The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1902-11-30
FOR SAFE. 1 TUNNEL.
4 Western Towns Experience Recalled
nv Events Here.

ny tNeHts Hf'S.
The opposition Of some of the Aldermen
to the franchise sought by the Pcunsy!-
vania Railroad Company for a tunnel across
Manhattan kinded the recollection OF
man who many years ago was city father
in his old town.
The town was finished long time ago
he said, but when ] was a member of It's
city council We expected II would attain
the altitude of a metropolis The populd-
ton was about $500 and IT il now less than
that by nearly one half. II lost it, oppor-
tuuty to become railway ternina Nhcn
il refused TO vote bonds TO the first railroad
built west OF the Mississippi River
A sluggish stream flowed through the
centre OF the place and lost Itself IN III"
Big Muddy This stream had to be Cross q
ia going To and in coming from the stcam-
boat landing, and AZ st.amboatlhg was
our only m,aIls of transportation every
body went to the river when boat
arrived.
Many IA team got stuck in the mud of
the banks of that creek. 1t was the one
thing which the taxpayers were willing
TO put up money 10 remedy. A council
was elected pledged to bridge the creek.
After an appropriation had been voted
TO employ all engineer from another citY
he planned what was known a. brick
culvert. | have never heard of a culVert
since have lived in the East. but | reckon
YOU know what culvert is At any rate
We built the culvert. 1t cost about $500.
About the time it was complet, Il dro' g t
struck 20 country aid the creek RAJ. d y.
, II my rec objection Is not on, OF plumb the
ID a Of that creek has remained dry ever
since. This condition made the cuIVert
valueless
Then the citizens of the town used to
take days of to Cuss the council that mad
this work Constructed. When the time
came to elect another council every MEM
Der of the culvert council was rel. gated
20 private life.
Then the question came up in the new
board as to What could be done with the
| culvert. The question was debated for
months.
Finally one Of the MEMBERSHIP was
aftcrward elected to Congress from the
| district submitted plan to get rid of the
! s, so work. He was a good deal of Wit.
| but his humor was 80 dry that you never
| could tell whether he was In earnest OF
uNliR 10 40 Something lully.
He made speech one hi ght on the propo-
| stion to get rid of the culvert, in which
| he said that he had recently visited an
| Indian tribe in the Northwest which had
! shown a disposition to engage in agri-
| culture. He said the indians had decided
| to build fences around their tcp,cs, bu, the y
| did not know how TO dig holes for fence
| posts
They had appealed to him to enlighten
| them. lie then proposed to sell them a
| lot of post holes made to order. III. there
| fore offered "A resolution TO the council
| TO sell the culverl to the Indians
They have money. he said in support
| Of his resolution, and they will buy the
| oulvert and move il to their reservation il
| you will name a reasonable amount.
| move he added, that a committee be APP
| pointed TO fix the sum for v hiCh the Culvert
| may he sold 10 these Indians They want
| post holes ready made and this is the quick
cst way out 10 get rid OF this incunbrance
| and eye-sore.'
| He was so earnest in his manner that the
| council actually named a committee &c
| arrange for the sale, and the ludicrohs
! in the proposition did not dawn upon the
! council until the committee had Wrestlrd
| with the question for several weeks Thor
| thc council passed resolution declariu $
| that the proposition was futile tn,
question of disposing of the culvert was
never brought up again