Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-01-12
LOCAL LEGISLATION.
Important Amendments to PittSburg's
Street Act Proposed.
THEY WILL REMOVE ALL DEFECTS,
And Make the Present Law for Public
Improvements Clear.
THEIR EARLY PASSAGE Is DESIRED

The amendments to the Pittsburg street
act, submitted to the Legislature yesterday
by Hon. S. M. Laferty, are regarded at
Municipal Hall as of great Importance. II
successfully carried through, they will re-
suit in grand and extensive Improvements
to thoroughfares next summer. For the
want of this legislation, all such improve
ments have been checked for several years.
The East End was more affected by this de-
lay than any other district. Now there is a
ray of hope for the redemption of avenues
out there from theanud and broken condi-
ton which make many of them impossible
two-thirds of the year.
The present law under which Pittsburg is
acting was vague in some of its most vital pro-
visions. Lawyers pronounced these defects
fatal, and owing to the uncertainty as to
what litigation might arise therefrom, the
city did not test the law to its full purposes.
The amendments which Mr.. Lafferty intro
duced yesterday were framed by Controller
| E. S. Morrow. They are intended to make
the present street act clear in its provisions,
and remedy all defects.
AS TO PETITION.
In this way the amendments will have i'm
portant results, although they propose no very
radical change in the forms and methods now
in vogue. On account of the lack of space
this morning THE DISPATCH gives only the
gist of the amendments stripped of their legal
verbiage.
The present law requires that for improve
ments of streets, City Councils must be
petitioned by one-third of the proprie-
tary interests affected. The amend
ments change this requirement so that
it will hereafter only apply to streets
lanes or alleys to be opened or otherwise i'm
proved in rural or agricultural wards of the
the operation of such rule on the thoroughfares
in the built-up sections of town where the as
sessments would be immense. Ordinances are
to be passed for the improvement of such ave-
nues.
Another amendment provides that where
proceedings are suspended by the Court the
city shall not be liable for the cost Of any
street.
The present law says that the cost and ex-
penses of improvements shall be levied on
properties affected by the Board of Viewers
after the
BOARD OF PUBLIC WORKS
shall have furnished them with a certificate of
the cost of same. The amendment requires
damages by reason of grading or changing the
grade of any street, lane or alley to be levied
and assessed by the Board of Viewers upon
properties benefited Another amendment
clearly outlines the duties of the Board of
Viewers. Just now they are not at all clear.
The amendment will make their duties gen.
eral.
By the present laws citizen who takes an
appeal has to pay all costs whether he wins or
loses the case. An amendment now changes
this, SO that if the appellant wins the case the
city shall pay the COSTS
1t is designed to have these amendments con-
sidered as early as possible by the Legislature.
so that they may become operative in the sum-
mer. For that reason they were introduced at
this time by Mr. Lafferty.