The Savannah morning news., 1904-09-18
BUILDING PERMIT
GIVING TROUBLE.
ALDERMEN DO NOT AGREE
CONTRACTOR NOTIFIED THAT PER-
NIT WAS NOT GOOD.

Streets and Lanes Committee Acted
FnvOrabIy Upon Permit While
Alderman Davant Was in Louis
VilIe-ActinE Mayor Dixon Told
Contractor Permit Was All Right
Owner Consulted Lawyer, Who
Says City VIII BE Liable il Work
is stopped.
Alderman r. 7. Davant, chairman
of the Streets and Lanes Committee of
Council, has notified Contractor John
X. Eason. who is building several
houses for Mr.. Thomas H. Jordan on
York street, just west of Montgomery,
that the permit under which he is
working is not good.
Acting Mayor Dixon, who signed the
permit as acting chairman of the
Streets and Lanes Committee, while
Alderman Davant was out of the city,
has informed Mr.. Eason that the per
init is all right.
Mr.. Jordan for whom the buildings
are being erected, has consulted an at
torney and has been advised that the
city would be responsible for any dam
ages he might sustain in the event the
work is stopped, the permit having al
ready been issued.
stoop on the sidewalk is the cause
of the contention. The permission for
the stoop was acted upon favorably by
the Streets and Lanes Committee, while
Alderman Davant was out of the city,
Aldermen Dixon. Garfunkel and Nc
Kenna being present. The stoop has
already been built above the sidewalk
several feet, and there is no necessity
for building it higher until the rest
of the building is further advanced.
How 1t All Happened.
Before Alderman Davant left for
Louisville with the Knights of Pythias,
Mr.. Jordan presented the matter to
him and field an application for per-
mission to build the houses with the
stoops projecting on the sidewalk. There
are to be two double houses, but only
one is being built now. Mr. Davant
left the city shortly after the appnca-
ton was given him. without bringing
it to the attention of his committee.
AS it was desired to begin work at
once, Mr.. Jordan took the matter up
with the committee during Alderman
DaVant's absence. The application,
which had been filed with the chair
man could not be found, so a new one
was made out. The committee acted
faVorably upon the APPLICATION and the
permit was issued
Reported to Alderman DnVant.
After Alderman Davant's return, Mr..
Jordan explained why he had the mat
ter taken up during his absence. The
work meanwhile had progressed rapid
ly.
At recent knights of Pythias lodge
meeting, Alderman Davant saw Mr..
Eason. the contractor. and notified
him that the permit under which the
work was being done was not regular.
He stated to the contractor, it is said,
that he. as chairman of the Streets
and Lanes Committee, would not sign
a permit for the stoop on the side
walk.
Mr.. Eason became uneasy and went
to see the Acting Mayor about the per-
init. Acting Mayor Dixon told him
that the permit was all right and to
go ahead 1t is not thought that the
work will be stopped.
Is Matter for Council.
other city officials say neither the
chairman and the committee nor the
acting chairman and the committee
can give permission to put stoOps on
the sidewalk. The Streets and Lanes
Committee should have reported to
Council and let Council adopt the re-
port, ii is said.
There were old wooden houses on
the street, where the new houses are
to go with stoops on the sidewalks.
The members of the committee decid-
ed it would be better to have new
brick buildings with the sidewalk pro-
jections than the old buildings with
the same hstr11ctinns