Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-04-07
ALLEGHENY'S EXODUS
Causes CONSERVATION Among the Citi.
zens of the NOrthside.
DRIVEN OUT BY UNPAVED STREETS
Property Holders Agitating for Public
improvements
A MILLION DOLLARS NEEDED AT ONCE

|
of that city. Real estate men on this side
estimate that fully 5000 people have moved
from the Northside to the East End. The
citizens who are interested in maintaining
and increasing the growth of the city have
been inquiring the causes, and good many
of them have come to the conclusion that
the bad streets are responsible for the re-
suit. Back of all this as the root of the
trouble, they place their hands on the cor
rupt government which is about broken up.
| Recently Senator Finn remarked to an
Allegheny man that values were on the
standstill on the Northside. "And why ?"
he continued. because your people don't
spend money on the highways. The houses
over there are substantial and attractive,
| but families want more than that. Their
| homes must be accessible by good roads.
| Look at the East End.
! Large Returns From Street Improvements.
''Property is on the jump in that section
of Pittsburg, and the houses are in great
demand and bring good rents. We spend
/ money out there on the streets, and it pays
ten-fold. Nice sidewalks and asphalt roads
will catch anybody. But what is Alle-
SueHy uOlug III tDlS ulreCtlOn {! NOtHlnG.
William Witherow, who lives in ALLIE
gheny and is interested in the future of the
town, admits that Senator Films arragn-
ment is correct. He has been urging the
Councilmen from his ward to stir them
selves and do something to improve the
streets He said that two nne houses near
him on Sherman avenue are vacant and to
let signs are posted on the front doors. He
understands number of houses are tenant
less on such fine streets in Manchester as
Bidwell, Sheffield, Fayette and Locust.
He continued:
We have the prettiest city in the State and
while Councils are pickering over small
matters. The parks are in the center of the
town and believe i'll building fine drive
ways and boulevards from Dutchtown to
Woods Run.
A number of other citizens talked in the
same vein. They all admitted that the
streets are in bad condition, and should be
improved, the sooner the better. In some
quarters the taxpayer, whose constant cry is
tor retrenchment and rigid economy, was
roasted, and held responsible for the present
standstill, if not decline of the city.
Time to Spend a Million.
A proposition was laid before the Alle-
gheny people last spring to raise 100000
for street Improvements. The originators
of the scheme realized how things went
drifting and knew that something had to be
DONE The majority, however, against the
proposition was overwhelming. 1t is the
opinion of some people now that the citizens
voted against it, because they had no faith
in the men who would handle and distrib-
ute the money. Subsequent developments
would indicate to some extent that this vieg
is the right one. The people are not
hut {hox,
want the assurance that the money will be
honestly and rightly expended.
Another eyesore to many is the electric
lights. They are placed on very high poles,
and the rays may pierce the upper darkness
but they seldom show the pedestrian the foot
falls in the pavements. 1t was suggested
that public meeting should be called, or
citizens committee formed to agitate the
subject, but the people of Allegheny have
had surfeit of such organizations lately.
Councils is the body that must solve the
problem, and their attention will soon be
called to this important subject.
Consolidation With Pittsburg Suggested.
Councilman j. R. Henricks was asked for
his opinion. He said:
An effort is being made now all around to
decry, Allegheny, and some people advise
think as many people moved away from the
city as has been reported. 1 know the
streets and electric lights are not in good
to improve them. The only way it can be
ACCOMPLISHED is by spending money We
can't get away from that fact as much as we
s1 in tps od heHe ete been sn tni
not true in all sections. 1 |
bought property on California avenue for
$l2 foot a lew years ago. and now 1 can get
SD per loot for it. 1t is assessed at $50. But !
the first thing necessary in Allegheny is to
stop fighting and pickering. Let the people |
get down to business. This is what / have |
a reat deal of good. 1t has put all the pub
lie officials on their mettle, and in the future
they will do their best to retain the con-
not been as large as people imagined. We |
have had a country village style OF govern |
ment. |
No Harmony Between City Departments
There was no head, no concentration, no |
and the officials did as they |
pleased. Harmony between the depart |
ments was unknown. The Street Com |
missioner went in one direction and the DO
lice in another. 1t is not much wonder that
the city lost prestige. Chicago and New
York have had their boodlers and for that
matter every city has blot on its record
They have all had their siege at some time
or other.
The danger now is that the fight is becom-
ing factional. One ring has been organ.
ized to down the other, and tur-
mon follows without anything be-
ing accomplished. Meanwhile the
business of the city is neglected 1t is
high time to bury the hatchet tor the good
of the municipality. In the way of improve
ments l would recommend, first. the open
ing up of suburban property with fine, wide
streets. There is n pretty rolling country,
situated, between the Perrys- |
Vile avenue and New Brighton roads. 1t
has a better location Tor sewerage and is
nearer Pittsburg than the East End Indeed |
it would be as desirable place to live in |
rs Oakland or East Liberty If pavements
and streets were laid and the means of com
provided.
improvements Needed at Once
This should be done at once, and the hole
country would soon be covered with homes
Then the streets in the old city could be re-
paired without a great deal of expense.
Bellevue will be taken into Allegheny also |
and this will add to the population
think in the next five years that ST. 600, 600
should be spent for street improvements
The valua tion OF property is $17O. OOO 900 and
the rate OF taxation is mills. This could be
to II mills, and the additional
200 600 raised should be expended on the
streets. In five years we would have the
81 OG0 000 and the taxes would not be high
No taxpayer would feel the increase
A FIRST-CLASSr room waits you in the to
let rooms, in the cent-a-word advertising
of the Saturday and Sunday DIS
PATCH