The Paducah sun. [volume] (Paducah, Ky.) 1898-1906, 1904-05-31
Question in Regard to Sidewalks
an Important One.
II the City Has to Pay Half. II Will
Ourtail Bond Funds
$50, 1000.
MAY GO TO THE COURTS

The most important question to the
city since the brick street proposition
came up and bonds were voted last fall
for street improvements Is that re-
ferred TO q committee last night by
the joint street committee Of the
general council and Board Of Public
Works. 1t has been generally suppos-
ed that in reconstructing the streets
the city was to pay half the costs Of
the street proper and all the costs
for intersections, but that the prop
erty owner was to pay half the costs
of the street, and all the cost Of re.
building the sidewalks.
The claim has now been made that
the city must also pay half the costs
OF the sidewalk reconstruction, In ad-
dition TO half the costs Of the streets
This question has been referred to the
committee. and a decision is expect.
cd shortly.
The reason that the quest ion is of
such Importance is that it means in
the neighborhood of $50, 900 to the city,
or vice versa, that much to the prop
erty owners.
II il is decided that the entire cost
OF the pavement must fall on the
property owners, the city will be saved
this amount. lion the other hand,
ID is decided that the city must pay
half, then II means $50, 900 less to
spend for paving the streets. or about
ten blocks less than has been calcul-
ated on all the time.
The clause in the charter apply ing
In this case seems TO be ambiguous,
and various attorneys who casually
read il today gave il as their opinion
that 1t might easily be construed
either way.
When Attorney J. NJ. worten was
city solicitor he gave the general
council an opinion that the city must
pay half the cost OF the side walks rs
well as OF the street, but the city de.
clined to accept the opinion and has
required the property owners on the
blocks paved by Mr.. Terrell to pay
all the costs 1t seems from reports
that the matter will have to be taken
to the Court of Appeals for q con-
ssruction of the law.
Further complications will then
arise. as those who have already paid
the entire cost of the sidewalk recon.
struction under the Terrell contract
may sue the city and recover half in
case the decision goes against the
city.
The significance Of the question
may be readily seen from the follow
ing figures;
Approximate cost of one block
of brick street, %.
The oity's half, $1,000
Cost of granitoid sidewalks, one
block si,675
Tho city's half 1857.
This $751; on fifty or sixty blocks Of
street construction, which is the
amount intended to be made in Pa
ducah upder the bond issue, would
amount to between $40, 900 and
$50, 600 and the latter would have to
come out Of the amount intended to
be spent exclusively for the streets
proper.
II is not known which way the
mater will be decided. but. some
claim that as the CITY requi Tres prop
erty owner to pay for building streets
and sidewalks originally aud to pay
for half of the street when it is recon
structed, it is not right, and the law
does not expect him, to have to pay all
of the sidewalk reconstruction. but
that the city should pay half of il rs
we'll as of the street.
Others, on the other hand, express
the opinion that q sidewalk enhances
mans property IN proportion to
ITS quality. etc., and that he should
have to pay the entire cost OF
improving it, partly because it 10
more q part Of his property than