The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-11-26
WORKING FOR A REDUCTION.
RULL STREET PROPERTY OWNERS
AWAITING OUTCOME OF PETITION.

streets over which There Is
Bcavy Travel - Does Not Consider
the Paving satisfactory, but
Thinks the Best was Made of the
Material Used - Petition TO Revise
Assessments Being Prepared for
Council Wednesday Night, Pend
ing which Property Owners Are
Withholding Payment.
When The petition of the Bull street
property owners for a revision of the
gravel paving assessments is submitted to
Council II will be supported by facts and
figures that il may be difficult to CONTRA
dict. The committee is preparing the pc
tlton, and the attention being given to
details OF proof will probably make ii
different from any that has yet been pre-
sented to the board.
Numerous inquiries are being made by
the committee of experts, and their an
swers will be filed with the petition as
evidence. AS the reason urged by the
property owners for a revision is extrava-
gance on the city's part in paying more
for labor and material than should have
DeSE pdiQ, lHR PROOF IL all bCiAS NdhGu
with a view to establishing these claims
If there has been acknowledgement on the
part of those who directed the work, the
committee intends to bring out the fact.
and then ask the city to make such reduc-
ton in the assessments as the evidences
of an over-charge warrant. The object is
not to criticise the officials more than Is
necessary TO show the paving has cost
100 much but the committee expresses its
intention of going fully into the matter.
Il shall never again vote for or favor
gravel paving on streets over which there
Is heavy travel" said Alderman Krous-
koff yesterday Living In the southern
section of the city, 1 feel an interest in
the work that has been done on Bull
street, and from the time it was completed,
have endeavored to determine its true
worth. l have gone over It at all times.
On my way 10 the city 1 have walked In
the middle and on the edges of the street
just after rains to find its condition. A
number of tests have convinced me it Is
not the proper material for a street over
which there is heavy traffic. Il yields too
easily, and does not possess sufficient
rock and gravel to give it a smooth, hard
surface do not make this statement 10
disparage what the city has done, but l
firmly believe in dealing honestly with
the public and not boosting up an improve
ment which l know to be unsatisfactory
in many respects.
"Fronn Second street SOUTH" continued
the alderman, ~ think the paving is as
good as could be built of gravel. As is
generally known, however the improve
ment was an experiment from the start,
as that particular gravel had not been
| tested in Savannah before, and none were
| therefore able to tell what results would
/ follow. While 1 am somewhat disappolnt-
| ed in the paving, still, think the people
will find it about as good as could nave
been built of the same material Nlen
the property owners petition is presenter
10 Council 1 feel sure fair conslderation
win be given it with view TO renting
such over-charges as il may appear nave
/ been made" -,,
The position of other members OF Couhcli
! il ouite different from that OF Alderman
/ Krouskoff. A revision such as the prop
ertv owners want will be the acknowledge
ment of an error, the responsibility Oh
which they do not wish to assume. 1t mas
been stated by one alderman that the paw
ing is the best of its kind in America ana
that IL would have been impossible for the
I HttW 49,
assert the closest of attention was given
to the work, and that the lines of economy
were drawn where 1t was possible to do II
consistently No unnecessary material
was bought, the laborers were not KEPT OF
| certain portions of The work any too long
ana the objections taken by the property
owners are not well founded.
| Mr. Charles F. Prendergast, Chairman
| of the property owners committee Is get
ting the petition ready for Council. HlS
object is 10 submit all proof to the board
co there NAV be no excuse for laying tht
paper on the table. The property owners
are going into court in a sense Their pc
tition will correspond to an original bill
while the attached statements viii take
the place of dispositions. If Council md!
| after hearing arguments by the committee
| who will ask the privilege of appearing
before the board in person, that there Il
! reason for a revision, 1t viii probably p'
ordered. and such reduction made as may
he agreed upon. On the other hand, l.
the officials. who directed the work, car
show the city did not spend any mor'
than was reasonably necessary, the mem
bers of the committee assert they will no
feel disappointed Il Council refuses TO ac
on the matter.
One Of the main elements of complain
is the alleged mismanagement an unload
ing cars. AS an example or the way IN
property owners are preparing their case
If will be claimed it took an average o
twenty-seven men three hours to unloa'
a car. To show the city has been charg
ed TOO much, and that there was misman
agement, the petitioners intend to snow
that il took an average of eight men en-
ploved by the county, As minutes to unloa'
a car. This will amount to quite an iten
If The petitioners succeed in getting tn
reduction they will insist upon. Othe
claims of over charge will be made, an
the proof to them offered in correspond
ing way.
city Treasurer Hardee has not yet col
lected a very large number of the assess
nents. A majority of the property owner
40 awaiting the outcome of the petition
which they fully expect will be the mean
Of inducing Council to make reduction
commensurate with the excessive charge
they may succeed In proving rms PEN
~ case il is not likely the board wi
deIav action on the petition, which wi