Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-12-14
FREE BRIDGES FAR OFF.

The County Can't be Comp elled TO Pay for
Them-The City Attorney Promptly Dis
peIs Day Dream.
The special Committee on Free Bridges
met in the City Attorneys Office yesterday
afternoon, Mr.. s. A. Duncan presiding.
The first move made was the reading Of
the resolution presented BY Mr.. Nisbet in
Select Council three weeks ago. As this
was about the only practical paper the COM
mittee had to consider, Mr.. Robertson
moved that it be referred to the City At
torney for an opinion. The points Of the
resolution were the questions of the city's
right and power to condemn and purchase
bridges, to build new bridges. or whether
the county could legally be compelled to
build or purchase bridges in the city. Mr..
Robertson incorporated another point in the
questions to be decided by the City Attor-
ney, as to whether the city had the right or
power to enter into an agreement with a
traction or other company or corporation to
build bridge, the city to bear her proper
ton of the cost and expense.
The City Attorney answered the question
as to the possibility of compelling the county
to build bridges in the negative very
promptly. He said it was impossible to
compel the county to do anything of the
kind. The matter had been carefully studied
up BY the Solicitor and himself abo1t a year
ago, when it was proposed to pave the streets
surrounding the Court House with asphalt
and compel the county to pay the same as q
taxpayer They had found that there was
no law that would compel the county to par
tlcipate in that expense OF for any other i'm
provement of that character, and unless the
county did it voluntarily it would not be
done at all so far as the county was con-
cerned. The creek bridges built by the
county were not parallels to the river
bridges. but even they were built by the
county at its option.
The other points on which the committee
desired an opinion the Solicitor said he
would look up and answer as quickly as
possible. Mr.. Carr wanted to know if the
city could take possession of site for a
bridge that had already been secured by
private corporation or company.
mo, sir" said the attorney. "The char
ters to individuals or companies come from
the same source as the city's charter, and
the city has no superiority over the private
company in that respect.
Mr.. Carr then wanted to know if the at
torney could say how many charters had
been granted to bridge companies on the
Monongahela river.
The City Attorney looked aghast when
Mr.. Carr propounded the question. 'fWhy,
gentlemen, said he, SIT would take a man
q week to 60 to Harrisburg and look over
the records to find an answer to that ques-
ton. Under the pernicious legislation of
last year charters were granted to anybody
for anything and no questions asked. How
many Monongahela river bridge charters
were included in that vast number it would
require some time to find OUT
Mr.. Moreland advised the committee to
wait until he could hunt up the law on the
subject of the city's rights in the matter of
condemnation and purchase before they
went any further, as that was the main
point now, and they could not act intelli-
gently without it.
A discussion as to how information re-
garding the cost of building bridges, the
cost of those already built, and the prices
asked by the owners thereof was decided by
the appointment of a subcommittee con-
sisting of MeSsrs. Robertson and Nisbet,
whose duty it will be to gather the required
information through the State Secretary of
Internal Affails and the owners of the
bridges themselves.
Mr.. Robertson proposed discussion of
proposition to purchase from the bridge
companies the right of free foot passage,
but the other members were not willing,
and the committee adjourned to meet next
Friday afternoon at 8 o'clock.