The herald., 1897-11-23
DENIED THE PROTEST
West Washington Street to Be Wild
ened to One Hundred Feet

For more than an hour at the begin
ming of the afternoon session the coUn-
Gil heard protests against the proposed
widening of West Washington street.
The petition for this work had been pre-
sented by members of the Southwest
improvement association and the hear
ing of the protests was made special
order of business for 2 o'clock Max
Hoffman, one of the protestants, spoke
first He stated that the street was now
eighty feet wide and that was sufficient
for all public necessities. Robert Mar
ley, also protestant, followed. He
stated that some years ago he had given
ten feet off his property when the street
was not in the city. He had met with
financial reverses and had to borrow
money to pay his taxes. To take another
ten feet would ruin his lot. He assert
ed that the proposition to widen the
street had been made by several persons
who owned but little property on the
thoroughfare, but whose realty near by
would be benefited. Sarah e. Foster
also spoke in an almost similar line.
Prof Grove appeared for the Rosedale
Cemetery association, which owns 1900
feet along the street. He stated in a
long speech that the cemetery property
would be damaged by the proposed wild
ening, that expensive entrance gates
would have to be removed, hedges torn
down and new division line made.
He also asserted that the association
was willing that the street be improved
If the width was eighty feet. In regard
to the storm water, he claimed that
nearly all the water from the north Of
the street was drained through WASH
ington street, and that the people there
had had to make extensive repairs sew
eral times because of washouts. A num-
Der of other persons spoke on the matter,
all Of them protesting against the meas
ure.
DR.. c. B. Dixon appeared for the other
side. He urged the necessity of a street
of uniform width through to the ocean,
and stated that the widening of this
street was but the beginning of boule-
ward plan which would give this city an
excellent driveway to the ocean. Sew
eral OF the protestants fired question
after question at him and for time rs
many as half a dozen people were talk
ing at once. Mr.. Marley wanted to
know how much property DR.. Dixon
owned on the street, and others wanted
to know why he was so anxious to have
such street when in their opinion, the
travel did not justify it. In reply to
this he stated that he had counted fifty
five teams on the street in thirty min
utes.
The city engineer reported on the mat
ter as follows:
In the matter Of the protest against
the widening of Washington street be-
tween Hoover street and the west city
boundary, find as follows: Total 'front.'
age on street. 19,267 feet; a majority Of
which is 9634 feet. The petition asking
for this widening contained names rep
resenting 10,375 front feet. or more than
a majority. OF this total of 10,375 front
feet there were 1903 feet signed for on
condition that the buildings be removed
free Of charge, leaving 1912 feet signed
for Internationally. The protest con-
tains, among others, names which also
appear on the petition, and these names
which are on both petition and protest
represent GAIT front feet
Several members Of tho council took