Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-08-02
THE END OF A QUEST.
All the Sites offered for Poor Farms
Visited by City officials.
ALLEGATION TO BE CHOSEN TODAY.
Mayor Gourley Figuring the Cost Of q
Place Back From River.
ONLYONE PIECE CONSIDERED SUITABLE
ALLEGATION TO BE CHOSEN TODAY.
ONLYoNE PIECE CONSIDERED SUITABLE

The Department of Awards has con-
cluded its inspection of the sites offered for
q new poor farm location, and the members
of the Board are heartily glad OF 1t. The
farm visited yesterday is near Shaner sta
ton, on the Pittsburg, Virginia and Charles
ton Railroad, and fronts on the Hough-
iogheny river. The property is composed
of three or four farms, and embraces 4oo
acres. which is offered to the city by John
T. Hoey at 5000 an acre, or S24o, OOO In all.
The gentlemen who visited the place yester-
day say it is not adapted to poor farm pur-
poses. 1t is too hilly and rocky, and is too
far IRON the city.
The whole matter has resolved itself into
this-the Stewart farm, near Parnassus, is
the only property offered that meets the re-
ouirements, and the question is whether 1t
is worth S1S6, 900 to the city for poor farm
purposes.
Mayor Gourley is giving the matter
earnest consideration, and is making In
quiries as to where land can be secured at
less cost The ordina ance, which was signed
by the Mayor, requires that the Poor Farm
be located on a river front.
CHANGED HIS MIND.
His Honor at one time thought that this
might be amended and property purchased
four or five miles back from the river at less
cost He made some inquiries which have
rather changed his views To furnish a
proper water and sewerage system to farm
five miles from a river would cost at least
800, ,000 and would not then be perfect. In
case of any accident happening to the water
main the institution would be in deplora-
bic condition, and an epidemic might result
therelrom. Another point brought to his
notice was that the railroads running out OF
Pittsburg generally keep to the river val
levs, and if the farm is away from river it
will probably be away from railroad. To
haul supplies and inmates from railroad
two miles to a farm he figures would cost the
city S., 600 year, representing the interest
on $50, 900.
The Mayor has arrived at the conclusion
that it would not be wise to purchase along
the Monongahela, as the City Farm would
soon be driven away again by mills and
factories. Along the Allegheny river the
same procession is marching, but not so
rapidly. His Honor thinks the purchase of
a farm will probably be a paying invest
ment lor the city, as the last one was, but
he is opposed to allowing a-spirit of specula-
chase.
COUNCILS TO DECIDE.
The question of the price TO be paid for a
arm, in Chief Browns opinion, is a matter
which rests entirely with Councils. He
holds that it is the duty of the Department
of Awards to merely recommend to Coun-
ellis the site which appears most suitable,
and the latter snail decide whether or not the
price at which it is offered is satisfactory.
Mayor Gourley takes the other view. He
thinks the question of price should be con-
sidered by the Department of Awards when
passing upon the sites.
The Department OF Awards will probably
meet to-day, as Chief Bigelow leaves the
city on Monday to take well-earned vaca-
tion of two or three weeks. He favors the
Stewart farm, and expressed himself yester-
day as indignant that he has been dragged
out of town to look at property that the
would-be sellers must have known was un-
fitted for the purpose for which it was Of
fered.