Source:Bill-to-open-irwin
"Bill to open Irwin avenue is presented to council: Narrow street elimination for down river traffic sought: Opening item estimate set at $588,000 for 94 feet: Ask pension fund balance." Pittsburgh Post, Dec. 21, 1926, p. 5. Newspapers.com 88198191.
Council received an ordinance yesterday for the opening of Irwin avenue from a point 93.99 feet south of Columbus avenue to Brighton road, which adds another to the many recent heavy expenditures by the city on the Northside. The law department's estimate of the property damage entailed by the opening is $588,000.
The opening is one of the items voted for in the spring bond election, $690,000 being authorized. The improvement is to eliminate the narrow streets and sharp turns now necessary to pass in reaching the downriver arteries. The roadway is to be 38 feet in width with 10-foot sidewalks.
On a favorable report from the law department council passed finally ordinances vacating sections of Cremo and Itasco streets between Hypolite street and the river, Northside. The vacation is on the petition of the Point Improvement Company, the owner of abutting property, which has projected a large warehouse. City Solicitor Charles A. Waldschmidt advised council that there should be no vacation without safeguarding the city's river rights, particularly in view of the erection of river walls. Attorney Lee C. Beatty, representing the petitioners, said they would agree to any stipulation by which there would be no interference with any wall building and that any damages due to the erection of the wall would be waived in a formal way.
Director James M. Clark of the department of public safety sent in statistics of the firemen's pension fund with a request that council decide if the city will appropriate $25,794.17 to balance the accounts of the fund, including the $550 salary paid to Elias Johns, secretary, for 1926. The director mentions that the firemen have paid in dues, $49,141.18, which amount is not included in the computations, as the question arose with the board as to whether the $25,794 now needed to balance should be taken from the amount paid in by the firemen. The board decided council should decide whether the firemen's fees went to balance accounts or were to be placed in the sinking fund.
Resolutions were presented transferring $1,250 in the department of public safety and $2,340 in the department of public works. The transfers were from one account to another within the respective departments.
FIRE STATISTICS PRODUCED.
Statistics supporting the newly created bureau of fire prevention, which is included in the budget figures, were filed by Charles Donley, chairman of the life and property protection committee of the Chamber of Commerce. The report showed that since the creation of fire prevention bureaus in Detroit fire losses have declined by 21 per cent; Indianapolis, by 20 per cent; Providence, by 41 per cent; Fort Worth, Tex., by $800,000 within one year.
An ordinance was presented to permit May, Sterns and Company to place an overhead crossing above Garrison way, connecting the company's building with one on the opposite side of the street.
An ordinance was offered for the opening of Saxman street between Idlewood street and the line of the St. Paul's orphan asylum. The opening will have a maximum grade of 10 per cent.
GRADING BILL PRESENTED.
An ordinance was presented for the grading and paving of Evanston street at an estimated cost of $20,500.
Mrs. Bertha M. Rogers sent in a communication asking the city authorities to concern themselves about the danger of mad dogs. The writer's solicitude for children, she stated, exceeded that for dogs, and she urged that the streets be made safe from dangerous canines.
The department of supplies reported B. Goldenberg had offered the high bid of $5,150 for No. 37 engine house on Antietam street and Peter Schmidt the high bid of $1,700 for two lots adjoining the engine house property.
Director Edward G. Lang of the department of public works submitted a request that $17,000 be provided by council to keep the street cleaning force in the bureau of highways and sewers intact for the balance of the year.
REPAIRS RECOMMENDED.
C. V. Watkins sent in a letter complaining of the condition of East Ruggles street which in paving, he states, the contractor used cribbing which has decayed. The street threatens to slip onto Watkins' property and destroy garages thereon.
The department of public works recommended repairs to Andover Terrace at Bryn Mawr road, where the terrace is sinking, at a cost of $20,000. The sinking is attributed to a coal mine underneath, and unless repairs are started, it is stated, it will be necessary to close the road to traffic.
An ordinance was presented for the vacation of strips along Butler street between Forty-fourth and Forty-seventh streets. At the point the street width is much greater than that of the balance of the thoroughfare.
FILE DAMAGE CLAIM.
Issuance of certificates to Donatelli and Donatelli, contractors for the improvement of Grizella street, is authorized under the terms of a resolution presented. As a result of a slide on the street, the work was suspended November 1. The resolution would provide for issuing the certificates not in excess of 80 per cent of the total cost of the work completed under the contract.
A claim of $32 for damage to a motor truck, owned by Hirsch Brothers & Company, was filed in the form of a resolution. The truck hit in a hole in Bingham street, Southside, September 4.
Director James M. Clark of the department of public safety notified council that 60-day trial parking regulations are to become effective at once, as follows: No parking on the south side of Locust street, from Colbert street to Shingiss street; no parking on the north side of Hillsboro street, for a distance of 185 feet east from Sheraden boulevard; no parking on both sides of Sheraden boulevard for a distance of 150 feet from Hillsboro street.
The budget committee will consider the request of Director Lang for the acquisition of property along the Freeport road, at the eastern end of the filtration plant, for the purpose of eliminating a bad curve and for extension of an undergrade roadway between the filtration plant and Ross pumping station. The estimated cost is $11,000.
CARRICK EMPLOYES WANT JOBS.
The Carrick borough council transmitted a copy of a resolution adopted at its recent meeting, recommending that all borough employes be continued in the city's service after the district is formally annexed to Pittsburgh next month.
The Pittsburgh Real Estate Board endorsed the budget request of the city planning commission for funds with which to continue the geodetic and topographic survey. The Engineers Society of Western Pennsylvania also filed endorsement of this item.
Councilman P. J. McArdle was alone in opposition to final passage of a resolution for the payment of $294 to J. A. Hogle, a former policeman, who claimed that the money was due him on account of being deprived of 43 days time. Hogle is now on the retired list.
Council received notice that Mayor Charles H. Kline had approved an ordinance passed last week for the purchase of the terra cotta works property, Bedford avenue, Fifth ward, for playground purposes. The purchase price is $55,000, which is taken from a fund of $81,000, set aside from the people's bond issue of 1919 for a playground in the Hill district.
PROTEST STREET OPENING.
A petition, protesting against the opening of Ebdy street, on the ground that the new street is useless, was filed by I. H. Aaron. Another petition filed requests a public hearing for property owners who wish to urge the improvement of Schenley avenue, Tenth ward.
H. F. Kelly sent a letter, requesting that one-hour parking be permitted on Forbes street, from Hooper to Magee streets. John Welden, Jr., sent a letter requesting the construction of a boardwalk on Grizella street.
To protect his property from a change in the zoning regulations, C. G. Duffy obtained building permits, at a cost of $200, proposing the erection of duplex dwellings. The zoning ordinance later was changed, benefiting Duffy and a resolution was presented, designed to refund the $200 paid as fees for building permits never used. The property affected is on Morewood avenue, Fourteenth ward.
F. H. Smith, representing the Knights of the American Krusaders, sent a formal letter protesting against the proposal of the Sons of Italy for the erection of a memorial to Columbus. The letter stated that the Krusaders "pray that the un-American project be refused.
L. J. Schaedle filed a letter urging immediate action to bring about the reopening of an unnamed way in the Fifteenth ward, between Alger and Graff streets. One end of the way was vacated recently and property owners not abutting on the portion vacated want it reopened, contending that it now serves a dead-end street.
