, they adjourned until
o'clock.
The viewers reassembled at two o'clock.
A. &. kepler testified that the ground was
worth $3.50 per foot, or a total of IL, jGb The
buildings he estimated at -, 500.
John ID. Skiles thought the ground was
worth 500 per foot, and the buildings s4, 900,
a total of 1913.
John Il. Bitner thought the ground was
worth $500 per foot or Sl4,333 lie did not
know enough of the buildings to make an es-
innate of their value.
| John A. Burger was Of opinion that il
would cost sS,0 600 to put up buildings similar
| to those now erected.
| Fred Hoefel testified that the buildings
| are worth between 5000 and $4,000.
| Walter NJ. Franklin testified that he had
sold property this spring in the neighhOr
| hood, 2S1g feet front, for $40 600. The build.
| ings were worth $4,000 leaving the land worth
| S56l per foot. He did not think the ground
| owned by Demuth was worth over 5000.
| AT the conclusion of the testimony the
| viewers held consultation and were con
| sidering the amount of damages to report
| when we went to press