American Republican and Baltimore daily clipper. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1844-1846, 1845-02-20
For the American Republican.
FAYETTE STREET.

An article in the Clipper of Tuesday informs
the public that the opening and extension o
Fsyette street from Gay to Pitt street is about
to be seriousl urged upon the City Councils,
and hope is expressed that it will not be with
out success. The writer thinks that the i'm.
provement is called for from various consider
atoms, and then proceeds to state what these
considerations are, one of which is, that the
citizens of the 'swest endn would find this i'm.
provement highly convenient in their promen-
AIDES to the eastern section of the city, especial
| ly to Paramount, whence many resort during
the summer evenings for recreation.
1t would no doubt be desirable to have a:
many avenues and thoroughfares opened as
would be necessary for the comfort and &C.
commodation of our citizens, but in doing that
there other considerations to be taken into the
account; such as the necessity or exEediency Of
such improvements-whe whether they are for the
public good or for private interest-whethel
in enhancing the value of property on one
street you do not depreciate it on another
whether the benefit resulting from the improve
ment will justify the cost of saaking it, and
whether the expense will fall exclusively upon
those who are benefited by it or not? Those
are considerations which prudence requires
should be taken into the account before en-
barking in any new scheme that would involve
both the city and the citizens in heavy ey-
pense at a time VIXEN they are ground down
by burdens which they are unable to bear.
1t was the intention of the original commits
sioners of Baltimore Town, to open Fayette
street into Front street, and for that purpose
they left an opening in Harrison at an equal
distance between Baltimore and Gay streets,
but by neg ecting toSecure the property on
which the Church of St. Vincent de Paul is
now built, they let slip the opportunity of max
ing the improvement at the only place where
it would be at all useful or practicable. As to
opening Pitt ST., it is so near Baltimore st., that
nothing would be gained by it.
But besides the mode which has hitherto
been adopted in opening streets is highly OBJ
jectionable, inasmuch as it leaves to a Board of
Commissioners the power of assessing damages
on those, who in their opinion, may be benefit
ted, without the possibility of appeal or re-
dress of any kind; and instances have occurred
in which men were compelled to pay large
sums under this plea, when, in reality, they
were injured instead Of being benefited
Many eases of hardship, and much heartburn
ing have been experienced in this way.
In some other cities they have a better way
of opening streets than this. When such a
thing is necessary, the corporation employs
agents to purchase the property necessary to
make the improvement, which is paid for out
of the City Treasury, and as the same thing
has to be done, sometimes in one section of the
city and sometimes in another, there is no To-
cal jealouses, because it is for public benefit,
and the expense falls alike upon all.
If i'll the case. of Fayette and Pitt streets,
the owners OF property agree among them
selves to open those streets at their own ex-
pense for their own benefit, have not the least
objecton-but if it is intended to put the city
to the expense of building another bridge over
the Falls, or to give to commissioners the pow
er of taxing individuals for any part thereof, |
most solemnly protest against 1t; and hope
the citizens generally will wake up to the i'm
portonce of the subject. AN OLD CITIZEN.