The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1872-05-27
THE Grade Question.

The Grade Question.
Richmond seems to be All unfortunate city.
1t has All unusual proportion OF iniio"-
minded and impricticable persons III posi-
tions of prominence. We talk about making
Richmond great city, and YET the improve
mrnts that are Indispensable 10 make lici >"
are opposed earnestly ~ unnecessary works.
One description Of improvement tiGt Is OF
This INDISPENSABLE character is the grading OF
the principal streets so as to make them suit
able for the purposes OF commerce. Ana
there are men who contend that it IS impoS.
siLe to grade streets on which houses are
built
Other cities can grade their streets
Chicago can lit up the whole business part
of her territory eight lighthouses may ne
torn down to open new Streets-holiSeS may
be cut down for many squares to widen
strects--hills may be dug away, and houses
with them. All this may be done III towns
of enterprise and public spirit but here Ill
Richmond, God forbid that there should be
any such capers---,iny such disturbance Of the
hallOwed dust of years!
1t has been rontpnded that houses on Main
street between Eighth and Fourth preclude
the possibility of grading that street. II the
grade is one incompatible with the business
Of city setting up u clam to the nanie OF
city, it matters not if it We're closely built up
on both sides, the street should be graded.
Shall the business Of the city and the inter
course olthe people be forever subjected tose-
rious Inconvenience for such u reason as that?
People that say it ought not to live i'll city
ut all. They should live where they would
not be annoyed by the spirit of improve
ment, and where they would be no obstacle
to other peoples enterprises.
But Main street between Fourth and
Eighth has not many houses upon it. They
are indeed very sparse ut the point OF deep
est cutting. Between Fourth and Fifth
there are three Oh the south side and three
on the north side. Between Fifth and Sixth,
on the south side there are Mrs. ALLAN's
house Situated far back from Main street,
and the Second Baptist church, neither OF
which would be injured by the grade, while
Mrs. ALLAN's property would be greatly ell
HANGED by the improvement. On the north
side there IL only one house between Fifth
and Sixth, the Gibbon House, occupied by
DR.. H6GE. Between Sixth aud Seventh, Oh
the north side there il but one house, while
between those streets Oh the south side the
line Of buildings is solid, but the houses arr
all dweling-houses with deep cellars, that
cannot he seriously injured by the improve
ment. Between Seventh and Eighth the
buildings are not valuable, and the grade
will there require little cutting away.
Now, we can never find the street in bet
ter condition for grading; and we can rarely
find street IN business part OF Gil!
whose buildings could be with less reason
urged ~ uu objection to grading 1t to re:
sonab)e degree.
And yet it Is said that these buildings Oh
Main street offer an insuperable objection t
the proposed grade! 1t is absurd to say so
The public necessity would override the mat
ter OF houses if they We're in solid array from
Fourth to Eighth.
The old fogies, who can't understand how
men can be so recklesSly enterprisins rs to go
TO grading the public streets, propose as all
alternative that there be two lines of street
railways-one on Main aud another Oh Broad
street-leaying passengers to make the con
nection by footing 1t from Main to Broad
1t is only necessary to state the proposition
to bring it into universal ridicule among al
sensible and practical people. Pray, what
part Of al the thoroughfares of the city dc
people most want to be conveyed in the cars
Exactly that very part where these philoso
piers propose that they shall walk
But it is needless to discuss these apathetit
suggestions.
We tell the people of Richmond this: thai
the grades Of their principal streets are toe
steep for commerce, too steep for their owl
convenience, aud that their city cannot bt
great until they are reduced to reasonable
inclinations. We tell them that the street.
railway cannot hold out against such grades,
aud that unless they are improved we shall
soon be without a street railway. All We
tell them further that NO city can TO without
The street railway. When that fails for such
cause we would as Well wind up the city,
raze its buildings, and SOW It's land witIsalt.
You may talk OF your great city; but with
out good grades apd stseet-esrs you csn have
NO great city nay, ne city at all. = !,
We beg leave to impress this important
question upon the l,ewly-elected City COIN
ell. We trust there IL 10 that body enough
OF youthful energy and enough OF ssgacity
!. and hope In the future TO induce thesasto
turn deaf aar to ail t,e arguments Of the
listless old Sogies, and to proceed NJ once to