A Menace To The City

A MENACE TO THE CITY

Defective Sidewalks May Prove to be Such

CLAIMS FOR DAMAGES

From Accidents Easily Pushed While Sidewalks Are Not Cared For- Should Be Attended to Now

The presentation to the council Monday night of the claim of Mrs. Mattie R. Newman, for the judgment secured against the city, serves to emphasize the wisdom of the city authorities in ordering the wholesale re-building and repairing of walks that is taking place this year about the city.

Many people have thought the city fathers rather arbitrary in the matter and that numerous walks that have been ordered rebuilt could have stood another year or two. But if they would stop to look into the matter a little and investigate the causes which led to the city's being mulcted in the Newman matter they would cheerfully pay for building their portion of sidewalk. Without entering into the matter of how seriously Mrs. Newman was injured or the justice of her claim against the city, the fact remains that the city was derelict in allowing the walk at the place of the accident to remain in the condition, as the court wisely appeared to deem it a menace to the safety of pedestrians and there is no doubt that its lack of repair had a large bearing in giving the verdict against the city.

The authorities, therefore, should take every precaution to see that repetitions of such claims do not occur and it behooves every good citizen to lend his aid by rebuilding and repairing his walks cheerfully, to the end that the city may be saved costly litigation and the payment of damages for injuries resulting from defective walks.