Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-11-02
wRANGLING ABOUT A SITE.
Allegheny Councils cnn't Agree ON Place
for the Electric Power House-Irwin
Aveuue People Protest..

Allegheny Councils Can't Agree ON Place
for the Electric Power Hoase-Irwin
Aveuue People Protest.
Allegheny Common Council held special
meeting last night. President Hunter was
absent when the body came to order and Mr..
Dahlinger was called to the chair. The
first business taken up was the report of the
City Property Committee, reporting the
failure to purchase the site for the electric
power house at Irwin avenue and Oak alley
for 81, 900, and recommending that another
site on Irwin avenue be purchased for
Sc, 762 80.
On motion of Mr.. Parke Mr.. Charles w.
Robb was given the privilege Of speaking on
the resolution. He said that if the plant was
located where proposed it brings 1t close to
the most valuable property north OF the
park. He had been assured that there
would be no noise and no smoke, and that
everything would be lovely for the resi-
dents. He could not say that the lot, 65x
112, would not be equal to the growing de-
mands of the city for five years. He did
object to having a plant with its noise and
dirt put alongside of the most valuable and
highly taxed property in the city. He was
for much less money, and he offered his
services to find such site.
r. h. Boggs was also opposed to it. He
spoke of how the old stockyards had kept
the progress of the city back for years. The
stockyards are gone and that section is
building up. To put the power house there
was to throw it back again. One man had
told him that he had an option on a lot or
two lots on Buena Vista street, on which he
meant to build two good houses, and he was
waiting to see what Councils did about this
plant. Iflocated on Irwin avenue he didn't
want the lots. Mr.. Boggs mad no personal
feeling, as he lives far enough away to es-
cape the evils, but he thought the city
would suffer if the plant was put on Irwin
avenue.
John H. Hampton said he had lived on
North avenue for years, and wanted to end
his life there He spoke of the miseries the
people had suffered during the stock
yard days, and said they had hoped to have
peace now. He told the Councilmen that
the resolution they were considering was not
legally drawn, as it did not describe the
property under consideration. He asked
for careful consideration of the matter, as
the action of Council would bind the city
for years.
Mr.. Dahlinger announced that the resoIu-
ton had been drawn in the shape presented
to enable the committee to buy where they
pleased if they could not get the site con-
templated.
Mr.. Snaman, of Select Council, Charm an
of the committee, was in the lobby and was
asked to speak on the matter. He gave a
history of the work of the committee. He
said that one of the men interested in the
property that the committee refused to take
L., IL - Il Al.,k
the plant could not now be located on Irwin
avenue, and he thought they had been
stirring up the neighborhood. One of these
persons had sent to him to-day and tried to
get the plant on the site first named. Mr..
Snaman's store was within ITO feet of the
light company's power house and he has
never been disturbed except once when an
experiment was made with slack as fuel.
He knew that the gentlemen who had pre-
ceded him were honest in their objections,
but he thought they were mistaken. Mr..
Robb had spoken OF another site, and he
was ready to favor it il it were suitable.
Mr.. Knox said he favored action at once.
Mr.. Hampton had spoken OF the Martin
street property owned by the city. There
were people living on that street and he
would like to know if it took more noise to
keep a man awake in s., 900 than in $5O,
OUO mouse. Mr.. StaVton favored the orlgl-
nal resolution, and said if the committee
could get better site they would have au-
thority to purchase it. Mr.. Sol Trauerman,
who had owned the original site on Irwin
avenue, explained his side of the dispute
about the price, which the committee had
reported as having been raised. Mr.. Trauer-
man explained the transaction, the ground
having been owned by himself and another
person, and denied that there had been an
attempt to take advantage of the city. He
had been in Allegheny long enough, he
said, for the people to know that he was
as good as his word.
Nh. Boggs said that Mr.. Snaman was
wrong when he said that he came to oppose
the Irwin avenue site at Mr.. Trauerman's
request. He didn't know that gentleman
had anything to do with it. Mr.. Hampton
made similar statement Mr.. Park with
drew his motion to refer, and Mr.. Drum
urged reference. The resolution authorizing
the purchase of the site was then put on
passage. The vote was 25 ayes to noes.
This was less than legal majority, and
resolution failed. Then the resolution was
sent to the committee for amendment.
The report of the Finance Committee was
taken up, and an attempt was made to trans
act other business, but there was only bare
quorum, and when Mr.. Stemmler, of the
Sixth ward, slipped away. the discovery
was made that Council could do no business.