Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-12-26
DEVELOPING SLOWLY.
The P. r. 3. Has Secured the Avery
A. N. E. Church Property.
A Observation-Disclosures
It is Said Removal Of City Hall to Fifth
and Grant is Intended.
A VARIETY OF OPINION ON THE MATTER

You can chalk this down in your hat and
when subsequently found make note ont
if it doesn't turn out as it is told here The
Avery A. NJ. E. sustentation fund prop
erty, back of the Duquesne Hotel, has been
sold, and the buyer is the Pennsylvania
Railroad COmpany-at least the buyer is
Mr.. Clark, of Philadelphia, the wealthy
iron manufacturer, who is supposed to rep
resent the railroad company and probably
does so beyond any doubt. The informa-
ton comes from Mr.. Johnston, one of the
nine trustees of the property.
Readers Of THE DISPATCH will recollect
the statement published few days since
that million dollar hotel had been pro-
jected to occupy the site Of the present post
Office and United States courtrooms. Well,
it seems, as far as can be learned. that a part
Of the eventual project is TO secure this sec
ton for vast hotel and opposite will be
depot of corresponding proportions. A
property holder who has been studying the
situation, asking questions and taking
notes, says that the ultimate idea includes
the removal of City Hall to the corner OF
Fifth avenue and Grant street to the
ground now covered by the old McTighe
building. He-states that the powers that
be are already planning the project and
arguing that the city and county buildings
should be contiguous and that the present
location Of City Hall is unsuitable for
various reasons.
ONE MORE LINK OF A CHAIN.
The price paid for the Avery property is
$45, 900, an advance of 81, 900 on the pre-
vious offer, which seems to indicate that the
railway company does not propose to be
baked in its project to get to Fifth avenue
and recover some of the local traffic it has
lost to the cable lines, which loss is eS1i-
mated by some at half a million dollars an
nually.
Mr.. James Quinn insists that railway
companies can exercise the right of eminent
domain at terminal points, and quotes page
and section of law reports for his support,
but says they must pay full value for all
they take, and where they 90 through
mans house damages are like to be as
sessed to the uttermost fathering.
4 The general belief seems to be that the
Pennsylvania Railroad does not, however,
wish to get to the Monongahela river from
the corner Of Fifth avenue and Smithfeld
street, as it is said, and doubtless with
truth, that it can get there much more
cheAply via Liberty street, on which it has
already right of way for both freight and
passenger trains and could reach the Pan
Handle Railway either by modification of
the Point bridge or by new structure more
easily than from Smithfeld street.
The assessed value of the Avery N. E.
Church-sustentation-fu property in ques-
question is 500, 900, so that it appears, in
paying $4,000 for it, the Pennsylvania
Railroad does not propose 70 allow trife
OF 500, 900 or SO in difference Of opinion as
+ l. -
of Fifth avenue and Smithfeld street. No
use has so far been suggested for new City
Hall, should it be vacated, but doubtless it
could be remodeled so as to serve useful
purpose of some kind. It might be con-
Verted into railroad Offices
SOME sPEGULATIoNs.
The Avery A. M. E. Church property is
100 feet square, but as it fronts on Virgin
and Cherry alleys, it will never be very
valuable for business purposes, unless
Cherry alley be Widened into a street. and
this will cost great deal of money. In the
first place the widening must be done on the
lower side from Sixth to Fifth avenues for
the Third Presbyterian Church on the other
side is very valuable structure and comes
close to the alley. Then st. Paul's Cathe-
dral abuts close to the alley, and of course it
isn't likely that any attempt would bemade
to cut into it. On the opposite side from
the Cathedral is the Maeder building, which
is also of considerable value, and so is the
Hamilton law building. Then when Fourth
avenue is reached an offset would be neces-
sary to throw the street to the other side,
unless Uncle Samuel would be willing to
give a portion of his back yard.
Taken all around, the widening of Cherry
alley would be beset by considerable diff
culties and its MonOngahela river terminus
isn't, in its present shape, desirable one
for a street.