The Daily Alaska empire., 1938-08-06
Flight of Baby Clipper Is Postponed Todd
SOUTH SE W ARD STREET PROJECT GETTING AIRING
Council Decides to Make Property Owners Of-
 fer of ,000

After heariang about two hours of argument, the City Council at its meeting last night decided to make an offer of $5000 for the right-of-way on South Seward for street widening purposes, which is approximately half of the $10,200 figure asked by sponsors of the pro- ject.
 Councilman c. E. Krause, who made the motion and won second from Councilman Sam Feldon, eX- plained that in view of the princi- pal objection to the undertaking being based mostly on cost to the city, it was his idea to negotiate on the matter and perhaps get a better price While his motion would limit the cost to the city to $5,000, he said it was his intent to pave the way for negotiations, as he be- lieved it was necessary for the city to do something to improve street conditions on the waterfront.
 Chamber Filled
 An audience which filled the Council chambers to capacity was on hand for the discussion and was made up for the most part of the pros and the antis. Two petitions were before the Council each signed by. approximately 80 names. One urged the improvement be made, and the other objections for several reasons. Attorney Frank Foster, rep resenting the antis, outlined the reasons.
 First he said, his clients objected on the grounds that certain prop erty owners would be benefited at the expense of other property own CTS. The property owners effected on South Seward are the R. J. Som- mers Construction Company, who already has donated piece of his property to the city for the pur- pose; the Juneau-Y Young Hardware Company, the Oscar Harri machine shop and Central Properties, Inc, of which J. B. Warrack is Presi- dent. The $10,200 is proposed as the price to be paid the latter three firms for moving back and repair ing their building fronts in order to give the city right-o way.
 Spokesman Foster contended that all property owners in the city were paying for the improvement which he held was benefiting only a few
 Claims Other Projects Needed
 Secondly, he declared that there were many other projects in the city which were more urgently needed, such as the small boat harbor, pav- ing Willoughby Avenue and sewer construction. These projects before being carried out; if they are, should be presented to the voters for their consideration along with the South Seward Street improvement, he ar gued, the taxpayers deciding whether they want to bond the city further to make the improvements.
 You haven't the money to under take this project" he said, "and the only fair way is to put it up to the taxpayers"
 He argued further that the cost is too great He contended, a con- tention which was strongly disput- ed, that the price being asked was equivalent to $2.67 per square foot. He declared that before paving and sidewalks were completed along with the original cost of right-of-way the entire project would stand the city close to $20,000
 Wants Donation
 w. D. Gross said he had property which would be effected either way. T own property on both sides of this argument" he said in advanc- ing his belief that the property owners on South Seward should do- nate their footage to the city with out cost. He argued that the re- sulting improvements and stores which would go in would more than repay the property owners in the district for giving the city the ground.
 Property Owner Joe Kaher. ex- pressed a similar sentiment, but Contractor A. J. Dishaw took a dif- ferent view of it and challenged the $20,000 cost figure advanced by Attorney Foster. He contended it would not be anywhere near $20,000, and argued that the improvement to the city in getting a nice en-