The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1871-09-12
GheGtteIligtuesr,
Numbering the Houses and Naming
the Streets.

The lack of systematic and complet
plan OF numbers for houses In this city
is want that has long been felt. Al
effort to number the buildings on Two o
three of the principal streets was mad
= many years ago, If the numbers thel
employed ever were correct according 4
any general plan, they ceased to be lonl
r since. So many buildings have since
been erected and either not numbered al
. all or numbered by or at the caprice
! of the owner, that the search for given
number along Main, Market or Monroe
nowadays Is about as perplexing a thing
as anybody ever tried But three-fOurths
Of the city has no numbers at all, and in
all that part Of 1t house can only be de-
scribed as on a certain street, or such q
side, between certain other streets, above
or below an alley. u is often difficult
Tor stranger, or even for q person tolers-
blywell acquainted, to find houses In many
parts of the city, Every merchant In
the city has experienced the difficulty in
undertaking to send home the packages
purchased by his customers. The mes.
sepger often rings halt dozen door bells
and rouses the whole neighborhood before
he finds the right place; and sometimes in
his confidence leaves goods at the wrong
one, This kind Of vexation is three cor.
nered The people who didn't buy the
goods are vexed at being disturbed
those who fail to get their packages are
vexedi and the merchant who sold them
ia vexed. We have In our own business,
for many years, experienced much
trouble and vexation in getting our car.
riers to find the houses Of our subscribers.
1t Is so difficult TO designate them exactly,
without Numbers, that often when the
right house Is found the paper Is left at
the wrong door and our subscribers lose
their papers and their patience and we
lose the subscribers; and society at large
suffers from their failure to read first
class family journal.
The remedy tor oil these troubles,
which more or less and at times afIlict
most everybody in the city and many
who come from abroad, Is simple and
Cheap-sO much so that II Is rather
matter for surprise that II has been so
long neglected 1t cannot be much of a
task to devise a method Of numbers for
each street, and It need cost but little 10
have the numbers put up. A contract
for furnishing numbers for the streets Of
Columbus, o., was recently awarded in
that city for five cents per figure. No
street in the city will require over three
figures, so that Is cents house would
be tho maximum Most OF our citizens,
when advised what their numbers are
would have them handsomely painted at
their own expense In Columbus, VIC be.
lieve the cost was assessed on each house.
holder, but II would DO so small ns to
hardly justify collection.
We believe Council could hardly do q
thing that would give more general salts.
faction than TO place this matter in the
hands Of the appropriate committed. II
has already been neglected too long.
This city has now the population TO
Dntitle her to the advantages Of the Gov.
Drnment free delivery letter system. AT
present II would be impracticable, be.
cause letters could not be 80 addressed rs
10 enable tho carrier to find their destina.
ton; but where every house Is numbered,
IS in other cities, nothing is easier. II the
Sity Is properly numbered, and the matter
Is duly represented to the Z. o. Depart.
nent, there Is no doubt the free delivery
system would bo inaugurated in Wheel.
ing The first step towards It Is to mum.
Der our houses. ...... ...............
At the same time It would be we'll TO I
consider the propriety Of ofre.arrahging the
designations Of some of the streets. !
Where streets have well settled names,
such as Main, Market, Quincy, Monroe, /
&c, II will not be desirable (tndeed, II !
would be very nndesirable) to change
hem; but IN solne parts o. the city the !
treets are numbered, and II happens
hat there are the same numbers In sew. 8
,ral wards. We have First and Second .
n the 9th and 9th Wards; First, Second,
Third, Fourth, &c, in the 9Th Ward
Fourth, Filth, Sixth, &C., in the Sd and
Lth; and First, Second, Third, &C, on the q
Island. Then we have two Zane streets,
.wo Locusts, two Pines, and we believe :
some other doublets. Some comprehen.
i've plan TO secure uniformity throughout
he city is needed. These changes will
lave to be made some time, and the
sooner the better for the sooner II Is done
.he sooner we will get accustomed to the
new arrangement.
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