Caption: Board of Trustees Minutes - 1902
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286 UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS. AND S P R I N G F I E L D STREET. [June 30 P A V E M E N T ON M A T H E W S A V E N U E S AND R O M I N E M r . S m i t h p r e s e n t e d t h e following s t a t e m e n t with r e g a r d to t h e assessment a g a i n s t t h e U n i v e r s i t y for t h e p a v i n g of M a t h e w s a n d Springfield a v e n u e s a n d R o m i n e street, a n d t h e action t a k e n was approved. URBANA, I I I , June 30, 1902. lo the Board of Irustees of the University of Illinois: The City of Urbana passed an order to pave a portion of Mathews and Springfield Avenues and part of Romine street, and the County Court approved and made an order appointing a Commissioner to assess benefits to .the abutting property. The Commissioner to assess benefits made a report to the Court of his assessments. The total number of feet fronting on the street to be improved was. 7,251 The university had fronting on said street only 2,597.7 The total assessed cost of improvement was $21,407 75 The city of Urbana was assessed to be paid by general tax 1,501 73 Leaving a balance to be paid by abutting property owners $19,906 02 The university is assessed for 2,597 7 feet the sum of 10.702 50 Property owners on the same and opposite sides of street for 4,654 feet the sum of 9,193 52 This assessment makes the University pay $4.12 per foot while private property owners pay only $2.47 per foot. Notice was served on the Secretary of the Board that such assessment was made and that the University should show oause why such assessment should not be confirmed hy the County Court on June 9th, which notice was handed me, with request to give the matter attention. Realizing that the assessment was greatly unjust, illegal and inequitable, I requested Mr. J . L. Ray to assist me in resisting said assessment. Mr. Nightingale, the president of the Board, being in Champaign I called his attention to the matter and told him what I had done, which he approved and advised me to make such defense as we could. The cause came to hearing before the County Court on June 16th, and it was held by the County Court that as to the University the proceeding was wholly illegal and the proceeding was dismissed. By the defense we defeated the payment and thereby saving to the University $3,014.00. An appeal was prayed to the Supreme Court by the city of Urbana; whether the case will be taken up I can not say. Respectfully, THOMAS J. SMITH. Mr. J . L . R a y ' s bill of $150 for services was ordered paid. P A V E M E N T ON S O U T H W R I G H T STREET. Q u e s t i o n s h a v i n g arisen as to w h e t h e r or n o t t h e U n i v e r s i t y was liable u n d e r t h e assessment m a d e for p a v i n g t h e two s o u t h blocks on W r i g h t street i n C h a m p a i g n , t h e B o a r d adopted t h e following resolutions: Besolved. By the Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois that it ratifies and confirms every step and action taken to pave South Wright street in Champaign from the south end thereof to the south line of Daniel street, including the legal sufficiency of the petition, the action of the Board of
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