The daily morning journal and courier., 1895-05-13
PARK STREET EXTENSION
STRONG OPPOSITION TO TT BY AEElE-
 BERS or CHRIST CHURCH.

Petition Now Before Committee on Streets l Hearing Win Take Place Tomorrow Evenlng-Public Convenience Does Not l Require Extension,
 1 A special committee of the joint com
 mittee on streets Of the court of com
 mon council has been called for to-
 morrow evening at which time the peti-
 ton for the extension of Park street,
 from Elm street to Whalley avenue,
 will be considered and some action de-
 cided upon. It is expected that a large
 number of residents of the Tenth and
 Ninth wards will be present either to favor or oppose the petition,
 The petition is numerously signed, among those having attached their
 signatures to it being Nathan Ester brook, jr.
 It is also understood that a remon-
 strance against the granting of the pe-
 tition has been circulated during the
 past week, and will be presented at the
 meeting of the board of councilmen
 tonight, and by that body referred to
 the committee on streets. In view of all the circumstances connected with the case the hearing to-morrow night prom
 ises to be unusually interesting and
 well attended.
 The project to extend Park street to
 Whalley avenue is by no meaons new one, the same matter having been pre- scented to and persistently urged before the court of common council for the past two years. In both previous cases the petitioners were given leave to withdraw, and the general impression Is that the petition will meet the same fate at the hands of the present city fathers. Such is at any rate the earn est hope of all the parishioners of Christ church, the plans for the new edifice of which will be utterly ruined if the extension is ordered
 A prominent taxpayer, who is also a member of Christ church, yesterday in speaking of the matter said: q am all ways in favor of public improvements, and should be unquestionably in favor of the proposed extension of Park street if could see where 1t would be any i'm provement. The fact is, however, that it only proposed to extend the street less than 100 feet and that directly across the lot on which the new church is 10 be built, and for which the plans have already been prepared and the contracts awarded It is matter of but slight inconvenience to anyone as the street is at present, and in my opin- ion leave to withdraw should be given the petitioners.
 There Is no public necessity for the extension of the street, and if the city has any money to expend in improving streets I and any number of other gen. tlemen could name 100 other places where the proposed improvements are public necessities. For several years someone has made determined effort to secure a portion of the lot occupied by Christ church building, but in the past these efforts have proved un- avaiing, and 1t is hoped that the pres ent effort in the same direction will prove futile. As said before, I am in favor of improvements, and am open to but I have yet to hear a 1 single argument advanced which satis- fles me that the extension of the street | in question Is either public improve ment or a necessity.
 The committee which will hear the | pro and con in reference to | the proposed extension of the street | Is composed of Aldermen Hamilton, of | the Fifth ward, Rattlesdorfer of the | Sixth ward and Councilman Forsyth | of the Eighth ward, Ullman of the | Third and Chilllngworth of the Tenth | ward. Until after the matter has been decided by the court of common coun- ell the building of the new church edi- l flee cannot be commenced, and for thls | reason 1t is hoped the matter will be | definitely settled at once.