Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-06-14
BELLIC0SE BRUN0T.
The People Living on That Gem OF
the Ohio River Are Angry,
AND THEY ARE VERY ANGRY, TOO.
Again Threatened With Neglect BY the
Ohio Connecting Company.
WERE TIE REPRESENTATIVES, BOUGHTP

Tho owners of Brunot Island are mad. It is
dra,riny If exceedingly mild to put it in that
Iva1 +or tbev are red hot and still heating, and
the rrouble is that they think they have been
sold out. sacrificed in the interestof an electric
railway company.
When the Ohio Connecting Railway Com
many becan to talk about building its bridge,
the island owners thought they saw an oppor-
tunity to connect themselves with Allie
gheny City and the Southside, so as to get
something better than the step-child treatment
they have been accustomed to for the
last Is or 20 years. So they proposed that
The company should include some kind of a
bridge that would answer to carry some kind of
a motor railway from Preble avenue. Ale
ghepy, to Nlmick avenue, Southside, with con-
nection with Brunot Island. it being supposed
that as the company had authority to bulld
toll bridge there would be sufficient induce
ment. After hope deferred had made the
islanders hearts sick they finally decided that
from the island to the shore end of the Ninth
ward, Allegheny, it would be better than moth
ing, as their children could then go to school
independent of food or ice foes. They thought
they would at least get that much, but from
what has tranSpired within few days 1t seems
they are to be left to breakfast, dine and sup of
cold shoulder for some time yet to come.
Mr.. M'FADDEN GUARDED.
An attempt was made to get an expression of
opinion from Mr. Thomas McFadden relative
to insinuations that some members of Allie
Cheny councils had sold the islanders out in
order to make terms with the railway compa-
nies whereby the latter should build an ex-
pensive bridge to connect an electric railway
on California avenue with Bellevue. but Mr..
McFadden was somewhat in the same frame OF
mind as the expiring 1rlshman, who, when
asked by his confessor if he renounced the
devil and all his works, replied: Il don't pro-
pose to make declaration on that head as I'm
going to a strange place and don't want to
make enemies' II was evident, however, that
Mr. McFadden had sized it about the same way
as other kickers, and he, in common with the
rest was at white heat. The action pro-
IRoSefb IS the was report Pop1f Of Allegheny Council
committee proceedings. 1t is charged that
though some members of Councils had agreed
that the island should have some consideration
it is now being left in the cold. The bridge
company, it is admitted, can take the ground
necessary to do its work without building any
thing in return. but it is held that by proper
management arrangements could be made
mutually satisfactory, as even corporation
wishes TO have the good will of a municipality
when il doesn't cost too much, but the island
ers think the company considers them small
potatoes as against corporate interests that can
command more cash. The islanders claim that
the Ninth ward of Allegheny is now about
monopolized by railway companies that paylno
tax for Its beneht.
THE ISLAND HAS BEEN A SATRAPY.
The modern history of Brunot Island shows
q
experience. 1t never got much for its taxes,
but Mr.. McFaddep states that when it be-
longed to a Southside township they were
light and not much complained Of Finally
the late Benton Kerr and others by some
means had it detached from the Southside and
added to Mcclure township. Then Mcclure
township was taken into Allegheny City and
the islands troubles began. There are about
Us acres of arabic land on it. and it is owned
by some 80 people. Since they have been an
=, A ifNyf f1,axy hos rnnid
tween SIS, GOO and $4,000 in taxes and haven't
gotten mill in return, for the inhabitants say
that to send their children to the city school
costs more than would the maintenance OF a
school on the island beside the danger attendant
and the inability to transport them over the
river during considerable portion OF each
year. Then they complain that they are not
provided with paved streets nor even roads of
any kind, and have
NEITHER POLICE NOR FIRE
protection If a gang of toughs see fit to visit
the island, it is at their mercy, while the
islanders are forced to pay for all these things
enjoyed by the part of the ward that is in the
city proper.
From time to time the islanders have been
chasing various mirages. Occasionally prop
osition has been put out to buy the island and
make it park, and various other things have
been suggested, but each time as the people
began to think they were about to catch up
with the delusions they were dissipated.
The people who live in the upper must go
10 the lower end of the island to connect with
a landing and street, and must pay right of
way from home into another part of the same
ward. Long ago, when it was occupied solely
by DR.. Brunot, it was about the most delightful
spot about Pittsburg, and in the general alb
Eence of roads and other facilities for commu-
nication the isolation was not felt. but while
the general advance in material progress has not
made garden stuff now any better on Brunot
than it did half century ago, and has not en-
HANGED the price of its products, railways have
brought Central Ohio practically as near to the
gardener as is Brunot Island.