Source:Survey-committee-1874-09-24
"Survey Committee: Proposed change of grade on Liberty avenue—transportation expenses—miscellaneous business." Pittsburgh Commercial, Sept. 24, 1874, [p. 4]. Newspapers.com 85639714.
A special meeting of the Survey Committee was held yesterday afternoon, for the purpose of considering a proposed change of grade on Liberty avenue, between Thirty-third and Fortieth streets.
On motion of Mr. Harrison, interested property holders were requested to state their case.
Mr. Robert McKnight, representing Mrs. E. F. Denny, made a full statement of the facts, as he understood them. He said that Mrs. Denny did not originally desire the opening through Iron City Park, but consented to it conditionally—that the grade should not be fixed lower than six and a half feet to the hundred. He stated further that the present grade was only about five feet, and the cut through the hill was absolutely ruinous. It would cost Mrs. Denny $100,000 to grade her property down to the street level, and property holders further out would be damaged $50,000. The damages awarded Mrs. Denny were only $7,500, but she had refused to accept this sum, and appealed to court. Two injunction cases were also pending before the court. If the grade was raised to six feet, the damages would be reduced to a merely nominal sum, the suits would be withdrawn, the damages assessed would be accepted, and no further opposition manifested.
Gen. Coulter, representing Mr. Stoy and other property holders, indorsed all that Mr. McKnight had said, and said that if the compromise were accepted he, too, would withdraw all further legal objections, and forego [sic] any claims for damages. He wanted to start with a twelve feet fill at Thirty-third street, with a six feet grade at John street.
Dr. Gross, on behalf of the Liberty avenue Commissioners, gave a history of the movement to secure a better outlet to the East Liberty valley, than those afforded by Penn and Fifth avenue. This had been rendered necessary by consolidation. Liberty avenue was first located around Iron City Park hill, and not through it. It was desired to have not more than a four feet grade. The Denny estate claimed that by cutting into the hillside, as proposed, their property would be immensely damaged, as it would leave but one tier of lots, and even those would be in bad shape. This route was therefore abandoned, as too expensive, and at the request of these very parties who now ask a higher grade, the location was fixed through Iron City Park, and the grade assented to. By this change of location, the property owners have two tiers of lots, instead of one. The doctor called for the reading of the minutes of October ⸺, 1872, in proof of what he had said.
Mr. McKnight denied that he had ever assented to the grade as at present fixed, or a lower grade than six or six and a half feet.
Mr. Murray asked Engineer Dempster as to the grade on Garrison hill, Penn avenue, and at Soho, Fifth avenue. Mr. Dempster said the former was five feet to the hundred, and the latter three and eighty-five hundredths.
Mr. Fetterman called for the reading of a resolution adopted by this committee some months since, providing that "no change would be made in established grades, unless it could be shown that there had been an error," etc. He raised the point that the committee could not change the grade in face of that resolution.
A motion to rescind the resolution was put and lost.
Mr. Brown moved that the committee, as a whole, visit the avenue, on Wednesday, October 6th, at 10½ a. m., to consider the question of grade. Agreed to.
Mr. Aull (Mr. Seibert in the chair) moved that the matter be made the special order for next regular meeting. Agreed to.
Other business.
Mr. Murray, a resolution directing the engineer to survey and locate a lane along properties of Messrs. Murray, Howe and others, to Collingwood's cave. Adopted.
Petition of Mrs. Allinder for relocation of a part of Homewood avenue. Referred to Engineer to report plan.
Ordinance fixing line between Thirty-fourth and Thirty-fifth wards; referred to Engineer.
Ordinance to vacate two unnamed streets in the Twenty-third ward; same reference.
Petition relative to removal of fences in Thirty-second ward; same reference.
Petition for location of Notley street, Twenty-third ward; same reference.
Profile of change of grade on Edgerton avenue; referred to Engineer to report plan.
The transportation question.
A. bill for transportation expenses, which the Controller had refused to pay, was presented, and, a motion made that Councils be requested to approve the bill and order it paid.
Mr. Breed said an ordinance would be necessary, as the committee would not feel disposed to apply to Councils every time a bill of this kind was presented. There were parties in Select Council ready to oppose such needful expenditures, and buncombe speeches against them, and unless a general ordinance was adopted, the fight would be incessant one.
Other members took a similar view, and, on motion, a sub-committee was appointed, consisting of Messrs. Breed, Brown and Anderson, to act in conjunction with the City Attorney in the preparation of an ordinance to provide for the payment of necessary transportation expenses.
The profile of grade of Second avenue was approved, and Engineer instructed to prepare an ordinance. Same action in regard to Boston street.
Rowan's plan of lots in the Twenty-first ward was referred to Messrs. Breed, Anderson and Harrison, to examine and report. Adjourned.