Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-07-04
ONE GREAT BIG CITY
Is What Many Taxpayers Would Like
to See Allegheny County.
ARGUMENTS FOR ANNEXATION
Advanced by Men Who Are Now Giving the
Matter Much Thought.
SOME OF THE ADVANTAGES IN SIGHT

"A great many people are OI IHe OplDIOu
that the annexation of Allegheny to Pitts.
burg would be an exceedingly good thing.
Representative men of all classes and bust
ness men of all degrees think that the con-
solidation scheme, if carried out on a bust
ness plan, would make the two towns and
adjacent boroughs one of the most energetic,
thrifty and attractive cities in the United
States.
The only class of citizens that seems to be
almost unanimously against the annexation
scheme are the off Gals around City Hall,
Allegheny. Of course, their opposition is
to be expected, as they make their living by
administering the municipal affairs of the
city. The most of them are emphatically
against the marriage of the two towns, but
even a few of them say they want to con-
slider the matter, and one went so far as to
say that he was on the fence.
The prevailing opinion is that the sue
cessful issue of the project will benefit AL
legheny to greater extent than Pittsburg.
Allegheny needs q new water works system,
needs new pavements, and new streets in all
quarters of the town. There isn't a first
class street in the city. 1t needs new i'm
provements of all kinds. These improve
ments will require an increased rate of tax
alton almost Immediately; and, added to
this, the increased expense of the new city
government to which the city is now en-
titled, the taxes necessary for running the
city will certainly reach the amount which
would be entailed by having Allegheny in
corporated as the Northside of Pittsburg.
NO NAME ABROAD.
Allegheny has no name or prestige aside
from what it derives from its association
with Pittsburg. If you tell man in New
York that you are from Allegheny he
thinks OF a little village up in New York
State. Allegheny's greatness is only re-
fex of the inherent brightness of Pittsburg.
A number of citizens whose views have
not yet been aired on the subject expressed
themselves yesterday. Morris Baer, of
Kaufman Brothers, said: "The city of
Allegheny is really part of Pittsburg, and
is only separated from it in name. 1t is an
integral part of this town, and the natural
barrier of a river should be no obstacle to
the incorporation of the two cities under one
name. 1t is my opinion that Allegheny
will derive more benefit from the annexa-
ton than Pittshurg. 1t will enjoy part of
our reputation at least. You have observed,
probably, that Pittsburg stands in sixth or
seventh place in the Clearing House re-
ports. Also that Cincinnati ranks lower
than Pittsburg in the same report, but it
has larger number of inhabitants.
The. point ] want to make in the
comparison of these two cities is this:
When business men see our standing in the
clearing house report and the census only
reports us as a city of 240, 900 people, they
generally think that Pittsburg is not town
of any extent or attraction, but simply big
lot of smoky, dirty mills.
"We are a big city and we want to be re-
cognized as such. We could not get
national political convention to meet here
because we are considered an insignificant
place. Take in Allegheny and we will have
one of the greatest cities in the country. I
am a citizen OF Allegheny and I will vote
for annexation, and 1 expect to see the two
cities one before the next census is taken.
There is not decently paved street in ALLIE
gheny, but we can get them by annexation.
Sixty per cert of the men who live in ALLIE
ghenv do business in Pittsburg and have
big property holdings here. They can't
vote on any question concerning that pro-
perty. The four Kaufman brothers pay
about $40, 900 taxes in Pittsburg, but they
can't vote here on any measure affecting
their taxables. There are many other men
situated in the same way. About the only
people opposed to annexation are the poll
HEARTILY FAvoRs IT.
George w. Schmidt, formerly of Schmidt
& Friday, said he was heartily in favor of
annexation, and thought it would benefit
Allegheny more than Pittsburg. He will
do all he can to assist the project.
Samuel Hamilton was of the opinion that
sit would facilitate the transaction of bust
ness of all kinds. 1t would be an excellent
thing for the business men OF Allegheny,
and they really would be greater benefcla-
ries of the annexation than this city. This
is solid business city, and if. Allegheny
becomes part of us, it will enjoy our repu-
tation and profit thereby. 1t would require
a greater police extension, and, indeed an
extension of all the departments of city gov
eminent, but it would undoubtedly cost less
to run one municipal corporation than two.
1t lisa business principle that large business
can be run at a comparatively less cost than
8 small one, and more money can be made.
This principle, / think, is applicable to
affairs. Our present city gov
ments, and think it could administer the
affairs of one great city with economy and
I'm in favor of annexa-
tion."
Mr.. Dick, of Campbell & Dick, said the
scheme was good, and that he
would favor it. "Allegheny," he said,
Islands in the way of the extension of Pitts
burg on the north. Our limits must neces-
sarily be circumscribed by our northern
neighbor. Boston has annexed town after
town, until that city now extends ten miles
beyond its original limit. / believe Allie
gheny would be greatly benefited by annex
alton"
L. De Wolf of Gusky's, said: 81 believe
it would benefit Allegheny business men
more than those of Pittsburg. Taxation is
raise their rents to suit. We ought to have
free bridges along with our big CITY,"
ONE THING TO BE DESIRED.
E. J. Black, of Allegheny, said: 81 am in
favor of anything that will tend to help the
town, if it will not increase taxation to a
ruInous rate"
George B. Fair, of Allegheny. remarked:
$50 ahead and tie the two towns up, and
make them one big city. Extend Fifth ave-
nue. across here and make Federal street the
Allegheny end of it. 1t would make the
finest highway in the county. I once told !
man in New York that 1 was from Allie |
gheny, and he thought was from painted
post, which they call Allee heny, up in the
State of New York. Let us get swing on
the two towns, and make them the one
greatest lnlanu clGy III the " ulteO OtaleS.
A. E. McCune-I think annexation is a
good thing, and am in favor of it,
George Franklin said: eff Pittsburg will
reduce her rate of taxation to that of ALLIE
gheny, and administer the municipal affairs
in a business way, 1 would vote tor annexa-
tion."
j. II. .Boyd-Annexation won't hurt any,
thing, and will likely benefit our town. I'll
vote for it when the time for voting comes.
j. P. Stewart, one oil the assessors of AL
legheny, said: sI'm on the fence on this
question. think, however, that Allegheny
is run on too economical scale for our own
good. We only pay our city engineer s., 500,
and he should have $1,000. More expense
would make better city. The water works
might benefit MS little.''
Alderman E. L. Braun-I am not op-
posed to annexation, if the rate of taxation
would be less than Pittsburg's present rate,
and the city government administered on
an economical plan.
E. T. "copper" want the cities to come