Mexico weekly ledger., 1893-07-06
COUNCIL PROCEEDINGS.
The Wooden Awning Question Discuss
ed-Arrangements Made Fer
Free Delivery.

to prepare for it. Postmaster Burk-
hart appeared before the Council and
suggestedt that the names ofthe streets
be PUT up at each crossing and the
houses be properly numbered, then
application be made by the Council
to First Postmaster-Genera for free
delivery. City Attorney Buckley was
authorized to prepare an ordinance
regulating the numbering Of houses
and posting the names of the streets.
The Council ordered the water
mains on East Liberty and East
Monroe streets extended according
to an ordinance recently published
in the LEDGER.
The Council instructed City Mar
shall Kemp to notify Lewis Hord to
remove the bridge extending from
the Central to the Ringo Hotel with
in five days.
Hon. W. II. KEENAN, appeared
before the Council in the interest of
several parties who had wooden avn
ings around the Square. After ex-
amining the law he said he had come
to the conclusion that it was proper
and right that he and others should
obey the orders of the Council. In
reference to ME matter he made the
following statement:
1 appear before you tonight in be-
half of DR.. T. P. Rothwell. J. & V.
Barth, Jno. J. Gill, Il. A. Ricketts,
and myself to say to- you that our
failure as owners of wooden awnings
IN this city to obey the ordinance re-
quiring all wooden awnings in the
city to be taken down on or before
July /, 1898, is not out of any dis
respect toward the action of the City
Council in passing said ordinance,
but on the contrary, we are perfectly
willing to obey the law and are willing
at any time you may direct, to obey
it to the letter. We learn that there
are some who DEFY the law and say
they will not obey it. We feel that
it is nothing more than just and
right that those refractory parties
should be required to comply with
the ordinance. The greater part of
the owners of wooden awnings in the
city have taken down their awnings
in compliance with the ordinance,
which gives the city a clean and ii
dy appearance and ELECTS compli-
mentary words from all visitors to
our active thriving city. Thought there
may be some hardships in the en-
forcement of the ordinance, yet the
general good of the public demands
that all should be made to obey the
ordinance and that no favoritism
should be shown. That the matter
of ''equal justice to all and special
privileges to none" should be strictly
adhered to. Speaking for myself, l
say to you as a property owner and
tax payer in the city, that | am glad
you passed the ordinance. 1t is a
step in the right direction. l believe
every street and alley in the city
should be cleared of all distractions
of every kind at the earliest moment
possible. The public can gain no
rights by the occupancy of the
streets. The statute Of limitations
does not run against the city. |
have examined carefully the decis-
ions of this State and | find a large
line of authorities which hold that
"when property is dedicated Gas our
streets have been) for one public use,
it a not be appropriated 10 private
use." That awnings and the porch
es, or verandas so called, built across
the sidewalks of this city resting on
posts Embedded in the ground are
public %nuisances and can be by the
city speedily abated. / also find
bay windows projecting over the
street are invasions on the public and
can be abated. The good of the city
demands that this ordinance be en-
forced. 1 hope that there will not
be found one of the Council who
will try to undo the good work he
has done.
After reading several ordinances
the Council adjourned to meet in
regular session next Monday night.
The Auxvasse Reuiew, speaking of
the death of Mrs. G. H. Brown near
Hatton, says: She was a consistent
member of the Presbyterian church
and held her me bership at West
minister. She leaves three children,
two girls and a boy aged IA, IL and
7 years respectively. She has three
sisters and two brothers living.
Mrs. Brown was buried yesterday
afternoon at Westminster burying
ground.