The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1919-04-24
The Question Of Damages.


street which have been given the sane
tion of the people and the property
owners directly affected by the propos-
ed change in the lines of the street
have been asked to have some heart to
heart conferences with the city off
cials in regard to what they are going
10 claim in the way of damages" in
connection with the proposed improve
ment-
Undoubtedly some Of the property on
Main street between Pearl street and
Grand avenue is going to be damaged
by the carrying out Of the proposed
changes. Undoubtedly every piece OF
property along the street between the
same points is going to be benefited
THE layman is going to believe that
the benets fto accrue to this property
are going to be greater than the dam
ages and the civic patriotism Of the
owners Of the property is going to be
put to test. Some Of them are going
to insist that they should not be called
upon to suffer loss for public i'm
provement. Others are going to waive
their claim for damages with the IN
derstanding that they are. willing to
give this much in inconvenience OF
possible property loss with view OF
making their home city better.
The property owners must remember
tn looking at this problem that they
are not to be3the only people who will
be called upon to make sacrifices In
order to have Main street straighten-
ca and the new bridge built. The PEG
ple of Kenosha as a whole are going
to expend about 100000 for this i'm
provement and it is not improbable
that before it is all cleared up that
The amount will be considerably more
Every man who pays taxes is going to
make some contribution--large or
small--to the completion of this work
and the property owners directly af-
fected should keep this fact in mind
when they get ready to go to the
heart to heart conference.
The people of the city Of Kenosha
are good sports, They do not want to
take something for nothing. They are
willing to pay to the property owner
in question every cent of damage that
the city is going to do to their prop
erty-provided that damage is not off
set in benefits brought by an increased
valuation. What the people want is
that the question of damages to these
people be settled fairly and without
partially. They want to know that
lie any of the property owners receives
a large piece Of land from the city
that they are willing to give just as
large back to the city. They want to
be assured that the money raised by
taxation III not ne used to fatten
up tho poeketbook Of some person who
ID lacking in civic pride and who val
ues the dollars that he can get for
himself more than the benefits which
will come to Kenosha by an improve
ment of it's Main street.
The idea Of public economy in 7con-
hection with this great work is ex-
pected to be carried out not only in the
letting Of the contracts for the
STRENGTHENING out of the street but as
well in settling withthe property own
hrs. Every dollars worth Of damage
which is claimed must and will be
paid in full but the property owners
should be given to understand right at
Che outset that if false claims for
damages are made they will be contest
ed in the courts. 1t is to be hoped
that this big improvement can be car
Fied through without a single appeal
to the court but the city must be
ready to go into court; ready to fight
rather than to compromise in any way
the rights of the people to fair ex-
penditure of their money.
This is an Improvement for all the
people but the people most directly
benefited are the people of Main
street, and especially those along the
portion Of the street which is to be
Strengthened out and improved. These
people have not been asked to pay any
large sum of money. In fact their
contribution to the work has not been
considered in connection with the es-
timation of the cost of the work OF
how it is to be paid for. They are
expected on this account to meet the
city half way. To be willing to com
promise fancied damages by the re-
neipt of certain benefits. A few hun
dred dollars should be all that is
necessary to settle the whole bill for
damages in connection with this work
and this should be offset entirely by the
few hundred dollars which may be
assessed as benefits.
IF some real fellow who happens to