People's voice., 1900-11-15
Council Meeting.

let by public contract. Complaint
had reached MIN that in instances Tile
grades had been lowered To suit the
Contractors, and he thought the c0un.
ell should Investigate the complaints
aud, II they were found t0 be true,
something should be done. Tni.
opened the way for other complaints
aud Councilman LueLing made a rusl
ABOUT tue walk on the east side vi
Jefferson and south Of Fourth street
City Engineer Roberts had asked hin
TO view the walk, which he did, and
expressed strong cuDdemnstor,
opinion Of it. He thought Roberts
apolOglzed for the walk, and dicu't
Ike to see him take sucn a position
Mayor Hramrr had complained &
City Engineer Rvbertssbout a walk cl
the east side OF Jefferson between Har
VeY and Lincoln avenues, and Robert.
mad c0ntended hat The walk was all
right. He spoke 10 Han,ey aoolt H.
and hauley himself admitted ,ba
the walk was poor Cni, explain ~
That IL was built while he was ava,
aud promising To 4, build the curOin !.
Mr.. Kramer also spoke OF a new 2AiE
west OF the Etna Mills, cUmplailinl
that the grade was too nigh and thaI
the curol0g was already falling away
Mr.. Maddy thought that Haniey &
20. and Roberts we're dOiUg fairl,
good work. He said he personally
knew that they rolled their beds TO a
perfect level before putting on the
sand. He C ted other poorly Con.
structed walks which we're laid h,
home contractors, and compared them
with Hauley & Co.'S. work. He ex
planned that in some instances tn,
ram had caked the sand On Hanley s
Co.'S. walks aud that this had worked
against them. Mr.. Maddy thouQhl
the only real kick the council had or
Hsnley i Co... walks was on some o.
the borders laid by them. He recalled
that complaint! had reached hin
also, and that he did not put much
stuck 10 them. One complaint msde
TO him was to the effect that Hanley
8 Co. were laying fat walks, and he
said that he had requested them %
do this, as there Was no reason why a
brick walk should be rounded like
some OF them are. Mr.. Hitchcock
somehow got the impression tnat the
rOars were reflection upon The street
and alley Committee, aud ne made a
vigorous defense OF the street and
alley committees work until someone
Informed him that the street and
alley committee had I:hing to az
with overseeing the construction OF
the new walks; that the city engineer
was the de factJ superintt n1ent OF
construction. lie then said that be
thought the complaints againts Han
ley 4 co. really originated with the
local contractors, who did not get the
contracts for the walks. City Eugi.
neer Roberts was not present, and
had no opportunity IT, defeud himself
from the mild impeachment growing
out OF the complaints Of citizens.
The sidewalk complaints occupied d
the attention OF the council for the
greater part Of tine evening. The bill
OF Lawrence & Ferguson for $500 for
defending the city in the salt bond
case was allowed. Two hundred dol
lars were paid them as a retainer,
making their fees 10 the case $500.
The council also paid the cid tele-
phone company bill for maintaining
fire alarm at the Etna mills. The
new company furnishes an alarm free,
10 addition 10 several telephones, 10
exchange for franchise. The old
'ompany has 90 franchise, yet col
lects rental from the city for main
talning secoud fire alarm.
Councilman Maddy reported that
he had made verbal agreement with
the road Overseers Of We.liogtUD
Ownship TO put in a new crossing on
East Tenth across A street, for the
benefit Of A street residents, the
township TO pay $40 OF the s45 neces-
sary 10 construct IL.
Property owners have, 10 several
Instances, paid the city clerk the
amount the contractors will receive
for building their walks, the object
being 10 keep il from being charged
up % the tax rolls. The council
thought IL good ioea TO accept all
such moneys, and instructed the
city clerk to have such sums stricken
from the tax rolls.
Several years ago the city built a
board walk alJng some OF Col. Jesse
Brower's property in the Fourth
ward, and charged the expenses up rs
taxes. The property was never worth
the extra tax, and Mr.. Maddy recent
" offered to- abate the tax IL Col.
Brewer will build a new walk. The
unpaid tax is cloud to the title, and
Col. Brewer accepted the offer. The
council approved it.
Carl Wichern was present, and OBJ
jected 10 a proposed brick walk in
front Of his residence. He has a 6
foot beard walk OF Pinch oak which
is as good as new, and the council
granted his request by rejecting the
hid on that particular piece Of walk.
It seems to have been condemned by
mistake.
Bid for other advertised walks were
opened and the contracts let.