Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-06-04
ALLEGHENY,s ANCIENT HISTORY.

Ancient history is causing no small
amount of trouble in Allegheny City just
now. Some years ago one party brought
suit against another for the removal of a
stable, the claim of the former being
based on the survey of the city by Daniel
! Leet under State authority in 1888. After
various vicissitudes the case was settled
| nearly two years since by a decision of
the Supreme Court to the effect that this
plan of the city as laid out more than a
hundred years ago was the one and only
authority for settling any disputes which
might arise. But the question at issue in
this particular case was only with regard
to Federal street, declaring that it should
run in a straight line, as shown in the
aforesaid plan.
Councils wishing to carry out the Su-
preme Court decision have recently served
notices on several Federal street property
holders that they must alter their bounda-
ries to conform with the ancient docu-
ment. But the said property holders have
no-deSire to move, and point out to Coun-
ciis that sauce for the goose is sauce for
the gander, and that immense trouble will
arise if the decision of the Supreme
Court be applied to the whole of the city
covered by the late lamented Mr.. Leet's
survey. The fact of the matter is that
most of the streets between the parks and
the river as plotted out last century run
through what are now private dwellings
or flourishing manufactures, and enor-
nous expense would be incurred by alter
atoms.
In some cases the change of direction in
thoroughfare was deliberately made by
the property holders of the past, and the
presumption is that the present owners
can be legally constrained to return to the
ways of yore if such action be considered
desirable. But there would seem to be
good deal of moral injustice, however
clear the letter of the law may be, in fore
ing such great expense on those who must
in many cases have purchased property in
ignorance of the conditions which the city
other instances, the change cf
streets appears to have been made by
the city itself, and herein lies an outlet
for public funds which the taxpayer
would find somewhat burdensome But
in all cases the probability Is that efforts
to secure the ccnfguration of the city
chosen by the State survey would give
rise to hard-fought contests in one court
after another. And litigation between in
dividuals and their municipality is to be
avoided by the latter whenever possible,
since its loss Of contest involves call
on the funds of citizens who have no in
terest whatever in the matter.
There appears to be only one wise way
oSt OF the difficulty, and it is to be hoped
that Allegheny Councils will adopt it.
No effort should be made to enforce the
notices on the Federal street people, the
streets should be allowed to run in their
long accustomed directions, and the whole
affair be left an statu Qu0 until the meet
ing of the Legislature. In the meantime,
an authoritative survey should be made of
the city as 1t is with such alterations as
may be desirable and practicable, and a
bill framed to authorize that as suppressed
ing Daniel Leet's handiwork. This ap-
pears to be the only common sense view of
the situation, and Councils will do well to
act upon it without delay.