Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1910-05-21
Town Council.

A very interesting special meeting
was held Monday evening, when con-
sideration of the passage of an Ordi-
nance providing for paving Union street
from Water street westward to inter
section with Centennial street, was the
business.
There was large attendance of citi-
zens and taxpayers.
The Ordinance was read by CLERK j. >.
Metzger. 1t provides for paving with
vlttitied paving. brick for width of ~
feet between concrete curbing, the re-
naming portion of the street between
the curbing and sidewalks to be sOdded
by the property-owners.
After the reading the meeting was
thrown open to citizens and property
owners for expression of opinions ana
arguments for and against passage of
the Ordinance.
A petition signed by the owners of
property abutting on more than 900
feet of the $500 feet frontage of the inn
provement, praying Council to pass the
Ordinance, was read.
Also a paper signed by Mr.. and Mrs.
G. w. Zeller asking that their names be
transferred from the petition against to
the petition for the improvement.
Another signed by the Secretary of the
official board of First NJ. E. Church,
stating that body was i'll favor of the
improvement.
An estimate of the cost, made by En-
gineer William Harvey, was read, show
ing that the cost to the town would
slightly exceed 81. 800.
f. c. Bpall, one of 10 protestants, and
representing a frontage of about l27ofeet,
made an eloquent plea against the pass
age of the Ordinance. allegingthat there
are certain persons who had lived III
their own homes along that street, which
was a portion of the old National Road,
and that it would entail a hardship on
them greater than they are able to bear.
He suggested that the electric railway
might in the near future be extended
over the mountain westward; that then
there would be another party to
share the cost, and for this reason he
suggested waiting awhile. Mr.. Beall
also expressed the thought that such
public improvement should be done at
expense of the town, and not at the ex-
pense of the private property owners.
w. f. G.. Hitchins made strong plea
in favor of the passage of the Ordinance,
saying that he would be glad to have
the work done and the expense met by
the town, but that he believed the better
way was for the town and the property
owners to share the expense.
At this juncture petition from those
opposed to the proposition was read.
and A. 5. Burton, speaking as one OF the
signers, said with considerable emphasis
that he is in favor of public improve
ment when made at public expense.
DIN r. Rice, who spoke i'll the inter
est of several of those who were unable
to be present, made a strong, eloquent
appeal to Council against the passage of
the Ordinance.
George Stern, owner, but not resi-
dent on the street, spoke i'll favor OF the
Improvement and said that every prop
erty-owner should be in favor of it. be-
cause it would enhance the value of his
property and also improve the conditions
in the Immediate neighborhOOd. He
suggested public spirit also as ruling
reason for the Improvement. lie SAID
that all public improvements were OBJ
jected to by some, but that the improve
ments were generally made and the
directors then became supporters OF the
movement.
Councilman Morgan then asked-''are
there not some whose names are on this
petition who are indebted to the town
for paving the lower part of Union
street ~
that would affect this proposition, as the
town has the power to collect this money,
or any other money due 1t.
Mr.. Morgan repeated his question.
f. G.. Beall again took the floor and
H.. ,Nln fnr hn nd
phans in even more eloquent terms than
at first, quoting Burns, Longfellow and
other poets. He suggested u macadam
road bed for the street as being an
ideal one, saying it was noiseless, dust
less, and otherwise meritorlous.
Engineer William Harvey told of a
half-mie of such road bed that had been
put down by the county through the
village of Luke, and said that, just as
dusty as any other road, it is not salts
factory in that respect.
Horace Ct. Evans spoke in favor of
the passage of the Ordinance,
Attorney Clayton Pnrnell was then
called upon by +. &. Beall for an eX-
preston of his opinion.
Mr.. Purnell rose. but was Informed
that speeches were limited to ten min
utes. He was not sure that he could say
what he wanted to say in ten minutes,
and not wishing to be limited i'll time he
retired a motion was then made to
give him all the time he wanted, but, as
stated, he had retired.
Olin r. Rice was again heard.
After several other questions and an
swers motion was made to take up the
Ordinance by sections for second reading
1t was then read by title and a yea
and nay vote taken on its passage.
All members voted yea" but Mr..
Morgan expressed a protest against do
ing so.
4 ,t a.ln