The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1900-11-19


Property Owners Along West
Lackawanna Avenue Will Ask for
an Injunction Restraining the City
from Erecting the Structure--His-
tory Of Agitation for viaduct.
All doubts as to Mayor Moir's posi-
tion regarding the viaduct ordinance
was removed on Saturday morning.
when, shortly after his arrival at his
office in the municipal building, he af-
fixed his signature tn the measure.
The mayor has favored the erection
of a viaduct over the West I.acka-
wanna avenue crossing of the Lacka-
wanna railroad ever since the matter
was first brought up and the only rea-
son he did not sign the present ord-
nance Immediately after it's passage by
councils was because he wanted to give
the opposition a chance to be heard.
All the opposition did was to present
a few petitions protesting against the
signing of the ordinance said petitions
containing about one-eighth the num-
ber of names contained on other petit
ure. He therefore decided that the pre-
ponderance of public opinion was in
favor of the viaduct, and he signed the
ordinance providing for it's erection.
The ordinance directs the city clerk
to advertise for bids for the construc-
ton OF the vaduct. but he cannot do
this until the Scranton Railway COM
pany and the Delaware. Lackawanna
nd pn ,p la a
joint bond in the sum of 100000. bind
ing themselves to pay the cost of it's
erection. as agreed in u written pro-
posal now in the hands of the city
clerk.
weeks before bids can be received and
a contract awarded by councils. so that
in all probability the actual work of
construction cannot be begun until
| early spring on account of the cold
weather.
TO ASSESS DAMAGES.
AS soon as the actual work of con-
Struction is begun. the ordinance di-
reefs the city solicitor to go into court
and apply for the appointment of view
ers to assess the damage which may
be caused to property owners along
West LackaWanna avenue whose prop
critics may be injured by the change of
grade.
InaSmllch as the viewers are not to
be appointed until the work of con-
Structing the viaduct is begun, their
report is not likely to be presented to
court until the Viaduct is completed. as
| it will probably take only about four
| months to build. 1t is probable that
some taxpayer will go into court ana
| object to the viewers award, contend
| ing that the viaduct ordinance was ilie-
gal because it provided for the contrac-
tion of a debt beyond the limit fixed by
| law.
| However, the chances are brighter
| just now for the construction OF this
| Improvement than they have ever been
since the agitation for it was COM
nrenced This was way back ten
years ago. but the first time the plan
was submitted to the vote of the peo-
| pie was in the spring OF 1896.
Public sentiment ut that time seemed
| tn be so strongly in favor of Viaduc,
that very little effort was put forth
by those favoring the project and they
were surprised people Wien they woke
up the morning after election AMI
| fbunG tnut llle ldNl)iSeiS iiai ttiettlcu
the plan.
| AGAIN DEFEATED.
| Matters remained al a standstill af
ter this until last spring, when q pro-
| position to bond the city TO the amount
| of Sl61 ,0G0 for the construction of Il
vialuct was placed before the people.
| At this time the LackaWanna COM
pany agreed to contribute $4,000 to-
| wards it's erection and the Scranton
Railway company $4,000.
The project provided for the con-
struction Of the vaduct on the south
erly side OF the street. and for this
reason principally, and for various G-
verse causes. the citizens of the city
arose in their might for the second
/ time and voted down the plan. Even
the citizens of West Scranton. which
will be more greatly benefited by the
viaduct than any other part OF the
city, voted it down.
| The plan was then taken up by The
Scranton board of trade a committee
OF which organization was largely III
strumental in securing from the oll1-
cias of the Scranton railway and
! Delaware, Lackawanna and Western
railroad companies n promise to build
| the Niaduct II the city would pay th'
damages. This proposal was sub
mittcd to councils and an ordinance
drawn up which Is so cleverly worded
as to do away with the necessity. in
the eyes of many of the best lawyers
in the city, of submitting the scheme
for third time to vote of the taS-
payers of the city, who have already
twice defeated II.
Mayor Moir and the majority of the
members of both branches OF councils,
undoubtedly felt, in considering the or
dinancc, that il under existing condi-
tions the plan was again submitted to
a vote of the people, the verdict would
be almost unanimously in its favor.
PLANS FOR VIADUCT.
The plans prepared by the engineers
of the Lackawanna company, and
which have met with the approval Of
City Engineer Phillips, provide for a
structure which shall cover West
Iackawanna avenue from curb to
curb between Seventh and Ninth
streets, spanning the Lackawanna
tracks at height of twenty-one feet.
The framework Is to be of steel on
stone foundations. with iron pillars
where 1t crosses the tracks. The grade