Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-09-06
SOME LIVELY TILTS.
The Ordinance to Widen st. Clair
Street Results in a Tie Vote.
NO CHANGE ON BLACK STREET.
Mrs. Negleys Home Comes in for a Good
Share of Spicy Sarcasm.
DIR, EVANS LEAD In THE DISCUSSION


session yesterday afternoon and recon-
mended to Councils number of new ordi-
nances. There was considerable discussion
over the report of a subcommittee appointed
to examine into the ordinances for the
widening of st. Clair street and the narrow
ing of Black street. Messrs. Warmcastle,
Baum and DR.. Evans were the sub-commit-
tee for both ordinances.
The ordinance for widening st. Clair
street provides for making it 5O-foot street
between Penn and Rural avenues, instead of
40 feet, as it is now.
Mr.. Warmcastle was opposed to the ordi-
nance, and the other two members of the
committee favored it. His argument was
that the city laid out the street at 40 feet
wide, small property owners had purchased
OH it and built to that width, and to cut off
ten feet from them would cause great ex-
pense in moving their houses, and as their
lots were already shallow, they would have
no ground in the rear of their houses after
their being moved, thus practically running
the property. Another point was that st.
Clair street was not an important thorough
fare and never would be; hence there was no
necessity for putting the owners to SO much
expense.
DIR. Evans, in reply, said that st. Clair
street would be an important street if it was
widened. At present the part that it was
proposed to widen was simply mudhole
with narrow plank on either side for
sidewalk. But the street was nearly mile
and half long, opened out on two of the
best streets in the East End. and all but 700
feet of it was already 30 feet wide. This 700
feet, the portion connecting directly with
Penn avenue, and hence the most important
part, was only 40 feet wide. As long as that
end of it remained 40 feet wide the street
would be comparatively useless, but if
widened to 80 feet the increase in valuations
all along the street would much more than
compensate for the damages to the lower end
by cutting off the 'front.' Every inch the
street was widened would add to the value
of the property.
A LIVELY TILT FOLLOWED.
Mr.. Baum was also in favor Of the widen
ing, and said the increase in values it would
cause would pay for all tFfe damages.
Mr.. Carnahan supported Mr.. Warmcastle. i
He said every property holder along the 700
feet affected had protested against the wild
ening. and the city would have to pay the
damages in removing properties, as they
will also if Diamond alley is widened.
Mr.. Nesbit, too, objected, and the vote to
recommend the ordinance resulted in tie.
The committee then reported on Black
street. The ordinance calls for changing
the width of that street from its present
width of go feet to 80 feet, between Hiland
avenue and Clearview street. The commit
Zee we're all opposed to the ordinance.
Attorney Petty, representing Catherine
Negley, was given an opportunity to present
her claims. He claimed that the street had
been laid out 80 feet wide, but that few
months ago an ordinance had been quietly
worked through Councils without the
knowledge of any of the interested property
holders to widen it to 60 feet. The ordi-
nance simply asked to relocate the street at |
its proper width. If it were not passed Mr.. !
Petty claimed that several properties would |
be seriously damaged, among them the man
sion of Mrs. Catherine Negley. This mag
nifcent brick structure, he claimed, would |
have to be moved.
Mr.. Carnahan favored the ordinance. He |
thought 50-foot street was wide enough, I
and argued that the former action of Coun- |
ellis should be rescinded.
DIR. Evans vigorously defended the sub |
committees report. The ordinance was the |
wish of only two or three property holders, |
one of these being Mrs. Negley, and her |
house was the only one that would be !
touched by the new street line. The gentle |
men from the East End (Mr. Carnahan and |
Mr.. Petty, he said, talked about their !
houses out there as If they were everyone |
veritable palaces, when in reality the ma
jority Of them were very commonplace |
buildings and many of them old shanties.
HE sNEERED AT THE PALACE.
He had gone over the ground on Black |
street and he had seen the so-called magnif- |
cent residence OF Mrs. Negley. He had |
even gone around it, and looked in the back |
windows, and his opinion of the palace was |
that it was dilapidated old place that the |
bats roasted in. Some of the windows were |
nailed up, and it looked as if no one lived |
in it. The house was part frame, and to tear |
it down and build new one like it would |
cost but a few hundred dollars. Mr.. Evans |
thought the street should be made uniform |
width. and 60 feet was narrow enough.
MIR. Warmcastle also attacked the ordi-
nance. He said the only property that was
affected by the 60-foot width was Mrs. Neg
ley's. He had poor opinion of the house,
and said the widening of the street would
knock off a bay window, and that is why
the lady opposed it. She has considerable |
land along Black street, and she will not
SELL The best property owners along the
street favored the widening. He believed
in favoring those who will beautify the
city.
The discussion continued for a consider
able time between the members, and at
times grew quite spirited, and when the
vote to negatively recommend was taken, it
was agreed to by to 2.