The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1890-07-10
PICA YUNISH.

ing up the sidewalk on the south end OF
Maple-st is so petty an exhibition of giSan-
tic spite, seliishness, and defiance of vest.
ed public and private rights as to make
it contemplate in the eyes of the COM
munity.
In 1886 every property owner on
Maple (then Ninth-st., between Third-st.
and the railroad, save two only, petit
tioned for walk from Third-st. to Rail-
road-ave., along the east side of Ninth,
and the council as in duty bound. passed
an ordinance requiring the walk to be
laid. The petitioners were T. A. c. Ben
nett, Mary T. How, Lucas Kells, E. B.
Carney, Chas H. Bennett, E. Bridgman,
]. H. Simonton, w. S. Dean, John Mohs,
Joseph Capser, w. o. P. Hilsdale, and
S. Simonton. An ordlnance-No. Nine
teen-was passed and approved on
April 21st. 1886, and is still in force,
duly recorded and attested in the book
Of ordinances. In defiance of this law
and well-knowing its existence, the coun
Gil ordered portion of this walk to be
torn up, and that portion of it which is
of the most practical value, as it spans
the only part of the street which
is impossible during the wet seas
on of Spring and Fall, and the only
part which has not sidewalk on the op-
posite side of the street. making it the
sole dependence of a large number of
people who will now be compelled to
wade more than ankle deep through the
mud and water in passing to and fro be-
tween their homes and places O. bus ness.
And the council perpetrated this out
rage in the face of the fact that the city
attorney, called upon, officially, for All
opinion, advised that such action was
INV arranted and illegal. Surely, ignor-
ance cannot be pleaded, although a very
large proportion of our citizens seem in
clined to think that would be good de-
tense on general principles. The one excuse
offered is that the lumber could be used
elsewhere in constructing walk, where
more people would use it. If this were
genuine explanation land it is not. for
the member urging it had a purely selfish
motiye) it is no defense whatever, for
the lumber, which had been in use more
than four years, could be replaced with
new, and oak at that, for a paltry fif-
teen dollars. 1t is fact easily demon
strated, that there has not been a saving
of much more than FIVE dollars by this
transaction-providing pine lumber
which has been in use four years for side
walk purposes has lost one half its orig
inal value.
Economy, then, certainly cannot be
urged. In fact, this council would hard
ly haye the gall in view of their brief but
brilliant financial record, to breathe the
word economy.
The fact that the council acted in open
defiance of law in violating an ordinance
is not apt to inspire the average citizen
with respect for that body or it's laws. II
the council may violate the law, know
ingly and wilfully, by what considera-
ton of consistency can they enforce Or
dinances against unsworn citizens? But
it is not fair to include sll the members
under this Observation-Disclosures Rob-
bins and Cooper voted against the out
rage-president Morse, Beidleman,
Coats, and Moore constituting the major
ity who ordered the sidewalk DESTROYED.
1t is evident to the most casual OBJ
server, that what may he done in one
locality may be done in another, and
any sidewalk or other improvement may
be demolished in face of any protest,
whenever it may please the sweet will OF
our local autocratic lords and masters.
A protest and remonstra nee hast lily
drawn and circulated after the work OF
demolition had begun, was presented to
the Mayor aud street committee but it
was treated with contempt, although
bearing the signatures of those owning
two-thirds or more of the property along
the line of the walk, including among
Others, Messrs Kells, Bennett, Hilsdale,
Hogan and How. When it it is consider
ed that Maple-st., is one of the finest
residence thoroughfares in the city; that
the sidewalk was a portion of the sys-
tenn laid years ago under ordinance; that
it was in daily use by scores of people of
whom most arc men who traverse it to
aud from their business; that it spanned
part of the stree. which is thus render.
ed absolutely impossible in inclement
weather, and that no excuse of even
weak plausibility can be urged for the
act, the action of the council shows ND
in its true proportions.
THE ALLIANCE,
There is no Disgusting the fact that the