Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-06-05
City Attorney Observation-Disclosures to.
Consult Councils Wisbes'Before
Taking Active Steps
UNDER NEW STREET ENACTlENTS.
No Opposition Expected FrOms the Men,
berS on Resolutions Authorizing
Prompt Action
TEST CASES WILL FOII0woVERY SOON
Chief Bigelow Can Then Finish AlltStreets Already
Contracted For.

Unless some other plan is ssdoptedbetween'
now and Monday afternoon, Councils VIII
then be asked to take action in regard to
rUtting into effect the new street laws The'
officials in charge of the matter feelth IN
accordance with the recently-passed acts OF
the Legislature they could go ahead with
their ,oreparations for improving streets and'
collecting money on those previously COM
,,le.ed. but not paid for, and nobody -coulds
ston them. But they feel it would be better
to have the matter formally passed upon by
tho local legislators in order to put<
their authority beyond all question
This can be done by means of resolutions
which Councils could have no hesitation in
rassing well-known Councilmau stated
Yesterday that resolutions had been pIe-'
.lared for introduction into Councils at Mon
DAYS meeting on this subject One is to
authorize the City Attorney to go into court
and ask for the appointment of viewers to
assess property owners or streets COM"
pleted and not paid up.
Carrying Out the Curative Act.
The curative act was for this purpose, and
Councils, by passing the pa per, would simply
ratifv and put into effect the act of the Leg
islature.
The other resolution is to instruct the
Chief of the Depa rtment of Public Works to
go ahead and complete all the streets on
which the contracts had been let before the
s,,prene Court rendered its decision killing
toIney Moreland was spoken TO about the
resolutions yesterday afternoon.
u have had in my mind,' said he, 'the
idea of having Councils take action or the
street question for some time Under the
new curative law L think have the author-
ity 10 ask the court TO appoint viewers on
the various completed streets, but L nave
about come to the conclusion thai IT would
ha hot tn "a q
II would do away with any poSslUlllty OF oO-
lection to my actions III the matter. Aside
from that it is due in courtesy to GoIncis
that they should have something to
say in the matter. The same
is true in the completion of streets where
the contracts have been awarded. Even
since the street problem came up VIC have
endeavored to adhere to every point OF law
on the question, and since Councils have the
right to pass their Judgment as TO whether
tie plan is good one or nor, thlnk tney
should be given opportunity to do so.
Two Ordinances Under Consideration.
"a resolution authorizing the proper pro-
ccdure Under the curative act, and another
for the unfinished streets, will probably be
introduced III CoJ:!. ellis Monday, though l
am not Vet positive about the matter
The question of Just how the city would
proceed 20 right itself after the Legislature
had done all IL could iS one in winch there
has been considerable interest felt. This
has been the case not only in Pittsburg, but
in other cities where the peculiar situation
in which this city was placcd.and its method
Of getting ont of the trouble have been
closely watched. After final passage OF the
new street bills the city attorney expressed
himself 20 the effect that active operations
in the lire cf getting things III proper shape
woaid probably be begun without delay.
ON further consideration OF the question,
however I've came to the conclusion that it
would probably be better to give Oohncils
the opportunity of spea their mind be-
fore am nything was done. With this idea i'll
view he will likely see that the resolu-
tious above mentioned are introduced at
Mondays meeting.
No Point TO BE Left Open.
Since the trouble began Mr.. Moreland has
devoted a large portion of his tilno TO a
critical study of the street Improvement
question in all its intricate phases. As a re-
suit Of his resea rches he has determined TO
leave no poi2lt in the procedure open for
future criticism. He believes that Pittsburg
has nov secured the very best street laws
that legal knowledge could construct. The
Only thing that remains Is to carry them out
TO the letter.
There is little doubt that Councils will
pass any such resolutions presented to them,
since il i but carrying out the objects OF the
law under which the city must act in the
future As soon aS this is done active prepa-
rations viii be made for pushing the test
salts through the courts rapidly pos
sihle The method of procedure in these
cases has already been outlined in THE
DIsPATCH.
OF affairs is the making up of documents for
future use. New blanks for petitions of
property owners desiring improvements
will ali have to he printed in accordance
with the recent acts. The city has large
supply of old ones on hand, but they are
useless now.
Many Re-Petitions Necessary.
in the City Clerks Office are large files of
ordinances, partially or finally passed for
opening, grading and paving streets. All OF
them. except those on which the contracts
were let, have fallen under the Supreme
Court AK and will have to be re-petitioned
for. The latter number over 80, but If Chief
Eigeow is instructed to do so BY Councils he
can have them all finished by the close of
the wear.
Among other street matters coming before
Councils at the next meeting will be Mr..
keating's ordinance repeating the ordinance
Ior the widening of Diamond street. Not
much discussion is anticipated on this paper,
IL il is presumably only intended to show
some disposition on the city records of the
OLD ordinance killed by the Supreme Court.
TzoT-rTTn urrTr- nEu