The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1905-08-23
PROPERTY OWNERS PROTEST
PREVENTED MATcnEz PAvlme
Motion to adopt Resolution of In
tention for Paving Was Lost by
Vote II Four to Three.


From present indications Natchez
the property owners who are opposed
to the Improvement at this time hav-
Ing protested SO strongly against 1t
that he council decided by vote of
4 to 8 Monday night against the
adoption of the resolution of inten-
ton to pave the street. Attorney
]. o. Gull was present and addressed
the council, urging the claim that
the proposed improvement was mere
ly luxury which could not be afford
ed by the property owners on whom
the burden Of expense would fall, and
that 1t was in no sense a necessity
at this time. When the matter
came to vote Councilmen Lin
barger, Thompson and Bull voted
for the adoption of the resolution,
and Councilmen Dudley, Lane, Marsh
and Sinclair against 1t.
Mr.. Dudley spoke against the paw
ing at this time on the ground that
the cost would be greater .lan the
benefits to be derived warranted. He
believed that the portion Of the paw
ing the city would be compelled to
pay would cost $4,000, all Of which
must come out Of the general fund.
Councilman Thompson, next to
Mayor Fechter, Is most strongly in
favor Of paving the avenue the whole
distance contemplated. He admit
ted that the cost would be great, but
lads tress upon the fact that the
property owners would have ten years
to pay the assessment in, and thought
1t the duty Of the city to have the
street paved The only way in which
town could advance, he held. was
to go ahead with this kind of public
improvements. even though 1t was
often necessary to do so in the face
Of bitter opposition. The property
owners who were now most strong
ly opposed to the paving, he was
confident, would find the value of
their lots enhanced to such an extent
that they would at some future time
come and thank the councilmen who.
against their wishes at this time.
ordered the improvement made. The
increase in the value of the lots on
Natchez avenue, he declared, would
more than Offset the cost of the nav
ing.
Councilman Sinclair, who was at
first heartily in favor of paving the
avenue its whole length, stated that
he had gone deeply into the subject,
and his investigations had caused
him to change his opinion, and he
was now just as strongly opposed to
the imposition of the burden on the
property owners. Some OF these. It
Is true, are able to pay the cost, but
many others, large majority, in
fact, as shown by the remonstrance.
were not able to pay $3.50 to $500
a lot for what was not necessary.
He had been surprised at the opposi-
ton to the scheme. Numerous dele
cations had called upon him with
vigorous protests, and on Monday
i evening he was called up on the
telephone by a number OF the lead
ing business men in the city and
urged to vote against the proposition
to pave. The fact that the city did
not have the money to pay for this
Improvement was a strong argument
in favor OF postponing 1t for the pres
ent. Living on Natchez avenue, he
stated that he personally would like
to see 1t paved, and would be willing
to stand his share OF the expense:
but there were many to whom the
burden would mean q loss of their
homes or inability to improve their
properties in other and more need
ed directions. It was far better. he
believed. to improve the deplorable
sanitary conditions of the city than
to expend SO large a sum as would
be required for the paving, for a
luxury. and the city was certainly
not able to shoulder all the burdens
at this time. 1t was decidedly
wrong to tax the small property own
| ers for the cost of paving, when many
of them had not yet paid for their
homes. He did not feel that It was
just or right to turn people out of
their homes to provide the luxury
OF an asphalt pavement
Councilman Linuarger declared
that he never saw a town progress
and grow unless It made such inn
| provements as the proposed pave
ment, and kept up II, appearances,
The present council was elected by
people who believed that public Inn
provements would be gone ahead
with, and wanted this policy carried
out. The Natchez avenue property
owners. he admitted, might not be
able to stand the cost of paving, but
where there's will there's way;
he was in for advancement and prog
ress. and thought the improvement
should be made.
Mayor Fechter then addressed the
council In favor of paving the avenue.
There was absolutely no place in the
city. he said, where the people could
go for outdoor recreation or amuse-
ment. PrOsser and Kennew.ck had
provided pleasure in the way Of boat
ing, the Sound cities had provided
as they grew places Of recreation and
Amusement for their peop.e. and 1t
was the duty Of the city to do the
same thing here. Nearly everybody
In North Yakima owned . horse, and
there was NO place to 90 for drive.
The proposed paving Of Matches
would give . boulevard one and q
half miles long-three miles alto
gether--of pleasant driveway. The
city. he declared. could make NO inn
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