Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-07-23
What is Thought Of the Conviction
of Chief Bigelow for Attempt
ing an Improvement.
MAYOR GOURLEY SORRY FOR 1T,
And the Matter is Generally Regretted by
officials and Public Spir-
tied Citizens
RIyERMEN GENERALLY ARE KICkERS.
What Might be Done If the Rubbish Now on the Wharf
Were Only Cleared Away.

The conviction of Chief Bigelow was the
principal topic of conversation about City
Hall Yesterday. Controller Morrow semi
him a sympathetic communication, and the
Mayor volunteered to use his influence, in
case Mr.. Bigelow was sent to the work
house. to secure him soft position at exer-
cising the cattle in the bull ring at Clare.
mont. But -soberly, in speaking of the case,
Mayor GOurley said:
cit has always been a question in my
mind whether the city of Pittsburg had any
right to change the wharf think the
State laws would prevent even the Councils
from ordering any changes. There is no
| doubt that changes are needed. The wharf
has been disgrace to Pittsburg. The citi-
zens have used it as dumping ground.
The manufacturers have made use of 1t to
store their iron, and the lumber men have
covered it with board piles. They have en-
joyed these privileges free for years, and
of course they fight against giving them
up. The wharf has been used more for pri-
vate purposes than for the objects for which
it was intended.
WOULD HAVE BEEN A BENEFIT.
'TfI understand Mr. Bigelow's plans. the
change would have been great benefit to
the city. The wharf should be leveled, and
the building Of a stone wall would make
better harbor. don't know whether he in
tended to make part of it park, but such
could be done and still leave the wharf in
better shape for the steamboat than it is at
present. do not know what legal steps
would be necessary to get around the State
law
"As for making a Poiut Park" the
Mayor continued, "and preserving the Block
House, don't see how it can be done for
some years. We could not ask Mrs. Schen-
lev for the ground after all she has done.
1t would not be policy for the city to buy
it. We are too poor. After the city e1-
pends a reasonable amount of money in
beautifying Schenley Park, we ought to
next devote ourselves to clearing off the
debt. L am in favor of going little bit
slow until we can get our heads out of the
water
AT SEA IN THE MATTER.
any idea of what the legal steps would be
toward improving the wharf He said he was
at sea in the matter until he could give it more
study.
Chief Bigelow only said he would appeal the
case, and did not care to give any further opin-
ion about it at present
City Attorney Moreland said the only thing
they could do was to appeal, and that action
would be taken inside of three days.
In speaking of the result of the suit against
hinfR ~ ION n
terday: Il am sorry Mr.. Bigelow was convict
ed. Had been one of the jury should have
hesitated very much before l would have voted
for conviction. l suppose the Chief was tech
nically guilty of the charge, but he should have
been allowed to proceed with his work, when
am sure he would have greatly improved the
project carried out, and the Allegheny wharf
beautifled. especially that part lying between
the Sixth street bridge and the Exposition
grounds. The condition of that wharf to-day is
a disgrace to the city. Private parties use 1t,
and have used it for years. as place for dump
ing all sorts of material, and the place is an
eyesore everybody.
"Mr Bigelow is one of our most public
spirited officials, and public sentiment should
sustain him in his efforts to improve the citv's
property If he were allowed to carry out his
park project on the wharf between the bridge
and the Exposition buildings we would have
beautiful approach to those buildings that
would be credit to the city. Then the more
the Point district is beautified the sooner will
the old rookeries in that section be disposed OF,
and decent and respectable looking houses
take their place. Such park would be ele-
waiting and educating in its effects upon the
people, and for one would be pleased to see
city has a right to improve its own property.
The people who have been occupying that
wharf as dumping ground are the ones guilty
OF causing nuisance"
1T WOULDN'T COST MUCH.
A call was made at the office of the Exposi-
ton Society in search of Mr.. Johnston the gen.
eral manager of the Exposition, who is known
to have studied this wharf question thorough
ly ana how the place might be improved, hut
that gentleman is in the East looking for at
fractions for the coming Exposition, Mr..
Johnston has given much thought to the sub
iect and has often said the so-called wharf can
be beautified at very moderate expense and be
made like the famous Thames embankment on
a small scale. He says that what little useful
ness it now has as a wharf need not be de-
stroyed, as floats and landings for the
handling of material could be provided His
argument is that a park between the bridge
and the Exposition buildings would have a
two-fold use. As park it would have its
esthetic use, and provide pleasure ground
for the purpose, while at the same Time II
moyal of freight or building materials that
might be deposited the Landings or floats
instead of being piled up in such unsightly
heaps as at present
8. 3. Marvin. President of the Exposition
Society, was very emphatic in regretting the
outcome of the suit against Chief Bigelow, and
the consequent delay in the hoped-for improve
mept of The wharf Mr.. Marvin said: "The
Exposition Society has worked wonderful
changes in the Point district by the erection Of
permanent buildings. The beautifying of the
grounds is now gong on, anG if the unsightly
rubbish that occupies the wharf were removed
the change would be still greater and more
gratifying. The building of a wall and filling
in of the wharf would not impinge upon the
waterway. The river would deepen its own
bed lust as the Mississippi did when the Eads
system of jetties was established at New
Orleans.
SORRY FOR THE INTERFERENCE.
"Mr. Bigelow has proposed to reclaim the
wharf from its disgraceful condition, and am
sorry he has been interfered with. His efforts
at the improvement of the public highways
have been very commendable, indeed, and the
men who retard this improvement certainly
possess very little public spirit But it's the
old spirit SO long displayed by some people in
this city, who, unless they have their own way
in everything, become dissatisfied and degen-
crate into chronic kickers. 1t is amazing that
all cannot see the propriety of identifying the
wharf and making the approach to the
Exposition an attractive one: There
need be no difficulty in regard to landings. The
objection that if the wharf were utilized for
park purposes, there would be no way for re-
ceiving freight, is not a sound one. A Qaved
street or two could be run through to thl Rnd-
lngs, and furnish room for handling the
material This place is a wharf only in name,
anyhow. for since the building of the low Union
bridge 1t has little or no usefulness a wharf.
Private parties occupy the wharf now, and do
not pay the city cent for the privilege. They
should be evlcted and the city allowed to pro-
ceed in improving its own property"
George A. Kelly said: ii have not given this
subject much attention, but 1 am aware that