The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1889-07-17
NO SETTLEMENT YET.
LIBERTY STREET PROPERTY OWN
Frs BEFORE THE COUNCIL.

the Objections Area Lively Cross
Questioning of the Conference Com
rnittee by Members Of the Council
Another Conference to Be Had.
The CITY council was in session last night
until after II O'Clock, comforting with the
lawyers representing the Liberty street
property owners who object to laying the
assessment for asphaltiug the street, and
with Capt. Purse, chairman of the commit
tee of five Of the sixty-one Directing prop
erty holders, but no agreement was reached,
and when council adjourned IT did so sub
1ect to the call Of the mayor.
All the members of council were present
except Aldermen Mills. Nichols and Wells.
Besides City Attorney Adams there were
four lawyers present: Hon. K. Il. Lester,
representing the property owners on Lib
erty street west of Tattlall street; Messrs.
J. r. Saussy and X. r. Richards, repre-
senting the committee Of fire, and p. j.
OConnor, Esq, who did not participate In
the discussion. There we're some ten or
twelve property owners present, but none
of them except Capt. Purse addressed the
council
CAPT. PURSES STATEMENT.
Capt Purse opened the ball by reading a
lengthy manuscript, in which he reversed
the order of the essayist, and put his perora-
ton at the beginning He wanted TO re
turn to the old-fashiJned way of general
tax for all street improvements, which
dated back to Oglethorpe's system of
forest roadways. He inveighed against the
laws under which Liberty, BroughtOn and
Congress streets were paved. He denounced
the two-thirds assessment as burdensome
and the law Of 1887 as odious, oppressive
and great outrage upon the constitution
TO condemn private property for pubic use.
1t was Juggernaut of injustice. The
pavements, ne said, were built as monu-
ments for ambitious politicians. 1t re-
quired the consent Of two-thirds of the
property holders on Liberty street TO pave
1t, which had never been secured. He OBJ
Jected to the curbing, the cesspOols and the
drainage, and TO the fact that the street
railroad had not paved its proportion under
the law, which would have made it cost less
to the property holders.
A REPEAL OF THE LAW ASKED FOR.
Capt. Purse asked the council to have the
law repealed under which the street was
paved, and the cost of paving provided for
by an advalorem tax throughout the entire
city, and return Of the two thirds assess
ments paid by the property owners on other
streets collected under laws which he held
TO be in violation OF the constitution. He
gave the council to understand that if his
ideas were not adopted the property owners
on Liberty street would carry the litigation
to the United States supreme court. His
address contained figures going TO show that
the cost OF paving Liberty street was pro-
portionately greater than on BroughtOn
street.
Alderman Myers denied this. The coun-
ell, he said, had been more liberal to the
4 t,s1v tI,av,
Others, and he showed that Capt. Purses
figures were erroneous. Instead of asking
the property owners to pay $GS,0JO as
Capt. Purse claimed, they we're asked TO
pay really less than $i2, 600. The not st
for paving Liberty street was SIS, 1856 63.
Two-thirds of this, $50, 491 90, had been
charged up to property holders, but as there
was property exempt to the amount of over
$4,000, the city had assumed that, leaving
less than $42,0 200 for the property holders to
pay, or only little over half the cost.
WHAT THEY OBJECT TO.
Alderman Cam asked Capt. Purse what
part of the assessments are claimed to be
unjustly charged.
Capt Purse replied that the property
owners objected to the sewerage, the cess
pools, the curbS in the center and Curbs to
sidewalks.
Alderman Cam then had the clerk read
the petition TO council Of January, 1888. for
asphalting Liberty street, signed by Capt
ID. Il. Purse individually, and as agent, and
many others, some of whom are now OBJ
Jecting to paying for the improvement.
although the petit ion was accompanied bv
plan of leaving the grass plats, which the
council adopted.
Alderman Falligant asked Capt Purse if
he thought that the grass plats disfgured
the street.
Capt Purse replied that the pavement
by its increased travel, had ruined the
street as residential street. and the grass
plats interfered with using it as a business
street.
PRIOR PETITION BROUGHT UP.
Alderman Bailey asked Capt. Purse how
he could reconcile his present position with
that Of the petition he had Joined in signing
and sending INTO council.
Capt. Purse replied that the property
owners didn't want grgywack, and us the
council intended to pave, they wanted
both sides of the street paved to divide the
travel. They were helpless. They didn't
want any pavement at all, and tried to get
the best they could if the street was to be
paved.
III you felt that way, wouldn't it have
been better for you not to have taken an
active part IN circulating that petitionr
dchtu Oily Attorney ADAMS.
Mr.. Adams suggested that the property
owners should say whether they denied any
Liability, or if they would pay certain items
There is no room for compromise if they
hold that they do not have to pay anything
Hon. Rufus E. Lester took the floor and
submitted proposition from MeSsrs. Nell
Downs and Wylly, property owners be-
tween Tattnall and West Broad streets.
asking readJ1stment of their assessment,
as that portion Of Liberty street, under the
ordinance OF MAY 80, 1888, was separate
from the other and more expensive portion
TO pave. MIR. Lester said that as far as the
cltys right to make the assessments for the
work is concerned, his clients made no con-
troversy, and he could not well represent any
one who did. They only asked readiust-
ment to conform to the ordinance, and mis-
clients stood ready and willing to pay.
THE RAILROADS SIDE OF IT.
President Johnston, of the City and
Suburban railway, arose to correct Can't.
Purses statements as to the charter of the
Barnard and Anderson street railway. The
charter provides that the company shall
repair and keep in repair 10 feet from the
center of its track on each side. This does
not mean, he said, new work.
Alderman Falligant was opposed to going
back TO the old days 50 POLITICALLY described
by Capt. Purse. Liberty street, he said. is
i've times handsomer and better in every
way than before. He said that be was glad
the Liberty street property owners are 50
well Off as to own one-tenth of the taxable
property of the city, as Capt. Purse had
claimed, and the speaker said he
IL