The morning call., 1893-08-29

oughfare, or whether those on the south
side of the street will have to build bulk
heads to keep their property from sliding
down i3to the roadway.
a vexed question this and those who
are TO decide 1t ought TO have the wisdom
of Solomon to aid them.
Behold a street - this same Liberty
street-where the houses on the south side
are more than twenty feet higher than
those on the north side-and this all in one
square. For years this state of affairs has
prevailed there and no one seemed to care
much. 1t was simply question of phys
cal geography for the time being, and
those on both sides OF the street dwelt in
neighDorly friendship and harmony pre-
vailed
Then the street-grading contractor came
along. Harmony fled at his approach.
Now all is doubt and distrust in that
neigh borhood. The street contractor
started in to grade Liberty street, between
the tnoroughfares mentioned. to an eleva-
tiop about twenty feet higher than the
.gf1ae On She nortn siIl { ca tie street.
Naturally the in Dhahitants and property
owners on the south side of the street
were pleased ut this. 1t would give them
a graded roadway on level almost with
their front gates.
But how about the people on the north
side of the street? They protested actively,
vigorously. 1t meant almost burial for
them. "Why. we will have TO build front
doors in our roofs" thev cried. and indeed
1t did look nearly as bad as they said.
They-tlle people of the north side
went to Mayor Eliert and stated their
case. In the goodness of his heart he
ordered the grading contractor to desisi
But I'm only putting in the official
grade" said the contractor.
That's not true," SAID the people of the
lDrfH b I'D
herelten years agn we were careful to find
ont what the official grade was and to
build accordingly"
ut is true" said those of the south side.
When we built ourshomes fiye:years ago
we were careful 10 inquire the altitude of
the official grade and we found it TO be
alb Ut even with our lots"
Was somebody prevarcating?
No; both were right. More than twenty
years ago the official grade of that portion
of Liberty street was fixed about to the
level OF tns road that runs along the north
side of the thoroughfare.
Five years ago that official grade was
changed to an altitude about twenty feet
above the old grade.
Within this block only one house was
bnllt or the north side of the street, that of
Charles Palmer, who, fifteen years ago,
located a home that cost 1000 almost at
the bottom of the steep grade that begins
at Church street.
Five years later Mrs. Alice Pease pur-
chased the place. Mrs. Pease and her two
daughters still reside there. They are the
ones most affected by the proposed change
OF grade. Mrs. Pease says she was very
careful 10 ascertain the exact official grade
before she bought the premises. and she
never knew the grade had been changed
Till little while ago when the contractor
started in to do the filling. She was not
notified. either before or after the change
In the grade was made, she declares, and
not knowing of the change in time she
made no protest Now it is too late to
claim damages against the city for almost
burying her property. and the lady and her
two daughters are very naturally greatly
alarmed at the state Of affairs that
threatens them. The new grade, If con-
tinued as mapped out, will depress the
home of Mrs. Pease about twenty-three
ieet below the level of the street, whereas
it is now about on the same level
But Mrs. Pease and her charming daugh-
ters are not the only ones wrought up over
this vexed Liberty-street grade question.
Recently the City and County Surveyor
has caused very careful survey 20 be
made of this entire neigh borhuod. When
this was com pleted he put on his thinking
cap and wrestled with the problem, which
now was: How to grade Liberty street be-
tween Church and Sanchez so as to cause
the least trouble and experse To all the
property owners interested? For you
must know that the people on the south
side OF the street purchased aud built
their homes in good faith, grounded on the
official grade that was fixed five years ago.
Now, if the present official grade is not
maintained or the old official grade re-
turned TO these southside homes will be
left standing high in the air, and the own
ers thereof must build twenty-!eet bulk
heads in front of their lots in order to keep
them from sliding down.
Thomas f. Hagerty, who owns the
house and lot on the south side of the
street about at TIE top OF the hill, very
near Sanchez street. is stickler for the
present official grsde. 1t will save him
many steps up and down to reach his
house or the street, besides many dollars
that mnst otherwise be expended in stone
bulkhead.
He has several nelghbors in the same
boat. X Ii. Bell is one Of these. "As is
have had to build bulkbeads all over my
property "a keep the lots above me from
topping over into nay back yard and tn
keep my back yard from coming down
into the Kitchen" he explains, '.and now
they want me TO build another big bulk
head in front of my property line. l only
want justice done me. / bought in good
faith on the present grade and it will