Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1868-06-16
Editors Memphis Appeal :

Editors Memphis Appeal:
We wish to inquire, through your col
umns, Messrs. Editors, vino il responsible
for the present shameful condition Of the
street on the south side of Court Square ?
To US, it is perfectly unaccountable that
while all the surrounding streets and al
leys IN its vicinity have been paved and
are in comparatively good condition, this
little segment Of street, bordering upon
the only ornament as yet the city owns
in the way Of park, should have been
left for so long in its present horrible
state. For mere than twelve months IL
has been growing from bad to worse,
until the limit Of passive endurance has
been reached. The dwellers upon the
south side of Court Square are patient
folks, but there is danger OF exhsustiDg
even our stock OF fOrbearance.
Before the work of paving was begun
IN Memphis, ire were infinitely better of
than now, Then, we had at least brick
guttering of sufficient inclination TO carry
off some of the liquid garbage and offsl
that in our seIOeTless city finds its way
into those open conduits. But the first
effect of the zeal for paving that seized
upon our city authorities about a year
ago, was to deprive Us Of even these.
Some thirteen months since, detach-
menr Of the paving contractors set in
dustriously to WORK tearing up the brick
from these cutters and setting curb
stones, which excited pleasing antieipa-
tions OF well paved street at an early
day; bus it seems that they exhausted
themselves with this effort, for nothing
more has ever been done towards the
further improvement of the street and
moreover, the brick thus taken up were
hauled away, and two rasping bitches
left where the cutters had been, which,
amer every rain that has since fallen,
have more resembled D1OdtS, or pools,
than anything intended for purposes of
drainage. The change in the grade of
Second street has erected q complete
dam across these cutters st the intersee-
ton Of South Court and Second streets,
and converted them-espeeially the one
on the south side of the street.-The mere
cesspOOts, reeking with filth of every
description; and the deposit from these
has gradually filed and raised them I'm.
til, in some places, no trace of a gutter
is left, and the Sidewalk has to serve for
a gutter Whenever it rains.
1t is, we repeat, past comprehension
that this little segment OF street between
Main and Second should be thus strange
ly neglected, and the most pleasant out
look upon our pretty little square thus
suffered to degenerate into nuisance.
Why is 1t that less important and less
freuueri. ed streets are Oeing paved to the
confines of the corporation, and this fes-
tering sore in the heart of the city is left
to generate diseases in our midst It is
not because the property holders on the
south side OF the Square are not willing
to meet the necessary expense Of paving.
They will cheerfully do their part. Then
let the work be commenced at once, be-
fore July sun shall make it dangerous
to attack and remove the mass OF foetid
matter that will be exposed to daylight
when the excavations necessary for paw
ing are made. We invoke the aid Of the
eloquent pen Of your chief in our behalf.
Let ground be broken early this week
and the work completed without delay.
SUFFERERS