The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1889-10-04
Sidewalk Encroachments.

Those who read in yesterdays MORNING
News he account Of the proceedings Of
Wednesday. nights meeting of the city
council did so, doubtless, with surprise and
regret-with surprise, because 1t was shown
that important ordinances, of which every
body is supposed to be informed, had been
violated; an with regret, because 1t did
not appear that any special effort had been
made to prevent these ordinances from
being violated. The ordinances referred to
are those relating to encroachments upon
sidewalks and the erection of frame
structures within the fire limits
From statements in council, it appears
tina on several streets there are e1croacl-
ments which have been made recently on
the sidewalks In o case there is an en-
enactment of four feet by an entire row of
buildings.
Whose duty is it to see that the streets
are not encroached upon by buildersi Is
there any body charged with this duty! If
there is. should not the official be called to
account? If there isn't, is it not about time
that it was made somebody's duty to watch
the city's interests in matters Of is kinds
1t is not surprising that councilmen
showed considerable temper when they
learned that an entirely new frame building,
several stories in hight, had been erected
within the fire limits, on the site Of a little
old frame house. 1t seems that a permit
had been given to repair the old frame
house, AID advantage had been
taken Of this permission to erect a
new and fine frame building.
Had any one been watching the interests of
the city this violation of the fire ordinance
would have been prevented, because it was
apparent, doubtless, before any work ~as
done on the new bui ding that there was no
Intention to comply strictly with the per-
NIT.
There are two things which the council
should do at once. One is to make those
who have encroached upon the sidewalks,
or erected buildings within the fire limits,
suffer the conseq FENCES of their unlawful
acts, and the other is to make it
the duty of some one to see that the ordl-
nances which cover the above offenses are
not again violated. If those who have
violated these ordinances are not made to
suffer for their wrong-doing, their unlaw-
full acts will become precedents for the
guidance of others who may desire to take
public property for private use or build
frame houses within the fire limits Ordi-
nances 50 well known as these should not be
permitted to be violated with impunity.
Permission is being sought to cover the
narrow sidewalk on Bryan street, in front
OF the Pulaski house, with balcony for the
improvement of that hotel. 1t should not
be granted if 1T will in any way obstruct,
or cause to be INSTRUCTED, the sidewalk.
The owners of the hotel property should
certainly be required to remove the iron
fence which takes up so large part of the
sidewalk in fro It of it, and which serves no
good purpose. Everybody wants to see the
hotel improved, but they want to see it
done without the public The
DE Soto Hotel Company could nave gained
considerable space by encroachments on
the streets, but it determined TO ask for no
privileges in that direction. Itappreciated
the advantages of wide, unobstructed side
walks, and if the council is faithful to its
trust it will permit no more e lcroachments
on the streets, but will earnestly seek to re-
move those which exist.