Johnstown weekly Democrat. (Johnstown, Cambria County, Pa.) 1889-1916, 1890-04-11
TUE CITY COUNCILS.

Taylor, the Clerk of the
SELECT COUNCIL,
Having had his bond accepted and filed,
was on hand and recorded the proceed
ings. President Yeagley occupied the
chair. Messrs. Hochsten, of the Eighth
and Buser. of the Sixteenth ward, were
absent, all the other members being
present.
A message from the Mayor was read as
follows:
OFFICE OF
THE MAYOR OF THE CITY OF JoHNsTowN,
| April 8, 1890.
To ne Select ana Common Co,nca OF the City or
| JoitnStotCn
| 1t is made a part of the duty OF the Mayor
| from time to time, as he may deem expedient,
to communicate to the Council such suggestions
and recommendations as he may deem con-
ducive to the interest and welfare OF the City.
A matter that seems TO me of so much urgency
| that it requires thus early communication to
you is in relation TO the laying of the lines of
| the Electric Street Railway, permission for
which was granted by the several boroughs In
the group that now form the City. AS am in
formed one Of the regulations imposed by the
boroughs was that the Street Railway should
pave the streets to a distance of one foot outside
| of the line of the track as well as between the
| tracks and between the two lines, making in all
| distance OF width of sixteen feet when double
line of track is made, the paving to be OF the
same material as that with which the munich
pality paves the balance of the cartway.
am informed that tue Railway Company pro-
poses to Immediately lay its lines through the
| seventh, Eighth, Sixth, Fifth, Fourth First,
Second Thirteenth, Fourteenth, Fifteeth and
Sixteenth wards that is to say, beginning on
| the line of the valley Pike In the Seveth ward,
| thence by way of Main street through the Eighth
ward Morris street. Franklin street, Main
| street, Walnut street, Iron street and Broad
street to the boundary OF the City.
Along portions OF tins Ivuvo the municipality
would have nothing to say in regard to the paw
| ing as the Railway is located on the property OF
| a private corporatlon-the Valley Pike. Again
| there may be portions of the road that owing to
the fact or there being no dwellings or habita-
| tions, the paving might be of the kind hereto
| fore in use to wit, cobble stones But II there
is to be any change in the character of the ma
terial TO be used for paving 1t seems to me that
now is the proper time to so decide so far as the
| streets mentioned are concerned. | have made
| inquiry and beIieve that, all things considered
| the best and cheapest material is hard burned
brick laid with tar joints. The whole roadway
| along the route proposed will almost necessarily
| be torn up in the laying of the railway and in
most parts in any event viii have to be repaired
and renewed To such an extent as Will
| practically put the City to the expense of
paving its portion OF the cartway where
| pavements are now laid AS nearly as
can ascertain without a survey the roadway OF
the several streets is as follows; Morris st rea T.
twenty-seven and a half feet Franklin street,
| forty-two feet Main street, forty feet walnut
| street, twenty-seven and a half; Iron street to
stone bridge, twenty-five feet /; Broad street,
forty feet, fr ON these in each instance is to be
deducted the sixteen feet TO be paved by the
| Street Railway, leaving but narrow strip on
each side to be paved by the City would rec
commend that If repaving is done along this
| line It should commence on MolIis street at the
| Poplar street crossing and thence be continued
| to the stone bridge; then beginning on the west
side OF the Conemaugh in the Fifteenth ward,
continuing along Broad street to the City line,
using only cobblestOneS betwe en- the Poplar
street briuge and the end OF the pike line In the
Sixth ward and between the stone bridge and the
end Of the street line on the northeast side of
the Conemaugh river. The cost to the City per
llneal rod for the best class of paving of the kind
suggested would be about as follows, including
both sides of the streeJ-on Morris street, about
s35, so; Franklin street, $3.50; Main street,
1921; Walnut street, Sab; Iron street above
the stone bridge, Sl7.16 Broad street. So.
1t might be we'll to consider at this time an
other fact. Iron street is the great thorOughfare
between two very important portions of the
city. There is, perhaps more travel on 1t than
any other street In the city. It is the narrowest
of our streets-too narrow, in fact, for the ac-
commodaton of the public and the convenience
of property holders along its lines. Itnever can
be widened with less expense than at the pres
ent time.
therefore recommend to your deliberate con-
sideration the propriety of examining into the
question of widening Iron street, and of paving
with brick, or at least some better material than
cobblestones. the lines to be traversed by the
Street Railway. Whatever is to be done must
be done quickly
The cobblestone when Will be saved from the
wreck OF the streets mentioned can be utilized in
paving hillside streets or some minor street not
the great arteries OF communicat on.
The message was ordered filed, that its
recommendation might be acted upon at
some future time.
The ordinance known as the salary or
dinance was passed third reading, with
few amendments from its original shape
The salary of the Mayor was left uu-
changed-namely at 50, 800, though there
was some discussion on that point. The
salaries of the other city officers were left
as heretofore published, except that the
salary of the City Engineer was raised
from 81, 300 to 81 800, with the stipula-
tion that the Engineer make the topo-
graphical survey The Office of Assist
ant Engineer was abolished.
The Police Ordinance was then taken
up and considered. It also was passed
finally, as was also the ordinance provid-
ing for the protection of persons and
property in the city.
IN THE COMMON COUNCIL.
President Donaldson occupied the chair
and Secretary w. S. O'Brien recorded the
proceedings.
The Mayors message was read and or.