The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-10-21
MONDAY, OCTOBER q, 1857.
The Future of Broad Street.

ourate In size and elegance with the rank OF
our oitv. While almost every other of the
great municipalities of the world has some one
svenue on which it can fix its pride, we have
none. George Augustus Sala has devoted
napes in the British magazines to the descrip
tion of the "streets of the World, yet we find
none credited to the City of Brotherly Love.
This absence of such a real object of local con-
graduation might be discouraging, were it not
that in the course Of a few years it is almost
certain that we will possess a street which
may Justly rank as an equal of the Boulevards
of Paris, and far exceed in natural advantages
Broadway Of New York. In all probability,
however, five years will see Broad street so
altered that it will hardly be recognizable even
by those who have for years resided within
sight of it.
We do not base our expectations Of the
beauty Of Broad street on any fallacious theo-
ries, but can see clearly exactly how and why
the change we anticipate will surely occur.
The great length of that avenue, ex-
tending as it does into the country both north
andsouth of Philadelphia, and passing through
the heart of our city, will make it a most de-
sirable route for carriages; and all that pre-
vents its already being such is the execrable
condition of its paving. But we have good
reason for believing that the bright future of
Broad street is drawing near. By act of the
Legislature, the time in which the owners
of the rails are allowed to remove them
has almost elapsed. AS soon as it is
passed, we will find that great nuisance
become thing of the past. The effect
will be instantaneous. An entirely diffe-
rent GLASS of buildings will line both sides
of the street from Arch to Coates. In
place of the present filthy and ugly coal
yards and grain depots will be handsome
stores and residences, and we will have hand
some North Broad street and the elegant
houses on South Broad street connected by
equally fine buildings through the centre
of the city. When this is done, and both
sides of the entire street are lined with such
buildings as now grace the upper and lower
ends, we will have thoroughfare which need
not fear comparison with any in the Old
World.
The rapid completion Of the new composition
pavement, which, in course of time, will extend
the whole length of the avenue, presents us
with road over which it is a pleasure to
travel. In place of the dangerous and rough
cObble-stones, we have ground as smooth as
though it was paved like our sidewalks, and
over which horses can travel without danger
to the feet, and carriages roll without dislo-
eating tho limbs of those whom they carry.
The result will be an immense increase of
private carriages and horses, and a marked
alteration in the horsehesh of Philadelphia.
Atpresent there is really very little satisfaction
in keeping private carriages in our city. 1t
is necessary to ride so far over painfully
rough streets before you reach the country,
that half the trip is as much pain as the rest
is pleasure. And then again, our citizens
have no place to exhibit their fine horses.
People may say what they please about the
love of blooded animals and the pleasure of
riding, but the truth is that great deal of the
pleasure consists in the fact that others are
driving fine horses as well as yourself
1t is the same with horses as it is
with toilets. It doubtless affords a real
pleasure for lady to dress elegantly for her
own satisfaction, but how much is that
pleasure enhanced when she knows that her
dress is the admiration of the opposite and the
envy OF her own sex So it is with horses. It
is pleasure to have them, but ten times
greater pleasure to show them to friends. When
Broad street is completed there will be one
grand avenue on which all can meet, and each
compare his own equipage with that of his
neighbor. ANY one who has visited Central
Park, in New York, can see how much this
fact cOnduoes to the number and elegance of
the turn-outs.
In addition to these beneficial effects, which
will at once follow the renovation of Broad
street, we venture to express a hope, if we
cannot say an expectation, that the public
buildings contemplated nearly one hundred
and eighty years ago by William Penn will at
last stand in their destined places on the
squares which bear his name There is no
other location in the city so we'll adapted for
such purposes. Cut up into four parts. each
of which is just of the proper size to be-
adorned by building in its centre, it
seems IS though through all these years the
city has been gradually preparing itself
for the great duty it is now to perform. With
proper edifces for public purposes at Broad
and Market streets, the beauty and useful
ness of the street will be incalculably enhanced.
We earnestly call the attention of our City
Fathers to the propriety of such a grant as