Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-07-30
JEALOUS OF SCHENLEY
Alleghenians Want a Park Like
Pittsburg's Big Playground.
LETTERS TO MAYOR KENNEDY
Suggesting fueh.Needed Improvements
for the Northside.
APPROVAL OF THE CITY BOND SCHEME

Mayor Kennedy, of Allegheny, is highly
gratited at the letters he is receiving from
property owners, In answer to the circulars
ne sent out last week asking views on the
issuing of bonds for street paving. His
proposition is to issue $500, 900 worth of
30-year bonds, bearing 4 per cent inter-
est, one-third of the whole amount to be
issued annually for three years. With the
100000 which the present tax levy returns
annually, applicable to street improve
ments, there would be fund of $500, 900
year, for three years, to be spent in paving
streets.
The Mayor has received about 100 an
swers Of these only two are against the
scheme. The replies come from all classes
of citizens. from millionaires, large and
small manufacturers, merchants, tradesmen,
physicians, lawyers, real estate dealers,
insurance men, mill men and mechanics.
Many of the answers contain suggestions as
to what Improvements are the most urgent.
There are some who tavora larger issue
than 100000 Quite a number desire to
see the city acquire large park outside of
the built up districts, nearly all who speak
on this subject favoring some tract along
Perrysville avenue. The idea of this out
side park seems to have gained quite an
extensive hold on the minds of Allegheny
citizens of the better class. A few writers
suggest that the sewer and water systems
should be Immediately improved.
Wants Park in the Suburbs.
Herbert Du Puy writes: 81 fully concur
in the views you express regarding the i'm
provements. necessary to bring Allegheny
up to a competitive standard, and you have
my hearty congratulations 1 cannot but
think that the time is now ripe when
definite movement should be made by the
city to secure a park somewhere in the
suburbs, such as Pittsburg has, to give the
people breathing place outside and away
from the hum and noise of the city. l un-
derstand several locations can easily be Sc
cured. Several years since the same sub-
ject was brought up and large acreage on
the Perrysville road was suggested. IT such
site was found to be cheapest and best
adapted for the purpose by Strengthening,
widening and boulevarding Perrysville
avenue as the leading thoroughfare, the
results, coupled with better streets, would
be that the city's lost prestige as place of
residence would be restored"
James j. Donnell, the banker. writes: 81
would heartily approve the scheme for i'm
provements of streets, outlined in your cir
cular, if 1 thought the disposition of the
money would be in honest hands-your own,
for instance. think uncertainty on that
point beat the measure when it was voted
on. There is urgent need for better streets.
I also favor purchase of park property
somewhere north of the city. That in itself
would force the construction of good
streets and roads in that direction. The
great natural beauty of that district would
draw large population and stop the emf
grafton to the East End.
Suggests Cislzsns' Commission.
Captain Addison Lysle replied: ''Your
suggestion relative to the improving of the
streets in our city meet with my hearty ap-
proval. 1 would suggest that if it could be
done consistently, commission of say five
or seven of our best citizens be appointed to
have charge of this work and the disburse-
ment of the funds; not but what Councils
could and would do it, but they are already
occupied with so much work that it is hard
ly right to ask them to give so much of their |
time to the public service and neglect their ;
own business"
Wilkins Linhart, the soap manufacturer, !
suggests that better sewers and an increased |
water supply are the first necessities, and |
should be provided before the streets are
paved. He notes that i'll Pittsburg the |
streets are hardly paved before they are torn
up for the laying of water and gas pipes or !
the construction of sewers
Leonard H. Eaton, President of the !
Humane Society, says: ~ am heartily in
favor OF your proposed plan tor street in-
provements
Equally brief is II. Sellers Mckee, who |
writes: 'The suggestions in your letter of
July meets my entire approval.
James w. Drape, the large dealer in real |
estate has this to say: 81 AM heartily in !
favor of the plan indicated to raise neces-
sary funds to improve the streets of what |
ought to be the queen city of Pennsylvania. |
1t would be decided pleasure to have tie |
opportunity of voting thereon, and l would !
gladly throw my energies into the matter, |
as my humble quota to try to reach the end
intended"
Prompt Action and Enough Money.
William Witherow, of the Hotel Du-
quesne, writes: ''I fully agree with you re-
garding the manner of raising the money,
that is, by issuing bonds. The only fear L
have is that the amount you speak of in
your letter may not be sufficient TO carry
out the improvements that now appear to
me absolutely necessary tor beautifying and
making attractive the streets of our city. 1
would further suggest to Your Honor the
of acting as promptly as pos
sible regarding the placing of this matter
before the voters OF the city,. From my
standpoint think delay in this matter will
be'very damaging to the future ofour city,"
Boggs & Buhl, the drygoods merchants,
send JOINT letter, saying: "We most
heartily approve of the plan. We presume
there are few cities that need street i'm
provements much more than Allegheny.
Permit us to suggest that we would go
further than this and issue 81, 100000 TO
81, 900, 900 worth Of bonds to expend in
street Improvements, buy property for a
park and make a fine boulevard out in the
districts North of Allegheny
there is available land that no doubt could
be had-and large quantity Of it-at, we
presume, fair price, that would make a
magnificent park equal to Schenley."
John Moorhead, Jr., the iron manufact-
urer, writes: Your proposed scheme of
bonds meets my hearty approval, and 1
hope such may be carried out