The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1872-07-27
The Streets.

People seldom take new idea promptly.
Every proposition, every invention, has 70
undergo the test OF trial and the yet greater
test or neutrality-suspicious. too often srolh
mere biockhcadism and general cussedness.
So we made up our mind when we proposed
that Main street should be graded That we
should have &c wait till the matter tfad oech
fully canvassed and until the obstfussiohis's
had exhausted their Ingenuity in raising
objections to 1t.
The matter has been discussed long enough,
and vet we NAV have 10 wait still longer be-
fore work that every disinterested, 'ntci'i-
gent observer must sec is not only indisren"
sable but OF incalcuIable benefit TO the city
can be done. But 1t ,rtH be done.
The srca. trouble in this city, az we nave
often said. is the cannislinesa OF the people,
caused by the Typographical divisions OF tue
land on which it is built. The people are
divided socially into factions. jealous oil one
another. Each clan is suspicious about ap-
organizations to other sections of the city.
This jealousy forces the log-rolling system.
An appropriation is received or bought by
aid given to other sections. In this way
most really great and important enterprises
Sustain detrimcnt, because to duplicate a
great work would create a draft upon the
treasury which is deemed too heavy, and
thus the means Of the city are frittered away
upon minor enterprises in several directions
at the same time.
This is an evil which can be best met by
opening such COMMUNICATIONS between the
divisions Of the city as will make them init
mate and sympathetic in their policies. AT
present any two divisions are as much scr-
rated as arc Petersburg and Richmond.
In the long run, i'll this way, the money
goes to things not of immediate necessity,
while important improvements connected
directly with the commerce OF the city, upon
which all depend, arc neglected. WE see in
the suburbs great work in digging away hills
and dwelling streets that are far away from
the centre of business. Look ut the vast
work done on the street near Hollywood, and
it is said that the city intends ut an early day
TO I'LL up the ravinc north of Hollywood, to
give easy access to that cemetery. All this Is
very well; but we do not see why we should
expend great deal to establish communi-
cation with the dead while the living are
separated by CULTS almost impossible.
The grading of Main street is Il matter of
paramount importance, socially and COM
mercially. We are satisfied that the great
bulk of the voters of the city is in favor of
it. Yet the opponents are very active and
very ingenious; but as unfair as they arc i'll
genious. For instance:
Some say that the proposition is to lcrcl
Main street, which is too absurd to notice
further than to say, as we have sald fire.
qllently, that Richmond is fortunate in her
undulating surface, as that secures drainage
and health. But in their natural state the
hills arc too steep for commerce. 1t is easy
to compromise between the level and the
steep, and have grade that is practical,
graceful, and heathful-onc adapted TO COM
mercc aud social intercourse. Such are not
our present grades. They are intolcrable,
and we cannot get along with them. They
are discreditabc and Injurious to us not only
as inconvcnicnt to ourselves, but rs the sub
ject of ridiculc by the stranger.
Another objection has been raised that
strongly shows the reckless nature Of the
opposition. 1t is said that .ftiy feet will
have to he cut Off OH Main ut Fifth street to
make proper grade. Now, if the objection
or this account be good, we say that the
argument for grading Is all the stronger. If
fifty feet ought to be taken oil the street
should be now impossible.
But these arguments show the unlairncSs
and instability of the opposition. We sup
pose that fifteen feet will be the very extreme
of the reduction that can be required. The
labor will be tritling, hardly greater than that
Of digging away the bank OH the Wcstlmm
road, which the city has recently performed.
1t will benefit the whole city, and none more
than the owners OF the property Immediately
upon the street graded. 1t shoud not be post
poned the city needs it now. 1t should
have been done twenty years since.