Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-03-19
CITY officials Place the Street I'M
proyement Matter in the Hands
of Legal Authorities.
SENATOR Finn GIVES HIS VIEWS
On the Prospects of Pittsburg Being Able
to Secure Curative and other
Legislation.
FWOKEW BILLS To BE READY SATURDAY
Interesting News From Chester the Condition Of Her
Toroughfsrss.

cision on the street cases, the city officials
yesterday conceived the happy idea of re-
lieving the strain on their mental faculties
by transferring the responsibility of what is
to be done to a number of gentlemen more
capable of properly interpreting the mean
ing of the higher court. Accordingly, at lO
o'clock, Attorneys D. 7. Watson and w.
B. Rodgers, counsel for the city, together
with Attorney John McCIesne and Attor-
news MoreIand, Burleigh and Carnahan, of
the late department of law, assembled at the
Office of the first named and talked over the
situation. Soon after came Chiefs Brown,
Bigelow and Elliot, Controller Morrow and
City Solicitor Elphinstone, of Allegheny.
1t was decided then that the whole matter
should be left in the hands of the attorneys.
Plan of Action Decided Upon.
At noon the company adjourned, looking
satisfied all around. In the afternoon
Senator William Finn dropped
into Mr.. Watson's Office and re-
mained there in close conference
with the attorneys for several hours.
After a plan of action had been decided
upon, the attorneys set to work at once to
study carefully the opinions on the cases,
and the result of their researches will be
embodied in acts of Assembly, which will
be hurried to the Legislature. This morn
ing another conference OF city officials and
Law Jers will be held. Senator Finn is
probably as much interested in the outcome
of the present muddle as anybody in the
CITY. In the first place, his firm has the
contracts on the majority OF the streets ef-
fected by the decision and is depend
ing on the city for its money.
Aside from this the Senator will doubtless
have to father the bills presented to the Leg
islature on this subject. Nevertheless he is
one of the most sanguine men of all those
connected with the matter. After the con-
ference yesterday afternoon Senator Finn
wEs asked his opinion of the situation.
Not as Bad as 1t Might Be.
''It is not as serious as some people
imagine" said be. The attorneys who have
taken charge of the affairs will have two bills
prepared by Saturday. These bills will be SUBJ
stItuted for the ones now on the calendar of the
Legislature. or rather the latter will be
amended as to conform with the ideas of the
lawyers now considering the matter. The first
bill will provide for curative legislation. have
held all along that such legislation can be Sc
clearly shows the feasibility of it, Not being
lawyer naturally felt that might be in
this view of the case. but am now more than
ever convinced OF its correctness. have Just
come from a conference with the attorneys.
Messrs. Watson. Roberts. McCleane and others,
1 find, all agree with me that curative legisla-
tion is not only constitutional, but will be
easily secured. Such act is simply giving
the city power TO collect the money due il.
ANY intelligent man will agreo with me that
the opinion of the Supreme Court was not that
he ShCulQ
paving. In fact it endeavored to clearly show
that the man whose property Is increased in
value by public improvements should pay for
1t in proportion to his benefits.
Great Faith in the Lawyers.
THE Court wishes to demonstrate that the
method of securing this payment of assess
ments was wrong. The principle of a man
paying for what increases his comfort is all
right, the only trouble being that the city fell
into the mistake of conducting its street i'm
provemenus in an illegal way. l have great
faith in the ability of the legal gentlemen now
engaged in getting up this act, and when the
matter is once settled Pittsburg will never have
it to go through again. There is little to be
feared about the securing Oh curative leglsla-
tion. Chester got it and the Supreme Court
ratified the bill. How then can it refuse to do
the same for Pittsburg?
"1he second bill will provide plan of pro-
cedure in the assessment of benefits from
future street improvements. The suggestions
of the Supreme Court will be followed as
closely as possible in every detail. This is abb
solutely eSsary, as the whole matter must
stand the scrutiny of the Supreme Justices. A
great deal depends on getting things along as
fast possible, and every effort will be exerted
in that direction. The attorneys say they will
be ready by Saturday, 1t will then take
but a short time to have the flyers
now on the legislative calendar amended
to conform with their ideas. The bills are in
such shape that they can be called up on very
short notice, and In three weeks or a month at
most. we expect to have all the law we want
and the city in good shape again.
A Plan for Protection Proposed
Even this, however, is too long time for
some of the contractors, and while the matter
is being pushed through the Legislature be-
lieve it would be a good idea for the city to
issue certificates of Indebtedness to contract
ors, bearing 8 per cent interest during three
years, but payable in whole or in
existing circumstances and owing to the uncer-
taipty of payment the poorer contractors can
not run the risk of taking contracts. The GER
tificates would be negotiable, and could easily
be converted into cash"
The frequent reference to the city of Chester
as an example bearing out the idea that cura-
tive legislation could be easily secured, has
caused considerable comment as TO the exact
status Of affairs there. The following tele-
gram from the correspondent of THE DIS
PATCH at Chester will be read with interest In
connection with the present difficulties in Pitts
burg:
"The city of Chester derives certain amount
of grim satisfaction from the knowledge that
she is not alone in the misery entalled by bad
streets and Supreme Court decision adverse
TO the idea of improving them with the money
of the owners of property facing on the thor
oughfares that need repairing. Extensive i'm
provements were planned some time ago, but
the property owners protested against being
asked to pay for the citys improvements The
matter found its way into the courts and the
CRY was beaten at every point The final deci-
sion made about year ago, was similar in
every respect to that handed down day OF two
ago in favor of the Pittsburg property owners.
Suits That Are Still Pending.
"Some of the work on the streets here was
under way when the adverse decision was ren-
dersd. 1t was stopped at once. and the con-
tractors entered suits against the city for re.
muneration for such portion of work as they
mad done. These suits are still pending. Then
an effort was made to get Councils to negotiate
loan for Improvement purposes and issue
city bonds to the amount of 100000 for that
purpose. The matter was submitted to the
people at the last election, and it was defeated
by large majority. AS a consequence the
city's streets in bad condition still, and the
authorities are Dowerless to make the much
needed improvements"
There was considerable discussion yesterday
as to the result of the overthrow of the De-
partment of Awards, of which there is no
longer any apparent doubt. As its name indi-
Gated the duty of the department WAS to award
well known that some plan for the future dis
posal of this work will have to be adopted. The
matter is already well under way and an ordi-
nance is in course of preparation, which
next meeting of Councils for con-
sideration. Just what the provisions
of this ordinance is not generally known.
Controller Morrow was asked what he thou ght
would be done In the matter. but he could
throw no light on it. Mayor Gourley was ap-
proached but he could do no better.