Evening journal., 1913-09-16
CONTRACTORS
WANT CHARGE
ABANDONED
Tell Street Directors They
Paved Without Permits,
Not Knowing Law
OFFICIALS WILL MAKE
THEIR ANSWER TOMORROW

Joseph S. Hamilton, William NJ
Connolly, John j. MoCloskey and Owen
J, Brady, contractors, appeared be-
fore the Directors of the Street and
Sewer Department this morning and
requested that the ,harges preferred
by the Board against them for laying
sidewalks without obtaining permits
be dropped. All Of the contractors
have been arrested and will be given
a hearing in City Court tomorrow
morning on the charge.
The contractors did not deny that
they had laid the sidewalks without
permits, but they pleaded either ig-
norance Of the law on their part or
oversight.
Mr. Hamilton said that because Of
the rush of business he had failed to
take out permit for laying side
walk and that it was simply an over
sight of his men. He said that if the
charge against him was dropped he
would personally see that permits
would be taken out for any
other paving work his firm might do
in the future.
Mr.. McCloskey stated that he was
arrested for putting down two side
walks in front of houses that he was
building He said that the side
walks were included in the contract
for the erection Of the houses and
that when he took out a building per-
init he supposed he had carried out
the law.
Nfr Rrodv ssid he saw other neonle
laying sidewalks and supposed that he
could do the same thing
Mr. Connolly said the law had been
changed some time ago and that he
thought that it was up to the owner of
the property to take out a permit when
paving is to be done. He said he had
been given a contract to lay a sidewalk
and was told to start work Immediately
which he did, thinking that the owner
of the property had taken out the nee
essary permit
President Sparks said that such per
sistent violations Of the law must stop
and that when the law directed that a
permit be taken out it meant for it to be
4 taken out.
The contractors will be notified to-
4 morrow morning whether the charges
will be dropped.
4 The engineer in charge Of the construc
4 ton work on the B. & o. railroad bridge
. across Ninth street appeared at the
4 meeting and asked if the board would
make the company widen the western
approach to the bridge for a sidewalk
He said that it would require a large
expenditure to DO this and if the street
& was not to be paved at the present tim'
q the company did not want to do th'
work. The board will view the propert.
before directing what is to be done.
James B. oberly asked about tn
Miller road. which The board pro
missed to improve. The board sat
that the work would be done as sool
as possible.
Roscoe Cook Tindall asked that b.
be allowed to place an obstruction ol
the sidewalk at Eighth and KIM
streets where the new Simon's Hote
i is. being erected. He said that on ac
count of the narrow width Of the 10
I would be practically impossible 4
$50 - side entrance TO the buildir'
without placing steps or an iron rail
ing on the sidewalk. He was inform
ed that this would be against the law
Int the directors will consider tn
matter and see If there is not som
solution to the problem.
Mr.. Tindall also asked that Twenty
fourth street between Madison an
Jefferson streets be graded. He
erecting several houses there. Tn
matter was referred to the Stree
Commissioner.
petition was received from IN
residents Of Lombard street, betwee
Ninth and Taylor streets. requestin
that the board order the People
Railroad Company to remove a switc
-~h'ch III has on that street. Tn
communication was referred to tn
company.
Leslie ]. Christy was appointed
represent the board at the meetin
of a commission on the Third stree
bridge which will meet on Septembt
"a
The report Of Plumbing Inspectc
E. P. Mckay, for the month OF Al
gust. showed that during the mont
134 plans we're filed.
The average candle power OF 81
for the month was 21.10.