American telegraph. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1851-1851, 1851-06-10
Communicated.

GREY FOXES SWEEPING A TRAIL.
In accordance with the expectations of gen.
tleman, and to meet the views of his friends and
others in the northern part of Twelfth street
west, this writer is induced to assist in the re-
demption of that deduction published not long
since, % that there was no greater nuisance
among our neglected streets and alleys than a
noncompliance with the laws through the ne
glect or design, or both, of municipal agents
without regard to relative position" The work
of exposure, though Herculean, will be divided,
and the parties will not realize the labors of
Sisyphus-for the stone will not roll back, but
be kept moving up till every trifiing obstacle is
surmounted, and every artful dodger made to
see how useless it is to play principal or tool in
a warfare against the rights of the people.
Two days have elapsed since published pro-
posals, authorized by past legislation of the
Councils, required that the shaving and re-
pairing, and filling up the deformed and gutter
sloped X street, between Eleventh and Four
tcenth streets, should have been assigned to
some contractor, particularly when the period
for heavy rain gusts is fast approaching, and
consequent washes" are to be apprehended
on Twelfth street, where il crosses that most
absurd of all slopes upon great thoroughfare
A bidder of one-third less rates than was paid
for on Nj street informed several persons that
it had not been assigned to him, and if done by
any, must needs even be lower, which is of
course much to the advantage of ward whose
treasury has never been overfowing But the
past admonishes to watch the movements of as
signees to old spectators sold out, who, like
Gamaliel, 'care for none of these things re-
ating to economy. Trickery, vanity, show,
and self, were the old rules of action, and fraud
in the laying of a pavement several feet above
~, II. A.
certificate was also in character, in the New
York spectators, who for some twenty years
subjected their opposite neighbors (had they
built to have water passed into their cellar.
from the opposite gutter! The common sense
deduction, the mathematical certainty, that
water must descend from an apex diagonally on
a slope, and thus trench elevated street con-
tinually, had no effect upon minds bent upon
carrying out whims disregardful of the rights of
opposite owners, as well as the consequent ex-
pense at each termini of the slopes, or loss to
the revenue Of the Corporation, from retarding
improvement north, or upon the contiguous
squares.
If there be further delay; if on excellent
man, who is building according to modified
grade, shall be at all incommoded by any attempt
to create expense to the ward, and to bring into
play regulation applicable to all portions of
the city; if the fortieth scheme of foolery be
attempted: if the ward is to be saddled with
any recognition of offraudulenty placed pavement,
why, let all be arrested and let the improve
ments be further stayed till the rains Of heaven
accomplish what the want Of principle would
persist in Withholding! Three surveyors de.
tected the fraud, and while the shave takes
place, since that fraud of placing the pave
ment too high places the schemers out Of the
pale Of redress { = for their own predecessors
wrongs,--let the consequences be what they
may, suffer no such deeds to be sanctioned on
the score of STERN JUsTIcE.
n. B. If these statements be not true, if
d" the truth be not published for good motives,
and for justifable ends" we challenge n suit for
libel, so strong is the desire to hold up brazen
fronts as examples.