The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1897-09-28
NEIGHBORS OBJECTED
To Officer Sylvester's Stable OF
Washburn Avenue.
LIVELY HEARING BEFORE THE
BOARD OF ALDERMEN.

Residents Upon tho Street Testify Tha
Proposed Building Would Hurt valu,
of Real Els Saskatchewan Rounds Dis
cusses the Subject-Permit Tabled.
| A special meeting of the Mayor ant
Board Of Aldermen was held yesterday
afternoon at O'Clock. All the. aldermen
were present except Alderman Ilsley.
The main business of the afternoon wa!
over a stable which policeman Franz
| Sylvester is having erected on his lot or
| WashbuIn avenue. This stable is said tt
have been begun before the permit wat
granted. The people on that street own
ing neighboring lots got together in re-
monstrance and appeared before the city
government, Calvin E., Woodside, Esq,
conducting their case.
Mr.. johnson, who owns lot next Mr..
Sylvester lot, was the first remonstrant.
He said he had bought his lot with the
understanding that thesstreet was to be
a handsome residential street and that
no such Objectionable buildings were tc
be allowed. With this understanding he,
non resident, had invested in the house
and lot. Now if this stable was to be
allowed his lot would be damaged $500,
and the practice of building stables
would be started on the street.
Mr.. Joseph L. Stevens followed in the
same line of objection. He had been as
sured verbally when he bought the lot
that there were to be no such things on
the street. He admitted that there were
no writings guaranteeing exemption from
stables.
Mr.. William Burrowes said that the
stable would be very damaging to the
street and he had tried to dissuade Mr..
Sylvester from building it.
Sanborn said that many people were
coming to that part of the city and were
putting up nice houses. This stable
would be nuisance, and would damage
the property.
Mr.. Woodside, after the residents had
appeared, stated that ex-Alderman
Brackett, under whose direction the lots
had been put upon the market, had as
sured purchasers that stables would not
be allowed, and felt much disappointed
that the building should be allowed.
Mr.. Woodside said that Mr.. Sylvester had
started his building without asking the
required permission of the city govern
ment, ar d was more over constructing a
very Objectionable stable. If nuisance
like this was to be allowed the value OF
the property would be injured. And in
future prospective purchasers Of the lots
held by the city would be deferred and
driven toSSouth Portland or Deering for
fine residentialslots. If the Board Of AL
dermen would refuse to grant the license
the building could be treated as null
sance.
Building Inspector Ware. was present
and related how he had notified Mr.. Dali
ton, who is building the. stable for Mr..
Sylvester, to desist untilIpermission was
given but later he had withdrawn the
notice, no remonstrance having been put
in.
Mr.. Sylvester appeared in his own be-
half. He denied strongly that he intend
ed to impose upon any of his neighbors.
He was making the stable just as other
stables were built. He intended to do
nothing underhand or improper. The
lot is 100x50. The building is to. be well
within his own lot, and he does not in
tend to keep large number of horses.
The same gentlemen who had been COM
planning of the manure from the stable,
had been coming and taking it away on
wheelbarrows to spead it on their lawns
under their parlor windows.
Mr.. Woodside suggested that the alder
men defer granting the license until the
people on the street could make some
trade with Mr.. Sylvester to get rid Of the
stable. Mr.. Sylvester demurred at this.
His stable was all ready to be clapboard-
ed, and he thought it was taking away
the rights of an American citizen to stop
him.
Alderman Rounds arose and began a
general disquisition on the opening of
the lots in that region, insinuating that
there had been some underhand perform
ances Therefore he should like to be
informed as to what was under the
neal
"You would better investigate it," said
Alderman Leighton, while the board
smiled.
Mr. Rounds, after lunging back at the
alderman from seven, continued his
speech, showing the improperly of erect
ing buildings before permits were given.
But as to the undesirability of the stable,
he was not so clear. He said: "Down
on the dump where live. it would be
all right; but up in Ward it is kind OF
hard to build stables. Eight cents a foot
is too little for land out there. You can't
depreciate the property below that. When
was on the board Of overseers of the
poor-some of you may remember that
was there (smiles)-I rem a trated
against keeping hogs out in.tha region.
But they continued to be kept 1 don't
think you can trouble about stables when
you have hogs"
After some debate the petition for the
license to erect the stable was tabled. II