The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1897-11-14
STREET IMPROVEMENT ITS.
CHAIRMAN mo. C. DREWRY TALKS ABOUT
WIDENING NORTH BLOUNT STREET.
Statement BY the Citizen Who Protested
Against the Line as Run--Will Be
No Obstruction.

Against the Line as Run--WilI Be
No Obstruction.
In reference to the article which APP
peared in the News and Observer yester-
day morning in regard to the improve
ments now in progress on BlOunt street,
a reporter called on Mr. John c. Drewry
and he stated as follows: cit is entire
ly mistake in saying that the property
owners ON BlOunt street are Directing
to these improvements. 1t does the
property owners themselves y great in
justice because they have been just as
nee. and accommodating and pleasant
in connection with the proposed improve
ments as it was possible for anyone to
be.
In the first place it was thoroughly
understood that these improvements
were not to be made without the full
consent and with the entire approval of
the property owners themselves, and
they have been in full sympathy and ac-
cord with these Improvements with one
single exception who objected to the To-
cation OF the line. The property own
year or two urged upon the Street
Committee the ACCESSIBILITY OF widening
and otherwise improving BlOunt street,
contending that it was one Of the prin-
cipal residence streets in the city, and
one of our handsOmest and best thor
oughfares. The committee realized the
difficulties and obstacles in the way OF
broadening this street. and hesitated
L; xho -
always stated that the work would
never he undertaken by us without the
approval and consent of the property
ow ners themselves. as the committee
could not recommend the advisable OF
purchasing this property from the prop
erty owners in order to accomplish this
purpose.
The improvements will benefit to a
wonderful degree every piece of property
on that street, and will in our opinion
enhance its value nearly % per cent,
and we felt that the property owners
should Mt least meet us halfway and
make the concessions which we required.
1t was exceedingly gratifying to us to
have them do so, and when the work
was started we felt that everyone was
fully satisfied and we DID not anticipate
Il single ripple of opposition. and in
Justice tn nearly all of the property
owners on that street we must confess
that we have never commenced any piece
of work in the city which met with
more universal approval. and where the
property owners seemed to lie i'm more
hearty sympathy with the committee
than we have on Blount
street.
1t is the committees purpose to grade
ard curb this street from one emil TO the
other. and then rs soon as practical with
the city's finances to macadaniZe it.
These improvements could never have
been undertaken without broadening the
street al It's northern extremity. We
found when the line was run in accord
ance with the original survey. of the
city that the centre of the street where
II intersects Peace street would strike
the gutter line on the west side: this
would 'rieeessitate moving several houses
and destroy all OF the beauty of the
Yards on that side or the street This.
of course. WIS impracticahle so we pro-
posed to make the, street conform rs
near as possible to the property as it
now exists on each side of the street. and
the plan adopted was to establish the
centre of the street as it now is Mt its
Intersection with Peace street and then
measure 33 feet each way from that
centre i'm order to get the right width of
the street ut that end. This caused the
property owners III the beginning 70 give
mp an equal amount of their lots We
then went to the other end of Rlount
street where it ;ntersects Newborn
Avenue and established it's centre there,
and measured 33 feet on each side so
as 70 get the full width OF the street
t66 feeD: we then drew n straight line
on both sides from Newbern Avenue to
Peace street in order that the street
should be stra :ght from one end TO the
other. We did not know how much it
was going to take off of anybOdy's lot.
but we knew that it could not take off
much more than G feet Mt any point.
| think 6A feet is the greatest amount
taken off at any point. and that IS in
the block between Polk and Peace
streets where the street narrows very
In the other blacks very
little will he taken off In the article
yesterday il is stated that o feet is tax
en- off on one side and only 3 feet on
the other: this is entirely u mistake"
The single exception" referred to in
Mr. Drewry's interview. whose lot Is an
the east side of Blount street, and whose
past history and experience prove that
he is not lacking public spirit. when
called upon said that he has for long
time urged the widening and improve
ment of BlOunt street between Polk and
Peace streets. and when ii WAS discover
ed by a survey that. il stra :ghtencl in
tt,<. ..A - a.
would infringe entirely on the west side,
he thought it would he inequitable To the
lot owners on the west side 10 take 80
much of their lots and proposed AMI
cheerfully agreed that an equal amount
of frontage should be taken from the
two abettng blocks: when. however. the
lines were located without notice 10 him
and work was begun and it was ascer-
tanned that. contrary To the agreement.
or understanding. more frontage would
be taken from the lots on the east si,c