[Newspaper]
Publication: The Globe
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
vol. 55, no. 15331, p. 7, col. 1-2
THE SOAP WORKS.
Difficulties Being Experienced in
the Negotiations.
PROPERTY HELD HIGHER.
City Engineer Recommends Street
Car Extension — Civic Aid Asked
For the International Regatta.
The negotiations for the establishment of the Sunlight Soap Works on the other side of the Don, on the Smith property, are not proceeding as smoothly as the city would like to see them. The members of the Board of Control held a private meeting yesterday to discuss the situation, and they had City Engineer Rust present to advise them on that portion of the proposed agreement that relates to the dredging the city must do. What the cost of this will be Mr. Rust will not state, but one estimate is said to place it at $30,000. If the Don has to be diverted, as was proposed, then a channel will have to be dredged right to the lake, but this is one of the matters that will be decided later.
Apart from arranging with the city, the Sunlight people are said to have met with a difficulty in securing the property they want. The Smith property, they say, is the only one that will suit them, and they will not take any other. The Gooderhams hold a mortgage for $100,000 on the property, and are naturally anxious to have the sale go through, but the Smith interest does not wish to dispose of the property at the price offered by Mr. Lever, while the latter will not increase his bid. That is about the way things stand at present in respect to these two matters. The question of freight rates influences Mr. Lever considerably in his choice of a site for a factory. He is of the opinion that he could obtain a slight advantage in freights by locating in Montreal, but will locate here if he obtains from Toronto advantages to compensate for this.
Cattle Market Extension.
Now that the city is unable to secure Stanley Park for the extension of the cattle market, the City Commissioner has drawn up a plan whereby increased accommodation may be obtained in the Present market. The alterations which he suggests would cost $4,700, and would give accommodation for 24 loads of cattle. As the residence of the caretaker of the market, Mr. Bell is declared totally unfit to be occupied by a family, Mr. Coatsworth suggests that a house be rented for him near the market and the old house removed, making room for three additional yards, at a cost of $700. this latter included in the total of $4,700.
It Didn't Know a Thing.
The Street Railway Company apparently does not know what the city had to complain about when it entered action to prevent the overcrowding of cars, also the use of unfit cars, and to compel a proper system of transfer. Therefore Mr. James Bicknell, for the company, appeared before the Master in Chambers at Osgoode Hall yesterday and asked for "particulars." In the city's statement of claim it filed a document of twenty pages containing over 600 instances of overcrowding, but this was not enough for Mr. Bicknell. He wanted particulars of time and place, number of people in the car, number and names of people who were refused transfers, the number of cars which were in a filthy condition, and the particular spot in which they were filthy. In fact Mr. Bicknell said he did not know what the issue was, and he did not think the city did either, whereat he was advised by the Master to take a 6 o’clock car and he would probably be enlightened. When Mr. Bicknell asked what cars were dirty the Master recommended him to try the Queen street route, which is the route patronized by Mr. Winchester. The The matter was finally adjourned for a week to give the street railway an opportunity of making an affidavit that they did not know where the issue lies.
Street Railway Matters.
Some important Street Railway matters are dealt with by the City Engineer in his fortnightly report, which was issued yesterday. In the first pace the Engineer recommended that the Street Railway Company be required to extend their double line of tracks on Bloor street from Lansdowne avenue to Dundas street, as called for in their agreement, this recommendation being made in response to a request from the Northwestern Toronto Rate-payers' Association. In conjunction with this extension the City Engineer would have the track allowance along the proposed extension paved with brick on concrete, at a probable cost of $9,600, the city to do this work.
The level railway crossings which intersect Bloor street would need to be properly protected. Mr. Rust supposes the Railway Committee of the Privy Council at Ottawa will have to determine who shall pay the annual cost of such protection. He recommends that the City Solicitor be requested to make the necessary application to the Railway Committee in this connection.
York Street Bridge Tracks.
The Secretary of the Royal Canadian Yacht Club recently requested the city to have the Street Railway Company lay tracks over the York street bridge, and Mr. Rust says he has had several consultatons with Mr. Keating, and York street bridge and that the company thus far have refused to lay these tracks.
There is also the protest from Mowat, Langton & Maclennan, solicitors for the owners of the Yonge street wharf, protesting against the proposal to lay tracks on Lake street, which has yet to be dealt with.
The roadway on Lake street, between John street bridge. will be put in order as soon as the necessary filling is completed and the Engineer has instructed the Street Commissioner to attend to that portion of the roadway between the west end of the bridge ramps and the yacht club property.
Company Must Do It
The proposed belt line on Church, Bloor, Avenue road, Dupont and Bathurst street, touching the Union Station, and offering the means of direct traffic from the Union Station along King street west, does not meet with the approval of the Street Railway Company, Mr. Rust reports, The company are, however, prepared to continue their system up University street through the Park to Avenue road, and thence along Dupont street. The Engineer, therefore, will not recommend the extension of the tracks along Dupont street until the question of the proposed belt line is settled.
The Engineer reported that the request of the Diamond Glass Company for the straightening of Bloor street is a matter of policy to be dealt with by the committee. He does not see any objection to it, however.
The following sidewalks and pavements were recommended: —
Brick Pavements.
Orde street, 21 feet, east side of Murray to west side of University, probable cost $1,180; city’s share. $200.
Concord avenue, 24 feet, from south side of Bloor to a point 180 feet south of the south side of Hepburn street; probable cost, $5,130; city’s share, $1.270.
Huron street, 24 feet, from north side of Grange avenue to south side of St. Patrick; probable cost, $2,250; city's share. $700.
Asphalt Pavements.
Prince Arthur avenue, 24 feet, from east side of Huron street to the west side of St. George; probable cost, $2,980; city's share, $350.
Bay street, 42 feet, from north side of Esplanade to south side of Front; probable cost, $4,550; city's share. $1,613.
Major street, 24 feet, from north side of College to south side of Bloor: probable cost, $25,530; city's share. $5,520.
Macadam Roadways.
Sword street, 24 feet, from north side of Gerrard to south side of Spruce; probable cost, $1,059; city's share, $277.
Maple avenue, 24 feet. from east side of Sherbourne to east side of Glen road; probable cost, $3,620; city’s share, $910.
Elm avenue, 24 feet, from west side of Glen road to west side of Nanton crescent; probable cost, $4,440; city’s share, $1,900.
Wood walk, Argyle street, 5 1-2 feet, from west side of Givens street to the east side of Dundas street; probable cost, $123 50; city’s share, $24 30.
Cedar block pavement, Adelaide street, 42 feet, from west side of Bay street to the east side of York street; probable cost. $2,270: city's share, $370.
Wooden sidewalk, east side Reynolds street, from Collier to a point 160 feet north, 4 feet wide; probable cost, $35 20; city's share, $19 58.
Wooden sidewalk, west side Reynolds street, from Collier to a point 127 feet north, 4 feet wide; probable cost, $27 94; city's share, $8 36.
To Help the Regatta.
The city will be asked to contribute something towards the yachting regatta which will take place in Toronto Bay, probably the first three weeks of August. One week is to be devoted to the trial races of the Canadian boats, to pick out the one which is to sail for the Canadian Cup; another week will be devoted to the international yacht races, while during the third week the sailing for the Canada Cup will be in progress. Aemelius Jarvis, Commodore of the Royal Canadian Yacht Club, and Mr. C. A. B. Brown, with Ald. Hanlan, waited upon the Mayor yesterday and placed their views before him. A grant of from $1,500 to $2,000 is what is wanted. The yachts men will appear before the Board of Control at its meeting on Monday next, and make their request.
Workmen are Uneasy.
The possibility of a repeal of the 15-cent by-law is causing not a little uneasiness among the workmen employed by the city. There are two motions to come up at a future date before the City Council, one by Ald, Gowanlock, which, if carried, will permit the engagement of men 55 years of age and over to be employed at not less than 10 cents per hour, and the other by Ald. Denison. calling upon a certain amount of work to be set aside for old men, who are, however, to be paid the 15 cents per hour. Ald. Burns stated yesterday that he had been waited upon by a number of old men who desired that there should be no change in the 15-cent by-law. Their argument was, that at the present time, through the labor bureau, they obtained some work at the 15-cent rate, whereas if the rate were cut down they would be able to obtain no more work while they would receive less pay. Ald. Burns himself does not approve of any change. He considers, too, that it is very unlikely that the City Council will make any change, and, speaking for the Board of Control, says that body will not take the matter up unless requested to by the Council.
City Hall Notes.
Because Mayor Shaw refused to permit the street sprinklers to be used on the street cars on Sunday he has received a letter of thanks from Mrs. E. A. Stevens, President of the Toronto District Women's Christian Temperance Union.
The City Commissioner has issued the following building permits : — D. Schmidt, to erect a two-storey detached dwelling. No. 165 Sumach street, to cost $1,000; Mrs. Ward, to erect a pair of one-storey cottages, Nos. 235 and 237 Oak street, to cost $1,400; Henry Sutherland, to erect a two-storey and attic brick residence, near Roncesvalles avenue, on the south side of Howard avenue, to cost $2,500.
