Danville intelligencer. [volume] (Danville, Pa.) 1859-1907, 1905-05-05
IN FAVOR OF
VACATING

thoroughfare. The ancient old high
way, which WAS laid out in 1880, dur
ing the last hundred years has been
successively wiped out of existence by
the inroads of the river aud the action
of the view ers was anticipated by
many persons as the logical sequence.
Nevertheless vacation was vigorously
opposed by persons owning property
abutting and residents on the lower
| end of the Borough on Market and
| Mahoning streets, who found it con-
yenient to use the old highway.
The fate of the old road has been
trembling in the balance since last
February when the final view was
made. Two previous dates were fixed
for holding the heaiing, but on Meth.
er occasion were all the viewers on
hand. Tuesday morning, the time set
| for an adjourned meeting, the entire
board of viewers was present and the
hearing proceeded. The meeting was
held in the Grand Jury room which
with witnesses and others int rested
was pretty we'll filled.
II. S. zimmerman who with James
Scarlet representing the township,was
present and examined the witnesses.
Hon. Ii. NJ. Hinckley and E. S. Gear
hart appeared for the property owners
and others opposed to vacation. Nah
oning township was repres ented by
Supervisors E. l.. White and James
Heckendorn.
The position taken by the township
was that the old road was useless and
burdensome--that the parallel road
leading down the river from North
cumberland street answered practically
all purposes 1t was also held in sup
port of the proposition that il vacated
the portion of the thoroughfare lying
between the creeks mouth and town,
which belongs to the borough, would
revert to the owners of lots abuttlng
aud VINO would still possess a private
right of way that would enable them
to reach their land.
A good many witnesses were ex-
| dDllUGu. All WIZ ohO SNSNPt'o. S-''S
ON the side opposing vacation.
The first witness was Amos Vastine,
Chairman of the Streets and Bridges
Committee of Council. Mr.. Vastine
held that to vacate the river road
would be to deprive Water street,
that extends to the creeks mouth. of
an outlet, which was proposition that
the Borough would never submit to.
He held that to restore the road would
not prove burdensome. The portion OF
the road lying in the Borough had
been practically no expense for years
past. AS for bridging the creek the
bridge washed away was lying in the
channel Just below its site, but if this
was too badly damaged for use, the
Borough for 800 would sell one of
the canal bridges, which would answer
at that spot.
Robert Morris, one of the land own
ers, was the next witness. He has
known the road for fifty years-forty
wears ago he hauled limestone over 1t.
In addition to himself others who own
land alb Itting on the river road are:
: Shepperson, Laubaoh, Blizzard, Mrs.
Lizzie Fisher and W. X. Holloway
If the road were vacated and the land
it occupies permitted to revert to the
owners each property owner would be
at the mercy uf the ones above MIN
and could be shut in or permitted to
use the private right of way only at
their pleasure, Besides private road
was open to objections. as all the ex-
pense of keeping it in repair would
have to bo borne by the owners of land
abutting. For the property owners to
! get onto their lots from Northumber-
land street he regarded 1t in face OF
sucb obstacles as the railroad, the can
al and Mahoning creek as wholly I'M
practicable. Even such a route would
make a parallel road necessary along
, the lots to enable tho owners to get
unou their land without trespassing.
, He considered the river road necessary
not only for the accommodation OF
| land owners, Dut lor tio Sohei"i pHD
! lie also. Ii it were vacated the resi-
, dents of the lower end of Market and
3 Mahoning streets who have bu siness
down the river, would be obliged to
I make detour taking in Mill and
| Northumberland streets adding al
] least a mile to the distance. He ad'
3 mitted that the ice and water had
1 washed the width of several roads
] away, that the last road located now
lies out in the river; that to restore
q the road new ground would have to be
purchased, which would mean reloca'
. ton of the road. and that to insure
permanenoy retaining wall woulo
q have to be built He was not prepar'
ed to give any estimate AS to cost.
Dan M. Curry was called to testify.
He agreed with previous witnesses al
n to the necessity of the road to afford
G permanent outlet for properties abut
q ting. The old bridge, he believed. IL
. too badly twisted aud bent to be mucf
: use and to attempt to get it back upor
4 the abutments would cost more than
!. now one, which he thought might bt
installed for some $780,
d Chitf Burgess w. G. Pursel was th'
I next witness He took the view tina
a il the river road we're Vacate' muci
# valuable property would be shut of
n aud would depreciate in value. Be
h sides the old road is necessary to &C
n commodate the general public.
NJ. s. Bond, the Ohulaskey truck
J. man, offered his testimony,a' down
y the-1iver- resident. He used the rive
X road for fifty years. IL is considere'
Of very convenient by the farmers o
lContinued on Third Page.