Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-05-14
ALLEGHENY IN A MIX.
The City May Have to Be Almost
Entirely Reconstructed
TO FIT THE BAKER BALLOT LAW
Proposed Redivision of Wards Meeting
With Opposition.
TANGLE OYER TIE SCHOOL PROPERTY

Allegheny City is again distressingly
muddled over its local legislation, and the
citizens are confused over variety of other
matters that may require the assistance OF
the county courts to unravel
The resolution introduced into the Select
branch of Allegheny Councils at its last
meeting providing for joint committee to
reconstruct and redivide the words of the
city is what is causing all the trouble. The
rearranging of the city wards brings up so
many tangled questions that the people
seem lost in the meshes of the project The
resolution passed the Select branch of Coun-
ellis. 1t provided for the appointment of
committee composed of all the 13
members of Select Council and
a Common Councilman from each of the 13
wards in the city. Common Council re-
fused to adopt the resolution on the ground
that the Common branch of Councils is en-
titled to larger representation on any
committee than is the Select branch. Sc
lect Council hesitates to give to the other
branch more than equal representation.
May Knock Out Several Couucllmen.
The original plan was to have the resolu-
tion adopted by both branches and have the
wards rearranged before the November cleo
tion, but this hitch between the branches of
Councils it is feared will SO delay matters
that the work cannot be accomplished be-
fore the next general election, which, In Its
turn, threatens another serious trouble. Bv
the act of 81 Allegheny City is allowed
one Councilman for every 800 property
holders in the city, and if the wards are not
reconstructed to satisfy this law, then it is
claimed several of the present members of
Councils will be dropped from the list.
j. R. Henricks said yesterday that the
whole matter was very much complicated.
He did not believe, however, that the fear
of having some of the Councilmen dropped
was an argument in favor Of haste in the
matter. He argues that Encouragement OF
the wards and voting precincts of Allie
ghenv is made necessary by the Baker ballot
law, which he contends would not allow
Allegheny City tc poll its full vote as the
ward and election districts are now consti-
tuted.
Not Enough Voting Places.
sour experience IN the recent Mayoralty
election" Mr.. Henricks said, "has taught
us that we do not have enough voting places
to enable all our people to vote, and the
approaching Presidential election, when
probably every vote in the city will
be out, demands what the resolution in
Councils calls for Select Council
will meet next Thursday night, and it is
likely the matter will be compromised by
giving to Common Council an extra men,
Der of the proposed committee. Then the
committee can 60 to work. The matter
will then be submitted to the people for
them to vote upon, and by pushing things
the city can be redistricted before the No
yember election. There is no time to lose,
however"
Another serious question that arises out
of the proposition is the division of the
school properly, and upon this question it
is claimed there will be disputes that will |
necessarily be settled in court.
Dividing Up the School Property.
In constructing new wards out of the old |
ones the school property now in each of |
the old wards will have to be d. |
vided in some way and the erection
of several new schoolhouses will be neces- |
sary 1t is claimed by some that the ward |
getting the school building under the new
arrangement will be compelled to pay to the |
new ward erected out of part of the old one
one-half the value of the school property |
In cases where the school property is en-
numbered it is claimed the ward getting the
school property must shoulder the school
debt and must also pay half the value of the
school property to the new ward. Others |
claim that all the wards must share equally |
the school debt and that the newly elected
wards must construct their own school
buildings.
All in all, the people are considerably agi-
tated over the entire question.