Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-04-21
THE COST OF DELAY.
City Attorney Moreland's Opinion on
the Failure to Act on the
OPTION ON THE ALEXANDER FARM.
Procrastination in the Poor Farm Deal
Likely to Be Costly.
AN OPPORTUNITY FOR sPEcULAToRs

1t is probable that the city's option on
the Alexander farm will be thrown out and
the whole process of advertising for bids
and examining properties offered for Poor
Farm will have to be gone over again. City
Attorney Moreland yesterday submitted q
sealed opinion to City Clerk Booth for the
Committee on Charities, covering the ques-
tion raised at the last meeting of the Com
mittee: Does the option on the Alexander
farm submitted last November still hold
good, or did it die with the old Councils?
The text of the City Attorneys opinion
could not be secured, owing to q peculiar
notion of "oficial courtesy" in vogue
among city officials, on account of which the
City Clerk could not be prevailed upon to
make known the contents of the opinion.
and the City Attorney politely but firmly
refused to even talk about it.
The Chances Against the City.
But from an outside source it was learned
that the City Attorney holds the belief that
the failure of Councils to act upon the mat
ter made it questionable whether the city
could reasonably and equitably expect to
hold the option so long. If the city insisted
on holding Alexander to the option and he
would take the matter into court on the
question of what would be reasonable
time to take action on such an option, the
chances would be against the city.
In order to prevent such contingency as
this, and to place the city on basis of fair
ness in the matter the City Attorney suggests
that Councils formally decline the Alexan-
Il nd fhar of sof <rr
advertise for proposals for a new farm. It is
claimed that the presentC Charities Committee
has no business before it and cannot have
until the present Council refers some to it.
The Ordinance Died With Councils.
of the Alexander farm at $3.50 an acre was
referred to the old Charities Committee with
the option, but as no disposition was made
of it by that committee the ordinance died
with the committee and with the old Coun-
cils.
In order to get 1t before the new COM
mittee Councils must act first. If they
decide to insist on the option they will refer
it to the committee with new ordinance.
But if they act in accordance with the City
Attorneys opinion the routine channel of
proceedings that has already been gone
through three times In this matter must
again Dc lOllOWeU DelOE6 IL Cdu cOuS DeIOro
the committee.
The opinion prevails about City Hall that
Chief Bigelow's experience with land
sharks in the matter of a new reservoir
site is more than likely to be duplicated
when 1t comes to buying Poor Farm site.
The time in which the site must be bought
is limited to little more than year, for
Carnegie, Phipps & Co. will undoubtedly
demand the old farm property as soon as,
under their contract, they are entitled to it.
That will be July 1, 1898.
Not Much Choice Left.
, As Chief Elliot has repeatedly stated,
there are very few farms in the county that
would answer the purpose of farm to meet
his views and those Of the State Board of
Charities. It is argued that the spectators
realizing this will quietly place themselves
in position to command these farms, and
then, the city being completely cornered,
will be forced to buy at several times the
real value of the property. After all the
hue and cry that has been raised over the
prices asked for farm sites and the time that
has been wasted in arranging for purchase,
those who take a disinterested stand in the
matter seem to think the city will only get
what she deserves for the procrastination of
her officials if she is finally made to pay
several prices for farm.
The City Attorneys opinion will be made
public at a meeting of the Charities Com
mittee tomorrow or Saturday, and prompt
action is expected on tie matter henceforth.