The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1892-07-21

The abutting property.owners of
Salem and Campbell avenues put on a
bold front yesterday afternoon and
marched en- masse into the Office of the
board OF public works, where they were
entertained by the committee on streets
and sewers for more than an hour.
Tho streets and sewers committees
held Joint meeting to hear the owners
OF abutting property on those streets on
the questions Of putting down sewers
and laying vitri6ed brick pavements.
There were present Messfs. Loughery,
Payne, Boehm and Mccarthy, of the
streets committee, and Messrs. Dupuy.
Stevenson and Boswell Of the sewers
committee.
The clerk of Council called off the list
OF assessed owners and each one present
had his opportunity to speak or remain
quiet as he chose.
The first one to object was N. T..
Nlninger He was opposed to tho
method of assessment as being out of
proportion. DR.. Koiner entered an en-
phatic protest. He said the arrange
ments were unjust and unconstitutional.
He believed that this Improvement, as
proposed, was for the benefit of the
whole city, and should not be assessed
against few who owned property on
those streets.
w. X Andrews, when called upon,
showed that he was fully prepared for
the occasion. II am opposed TO it in
full, said he. 1T is the method that
oppose You charge me for paving
the street in front of my property
that tho whole town gets the
benefs Of l object to the principle of
making the property owners pay for
this work when you take the money
that was appropriated for street i'm
provements and do outside work with
1T. think, also, that it is unconstitu-
tional; that taxes are supposed to be
uniform, and taxes cannot be collected
unless they are uniform. object to
the whole thing"
Jahp McCaruhy's name was called.
Now, Mr.. Mccarthy is member of the
street committee. He objected to it all; :.
the method of assessment and the wav
it is charged.
j. M. Oakley &c Co., DR.. Kirk. l.. G..
May, Bowman Bros, Rosenbaum Bros.
and &. L. Stevens entered their pro-
tests against the entire proceedings.
Then followed dozen others who
merely rose and stated that they OBJ
Jected to the whole thing
Rev. S. M. Fiery entered an emphatic
protest. he charged that tho plan of
assessment adopted by Council was an
expose facto law. He said that when
the appropriation for street improve
ments. amounting to $3.50, 200. was voted
by the people, it was understood that
the business streets of the city were to
be improved. To the contrary all the
money bad been spent on the outlying
districts. Now here comes this ex-
pose facto ordinance, and they want us
to pay for the paving OF the business
Streets" He did not believe it would
stand the test of the law. 1t was get
ting something under false pretense,
for the people believed they were to get
their business streets paved out of this
appropriation. "Now here comes this
ordinance demanding that we shall pay
the entire cost of paving these streets
Is it honest and fair? How can you ex-
pect to mete out justice TO a wrong
doer, when you do wrong yourselves?
BY all means, let our municipal govern
ment be honest and fair "
The crowd in the Office was now be-
coming dense, and door and hallway
was also crowded with people drawn
thi,her by the speaking and applause
which followed.
When Mr.. Asberry's name was called
he stepped forward with vengeance in
his eyes and spoke his mind so plainly
that mono doubted his meaning. The
members Of Council seemed to be pleased
that they had no connection with the
old Council.
Mr.. Asberry said: 81 desire to enter
my protest against the manner OF
making these improvements and assess
ing the property owners especially, as
you are aware that last February,a year
ago we were induced TO vote for an ap.
preparation to be expended on street
improvements. 1t was then understood
that these improvements we've to begin
in the center of the city and radiate
outward. Last fall your Common Coun-
Gil apd Commercial Club, taking up this
matter, undertook to macadamize the
highways and hedges. They let to
contract, for which they have now spent
the larger. part of the appropriation. If
not all of it, the outlying streets Of the
city, and by the time the work is COM
pleted the entire appropriation will
be expended.
The next thing that comes forward
is notice from your honorable body
that we, property owners in the centre
OF the city, where taxation is much
higher than anywhere else, are to bear
tho entire expense of paving the bust
ness streets OF the city. We waive no
legal rights but come here to protest
everything.
This is illegal and unconstituti onal
The constitution demands that taxation
shall be equal. The fact is you have
expended our money in the suburbs Of
the city, and now come forward to tax
IND t,tH 10 To-
these business streets, and at tho same
time Mn will he having tayns ON hnnds