The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-02-24
North End Residents
Want 1t
FROM CITY FATHERS
Ask For Abatement Of Bet
terment Assessments.

nue. and West Boylston street, who
have petitioned for an abatement of
betterments for the widening Of West
Boylston and other streets in the To-
cality.
Charles X. Johnson appeared as trus-
tee and representing several property
owners on Summit avenue. Mr.. John
son said at the time when the arrange
ment for widening Summit avenue was
made, he understood, as did the people
he represents, that II no damages were
claimed in connection with taking the
land necessary for widening the street,
no betterments would be assessed.
At subsequent hearing before the
board of aldermen he inquired II any
expense would be incurred and under
stood that there was none. He thought
no more about the matter until he saw
by the daily papers that the aldermen
had made the street public, in accord
ance, as he supposed, with what had
been asked. Last fall he learned that
betterments had been assessed.
Mr.. johnson understood that after
the hearing granted by the aldermen,
a committee chosen for that purpose
went out and viewed the road where
it was proposed to make a change. The
committee met and talked with a num-
Der of property owners in the neighbor-
hood, and at this time it was suggested
that the street be made wider by TAX
ing five feet of land on each side.
Mr.. Johnson was not there at the
time, but understood that former Al
derman King had explained when the
question of expense was preached that
the assessment, If one was made, would
be merely nominal and would be re-
moved when the assessed made the re-
quest.
Mr. johnson explained that the wom-
an in whose interest he appeared was
unable to pay the betterment assessed
The land came to her through the set
tlement of her fathers estate, and II
the assessment should stand she might
lose the land entirely.
Marvin NJ. Taylor represented ~
persons assessed on Summit avenue
Mr.. Taylor said the original petition
called for street 40 feet wide. The
first suggestion that the street be made
so feet wide was when the committee
appointed by the board OF aldermen
went out to view the situation. AT this
time it was suggested that it would be
an Improvement to have the streN OF
feet wide, and if the owners would
agree not to claim damages, no better
ment would be assessed.
Another point advanced by Mr.. ray
| lor was that If the people who signed
the petition asking that the street b'
made wider, had thought there was any
misunderstanding in the matter, they
would have Withdrawn before the mat
ter was acted on.
| Ex-Aldernan A. A. White, who wa
] ~, T.g he
asked to state what he remembered
of the situation. Mr.. White said thu
original petition when the street wa
| laid out was for 40-foot way. Tit
aldermen looked the matter over, ant
took the stand that it was not wise Il
| lay out streets narrower than 80 feet,
| 1t was finally arranged with abut
ters to give five feet on each side o.
the road. the only condition made by
property owners being that they
should not be assessed betterments A
the hearing before the board Of alder
men, the same idea, was brought out
The aldermen, however, were not i'm
pressed with the idea Of abating the as
sessment unless all petitioners SHOULD
sign off.
Alderman Wall asked how many
/ houses there were on the street in 1895
e. S. Fuller, one Of the property own
ers, replied that there were five or six
at that time, and more had been bull
since. Mr.. Fuller recalled the hearing
before the board of aldermen. and saiC
that several men spoke at that time
! the general trend Of their remarks
showing willingness TO give sufficien
land to make the street so feet wide
LII abutters were not assessed for better
ments. AT the time when the alder
men made the view, they were unwill
| ing to make the street less than 50 fee
wide.
b. w Potter represented Thomas II
Dodge one of the abutters who was
unable to be present. Mr.. Dodge un
| derstood that no betterment was to b,
charged property owners, and in thu
petition to which his name is signed
wrote in the words, mo bettermen
charged If taken
Mr.. Potter said he doubted if better,
ments could be assessed in a case of thil
sort. He thought the board Of alder
men have fallen into a bad custom
| having their agreements one way OF
paper, and another way with the peo-
| pie. The matter should be correct or
paper.
Other abutters called on included
William A. Field. O. X. Durant, Frank
| p. Bowie, Edward Ingalls, and PHILIP
Berget. All gave the same general tes-
! timony that they understood, if the
land was taken and no damage claimed
they were not to be assessed better
ment.
| For abutters on Barber avenue, Mr.
Potter represented T. II. Dodge, who
is assessed for 275 feet of land on the
east side Of the street, whereas he owns
| but 1856 feet, the remaining 120 feet be.
ing the property-of a Mrs Gay.
| William +. Sibley appeared for fou
petitioners on West Boylston street
| Misses Mary A. and Joanna F Smith
Martin Widerberg and John VI. Matson
| Mr. Sbley said that his clients had not
| claimed damages within the time wher
such course might have been taken, as
| they understood that there were no bet.
| terment Assessments when no claim fol
damage was made, or that one claim
about equalized the other. He acted OF
the assumption that the city was MOI
trying to drive a sharp bargain with is
people, and that whatever was reason,
able and fair, would be done,
| The assessment and damages in the
cases Of his petitioners are as follows
Misses Smith, betterment s41430: dam
age, $97.45; Widerberg. betterment
S4O5.87 damage, $l03.74- $500 feet Of lane
taken. Martin. betterment $l34. 76
damage $56 36-1337 feet Of land taken
Young, betterment, $431.9S; damage
S161 4-5745 feet of land taken.
| e. r.. Brown was called to estimat
| the present value Of land owned by
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