The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1867-04-16
CHI A r Es TON.
TUESDAY MORNING, APRIL 1e, 1867.
CHTY IMPROVEMENTS.

uilectlon TOR narrow streets. we have never
been able to ascertain. But so it is, and not
here only. On the contrary, we find views
more contracted, and streets more strait the
further east we trace our steps, and the deeper
down we look into the vista of the ages. In
Syria, Turkey, Greece, and Italy, we find the
hnon nai I-r.- -A--.--- --.-%%----=-e- !
fares In trr!l they scarcely merit that name,
for they were almost exclusively made for the
use of the pedestrian, and afforded ample
room and verge enough for the f.hampered"
donkey. Those ancient burghers doubtless
were good men and true, and very well in their
way, but they knew nothing of business. They
had no street cars, express wagons, omnibuses,
hacks or drays. In fact, we do not believe they
had 80 much even as ssone-horse shay.',$ The
consequence of this old fogyism this highly re
prehensible want Of foresight, is that nearly
every city in Christendom has been compelled,
SINCE the opening of the present century, to
the no small annoyance Of taxpayers, to reno
yate and reconstruct on on expensive scale. In
Paris, as is well known, this work is continually
progressing. NJ. HAUssMAN's name will de-
scend to the latest generations as the great
iconoclast Of the present; earning odium only
for what he. destroys, and no credit for what
he is constructing. In New York ALSO and
other Of the older and larger cities Of the
North, we find this same course Of improve
ment continually going on. . 4t
Charleston, our venerable old city, like her
sisters, has her narrow streets. Ours are not
generally very crooked. They were not pro-
jected upon cow-paths, as the late EDWARD
EVERETT said was the origin Of tho streets of
Boston; and as has beer said also of Pearl
street in New York. improvements have
been necessary, and were entered upon,
from time to time, as permission was OBJ
tained from the Legislature But it was
not until,a general Act was passed for this
purpose, appointing so Board Of Commission
ers with power and authority to declare in
what cases the streets, lanes and aliey1ss Of the
city shall be widened; and to provide for carry
ing into execution the objects Of the said Board;
and for other purposes therein mentioned.
This Act provides for nine Commissioners, to
be appointed BY the Legislature, whose appro-
val and sanction was necessary before City
Council could take any steps in carrying out
the other provisions Of this Act N,
Section VIII Of this Act (of 1917 says:
sand, whereas, narrow and confined streets
lanes and alleys, are disadvantageous to every
city, exposing buildings so. situated to great
danger IRON rom ire, and the inhabitants thereof
oy close and confined air. to malignant dis
eases: Be it further enacted by the authority
aforesaid, that from and Immediately after the
passing Of this Act, no street, lane, alley, or
court shall be opened, laid out. extended or
established within any part Of the City Of
Charleston less than sixty feet, and until the
same shall be previously approved by the Com
missioners Of the Streets of said city.
There has been no opportunity in Charles
ton during the past thirty years of entering On
such improvements on an extensive scale, and
at 80 little cost to tax payers, as we have at
present. The FIRE of 1861 laid waste a large
part Of the heart of the city; and while It is
true that business hos not increased within that
PERIOD and It cannot, therefore, be said that
any extensive alterations in the topography Of
the city are absolutely necessary, yet We are
glad to know that liberal ideas have made great
progress here within the last few years, and
there are now but few freeholders opposed to
any reasonable scheme having in view. the: i'm
provement Of the city. We expect. within a
few years, not only to do the business we had
IN 1860, but largely to- increase it. And now
IS the time to make the necessary preparation,
especially in the burnt district, where streets
can be widened at very small cost. s. -E
Accordingly soon after the present Gomez,
vas was organized various plans were proposed, all
having for their object the widening and
Strengthening Of streets, most of them within
the burnt District; and as the old: plan---ouf a
Board Of Commissioners, "appointed from
time to time by the Legislature whose sane
ton had to be first obtained for carrying oft
any such improyement,-was too slow and cir
cumlocutory, laid the way open for continual
con complaints; il short, did not work wel1,-Coun-
Gil petitioned the Legislature for repeal Of that
part Of the Act Of. 1917; and on December. IA,
1855, the Legislature passed an Act nmendatorv
TO that Of 1917, which says that thereafter Il
shall shall be left to the Mayor and Aldermen Of
charleston IN City Council assembled to deter
m.ne what Streets lanes, alleys, or courts shall
- iAAu oas' OPe'Aed. widened, or extcnded with:
- Ine limits OF the city, and TO ~ IA
improvements into execution in the, .nanner
provided by law, without the Intervention Of
commissioners. Z The Act also authorizes City.
Council to close any street, lane, or alley #
they deem it necessary fol, the benefit Of the
city: 5 IN y. .5s y5::.ss, : + .
The City Council, after having determined
on an improvement Of this character, = appoints
. Board of Commissioners to assess the private
property needed for the purpose; and We do.
not think such - Board will have much diff
Guilty in nscertaining the proper value IF the
lots in question, and in giving satisfaction.
to lot-holders, as we may take il for granted
that pracEca! business men, of .character.an
standing, will be selected for = discharge Of
n's ,oeAoate auty. 81, s,s,i.
a Council has determined to widen King street.
. move which has the hearty enaorsen,ent Eof.
the whole city. We hope .they win continue
their Efforts and do the same for Queen 81 street
II not from East Bay, at least from Meeting,
street Is the Roper Hospital y Theirs is but one
house, on the north side Of the street, 81, those
three squares that would have Is be recessed,
and the proprietor Of il We learn, Is quite viii
ling to have II done. All the remand der. within
those limits is part Of the tsbufnt and
will cost but little "a sufficient wiiaanil;p 81
Queen street viii enhance the yaldleS os 81 propef4
both along the street itself, and is It's VI. ;.
entity; and there is no reason wlay, 4thia;
acEana "a "a rr al o,tt ~. n,,s