Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-01-09
TERMS OF THE DISPATCH.
PITTsBURG. FRIDAY, JAN. 9, 1881.
EFFECTS OF STREET IMPROVEMENT

The importance of having a street law
which will admit OF Improvements when a
reasonable number of property owners desire
them it is best shown by consideration OF
what was accomplished under the act of
1887, which the Supreme Court has just de-
clared unconstitutional because of its limita-
tions upon obiectors. 1t is the function OF
the Court to pass upon legislation strictly
from the standpoint of the law. The gen.
ersl public. however, may take view oil
the practical operation, apart wholly from
points of legal technicality. That the city
requires the opening and paving of new ave-
nues TO accommodate its growth of popula-
ton is of cours: evident Prior to the act
of 1887 unanimous agreement OF abutters
was needed for grading and paving. The
result was that but little was done, and while
there was a dearth of houses in the old city,
there were large tracts of ground in the outer
wards paying taxes, but unavailable, be-
cause the necessary unanimity for improve
ment could seldom be had. The result was
exhibited in thousands of acres of unstable
real estate assessed at prices so low as to
bring little revenue to the city treasury.
Building was relatively iEfrequent. Since
the act OF 1857 many streets have been paved
under the provision that one-third of the
frontage could demand it. The transactions
in real estate since speak for the change.
Where property was unmarketable it has
been made readily salable, often at three or
four times the price which could hav. been
r -. L A. H.
advantages of Improvement became so
quickly manifest that objection soon was
the exception and demand for paved streets
the rule.
Whatever opinions were held at the start
in the end all abutting property owners
shared in the increase of values. House
building received an extraordinary impetus,
several thousand going up every year where
formerly there had scarcely been as many
hundreds. The building trades were active,
aad the city treasury received more taxes on
single lots than had formerly been derived
from as many acres. Thus, the practical
workings OF the measure, which has been so
severely criticised in its legal aspects, inur ID
very clearly TO the benefit of the property
improved and of the whole community.
1t is we'll to take this retrospect of the
facts and circumstances, because it will not
do now to stop the tendency to improve
ments which has set in and whose value is
recognized. If some of the comments which
have been volunteered upon the Supreme
Court decision are correct, the difficulty of
framing any sort of law that will comport
strictly with this decision and still enable
betterments in the rural wards to go on NAV
prove very serious. So far as the work
done, but not yet paid for, is concerned, it
will doubtless amount to several hundred
thousand dollars and will have to borne by
the general taxpayer. To the latter this
aspect of the decision is by no means CRATE
ful. AS for the intimation that the con-
tractors may have to stand the loss, that is
mere moonshine. The city is responsible to
the contractors; and neither in law nor IN
honesty can they be asked to pay out of their
individual pockets for work done IN good
faith on the improvement of these streets.
1t is of great interest to the city, to prop
erty owners and to the building trades,-in
short, to all classes.-to change the present
situation as quickly as possible. The Legis-
lature isnow in session; and unless full stop
is contemplated in improvements, law
should soon be framed which will cover the
Constitutional objections raised by the Su-
preme Court against the act of 1887 and any
others that may be iorescen, and at the same
time insure means whereby street improve.
ments can be carried on without relapsing
iuto the old condition in which single OBJ.
jector could prevent the grading or paving
OF street, even though every other abutter
was in favor of it.