Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1860-07-20
Prosress OF Civilization In Cleveland.

Mr.. EDfTOR:-1Ou may Well cOnBfatulaSo
your city friends on the encouraging progress
of civilization in our midst. For a long time
we have been engaged in the laudabe work
Of praising our beautiful city, and trying to
make ourselves believe that no other such
delightful residence could be found in this
Western country, if indeed in the United
States. We have taken special pains to call
the attention Of visitors to our Euclid street,
that magnificent avenue of aristocracy; to
our splendid churches, those monuments Of
our luxurious piety to our public buildings;
TO our grand old inland sea and TO the shrub
berry on all our streets, and especially in our
public parks. When people have inquired
for our places of business, and wondered at
the quietness in our thoroughfares of trade,
we have scarcely been able to conceal our
contempt for their stupidity. As if Cleve-
land was to be place of tradeI To be sure
We have had our troubles. Some mereenary
wretcbes have established factories, found
ries and work shops in our suburbs. A large
number Of Dutch and Irish are known to in
habit the outskirts Of our town, and may be
seen any morning or evening going to or re-
turning from their work, in the shops afore7
said, and bearing their tin pals or dinner
baskets. But these unpleasant sights arc not
likely to attract the notice Of our refined vis-
itors, and we ourselves resoluteIy shut our
eyes to the mOrtifying spectacle. It is also
true that our Euclid street has occasionally
been flooded, during heavy rains, by the wa
ter from some of those same outlying dis
tricts, inhabited by the working classes afore-
said. For this intolerabIe evil two remedies
have been sought: 1. ''Civil suits in dam
ages against the city" which suits have not
always paid expenses. 2. The construction
of sewers, for which the property of the nfore-
said common people is to be taxed, since they.
allow the water to run from their streets,
where it would incommode nobody but them
selves, on to Euclid street.
1t is also true that certain pot-house poll
ticians, in order to curry favor with the mob,
shut up those streets leading through our
Central Park, and even prevailed upon the
City Council to establish a fountain in the
centre of said Park, to provide benches for
| the accommodation of visitors, and finally 10
allow the people to supply themselves with
] music, by a band, at their own private ex-
pense. Thus the Park has become an even
ing resort for loafers, genteel or otherwise, to
the great disgust Of all well bred people who
have gardens and slhrubbery, music of their
own, and don't need te resort to such pro
miscUOus gatherings for am 'tsemento or relax
alton after the labors of the day are over
This shutting up Of the Park was e1ected IN
spite Of the remonstranees of certain disrI-
terested property holders, ana the same be-
nevolent persons have now made q vigorous
effort to induce the Council to abats the nui-
sance. We must confess il is ridiculous that
our best society should be obliged to drive
around the Park in passing to or from their
palatial residences. of course we all under
stand that the talk about injuring their prop
erty or business, by closing the Park, is only
bosh, but it helps to make out q case. IF our
wise and Independent Council should grant
said inquest, it will afford encouragement TO
other parties who are trying to ape their bet
ters. A striking instance Of such emulation
has just occurred. -..- 4. III /
The Rail Road Iron Mill has been indiet-
ed by the Grand Jury as a public nuisaneel
Ofeourse it is and always must be a nuisance
to genteel people. We only wish the Grand
Jury would indict all the Soap Factories, the
Boiler shops, the coal oil establishments the
white lead factories, the brass foundries, the
tanneries, and slaughter houses and pork
shops, the markets and butcher shops, and
candle makers, and above al, the Rail Roads.
which so horribly disturb our evening med
Itations and morning slumbers by the in
cessant rumbling Of their cars, and the
irlghttul screaming of their locomotives. If
1t We're not that we can get used to almost
anything, we should give up in despair.
We trust the Grand Jury which had the
courage to make the above presentment
will at least be held in grateful remembrance
by your uppeT-tond0m, since it is likely the
greasy and smutty mechanics will curse
them for pack of fools.
But who wants to live in a pandemonium
like Pittsburgh, where a clean face or a
white dress IS an impOssibility? The smoke /
and dirt and noise Of Pittsburgh is all well
enough to people who care for nothing but
making money,-but we-well, that is not
IN our lme-we aspire to something above
such sordid pursuits. 1870. a
After all our hopes of permanent progress
in gentility are not very strong. We great
ly fear that no Petit Jury can be found to
punish the ehimneys of the Rolling Mill
we lear the Council viii not venture to re-
open the Square; we fear the attempt to re-
IIeNe 1, EucIid St. at the expense of the suburbs
VIII iall; IN short, We fear, above ali. that
unless we can get large increase of sbons
and factories, and mills, of tin pail carriers
and hard listed workers, our beautiful and
boasted city will gradually, calmly and per
manently subside into a state Of fepose that
may comport with the taste and e0nven-
ience Of the few who have plenty of money,
while the hungry masses will be Obliged 10
mmigrate to parts unknown. x. Y.