Fergus County argus., 1900-08-01
The Proposed Alteration in Main
Street Grade Meets Unani>
nous Defeat
TWO MEETINGS ARE NECESSARY
Committee on Streets and Alleys Re-
port Against Any Change
Whatever.

being present except Alderman
The night was cold and the
room seemed cheerless when the gen
tlemen assembled. but it was deemed |
best tu do without "a fire as the dis |.
cussiun OF the grade on Main street |.
would prove warm enough. Every F.
bit Of seating room WAS filed and a
OF interested parties wereun-
able toget within thechamber. which
resulted in the discussion frequently
extending to the Sidewalk.
Before the mayOrcallcd up the mat
ter of the grade he submitted letter
from the petriIied man manager pro-
testing against having to pay IL
cense Of - per day ior his show and
usking that the council rebate ii.
The aldermen appeared decidedly op-
posed to making an exception IN the
case and, no motion being made to
take any action, the subject was al
lowed to pass, the license remaining
in force.
For those who favored n raise in
the grade OF Main street W. ID.
Symmes presented n petition signed
by the Bank oi Fergus County, +. f,
Wright, Power Mercantile Co., W. ID.
Symmes, A. W. War;, Philip LauX,
John LauX, ID, VI. Crowley and the
Judith Hardware Co. In presenting
his Mr.. Symmcs explained that Mr..
War; had signed only for the purpose
Of bringing the matter before the
council and, So far as he knew, had
not expressed his views upon the
question.
On behalf of those who opposed any
raise whatever IN the grade the clerk
read IA lengthy remonstrnnce, to
which the following names were ap-
pended Judith Basin Bnnk, q. j.
Bach, q. VI. Stafford, Matt Gunton,
J. NJ. Vrouman, II. Hodgson, C0rt &
Wurden, Louis Laudt, j. +. Murray,
Julius Peterson, l.. A. Foster, Mrs.
Flora Anderson. II. Z. Brooks, o. +.
Bennett, +. II. Mackey, Mrs, NJ. Sulli-
van, John Simpson, 7. j. Nehawn,
W. q. Norman, Camille Hogue, w. II.
Culver. When the reading was con
cludcd Joseph Jackson. who was
present, requested that his name he
added.
For the petitioners Mr., Symmes,
Mr.. Crowley and Mr.. John LauX ad-
dressed thecouncil. Theystated that
the present grade was so low that 1t
was impossible TO have cellars under
the buildings which would he free
from water and also advanced the
belief that better road bed could be
secured by raising the grade onefoot.
on behalf of the Judith Hardware
Go. Alderman Stoddard said that
while he thought it might be wise to
raise the grade. he did not wish 10 he
considered NJ urging such action and
that the desire of the hardware COM
pany was principally that liza change
was going To be made soon it be
done before they commenced build
ing.
! For the demonstrators W. L. Cort
and q. NJ. Stafford did the principal
talking, their arguments being di-
rectcd to the inadvisability OF u
change at all; to the fact that one
foot would not he sufficient TO insure
dry cellars and that the damage to
property holders would be immense
and not commensurate with the ad-
vantages.
City Attorney Cheadle advised the
council, that while they had full pow.
er to change street grades ut any
time, that the town would be respon,
sible for damages tn property there
10y caused, and that such damages
must be paid or rendered before such
change rould be made
The result Of the discussion was
that the council decided to postpon,
action until the streets and alley,
committee should have an opportun
ity to look fully into the surveys anC
records and to make an intelligent
report.
To this end the council adjourned
until Monday evening.
Upon re-convening Monday even
Ing, all members being present
Chairman Brassey, ofthe streets ant
alleys committee, on behalf Of tn
whole committee. reported that the.
had thoroughly investigated tn
grade matter and that Mr.. Symmes
accompanied by Surveyor McFar
land, had assisted them. He state,
that the committee had found tha
mt the June meeting of the board G
= county commissioners in 1887 n grad
I had been established ON Main stree
and that the basis OF that grade wa
F. the stringers OF the old bridge acros
: the creek; that the first buildin
2 erected thereafter was the Bank {
. Fergus county and that the floor {
e that building was on the grade; tina
: when the new bridge was built til
e contract called for the sills to he o
D the same grade, and by running lin'
3 from the bank the committee ha
D found this to be the ease; that Il