The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1872-08-12
Orr beautiful Hills.

The ingenuity of old fogyism i'll culogizinS
discomforts for whose abolition it docsn
want to pay, and Inconvenience which 1t
would rather bear than exert itself to re-
move, is quite remarkable. Its great forte
seems to be in showing why everything is
better as it is and nothing new ought to be
done. The dust of ages is the object OF Its
pious devotion, the impossible distractions
themes of poetic inspiration.
So old fogyism falls OH its knees and
worships the hills. Oh. the beautiful hills
The loveliest features of Richmond! Never
let their elevations be rcduccd-perish the
hand that would take of an inch of their
dirty scaps! In this way the listless and
fiinty spirits of apathy and economy become
illuminated with the genius of pocsy. The
poet-laureate will probably dwell on Fifth
street near Main, or Main hear Filth, the
Parnassus of Richmond.
AS nobody has ever proposed to level the
hills of Richmond, we do not see why the
worshippers of the hills should take alarm.
It has been proposed to take of Il slipc OF
surface from limted--very lmited-alei',
leaving still an elevation and an inclination
that will be appreciated in lively manner
by pedestrian on hot day. That is all. 1t
will make the elevation more graceiul-morc
suitable to the necessities of the active COM
merce and intercourse Of thriving city.
Why may not this be done? How can we
get along without it!
Hills are indeed graceful; but is there not
a limit to their height and stcepness to max"
them useful in the purposes of life? Sun
4 shine is indispensable TO life; but it would
g DESTROY life If it were made hot enough to
3 burn what it touched Water is al incsti-
mable blessing, but deluSe would be a
calamity. So hills are pleasant for many
things, but who wants to dwell in the
tops of the HinnIayah? Therefore, our
poets of the hills would be Il little less fanci-
full and much more wise il they would mod
crate their teryor about the hills so as to be
content with elevations that would secure
them drainage and elevation, and at the same
time give them easy communication with
their fellow-citzens, and confer upon conf
merce the benefit of easy transit.
There never vas more practicable pro-
position offered for public consideration than
that to grade Main street, and per conse-
auence to take off the hump of Shockoe Hill
whose centre is Franklin and Fifth streets,
and which is delormlty, IN obstruction, and
an abomination of the city. The opposition
II has provoked is a proof of the smalness
Of the city. The shell is still sticking to the
back OF Richmond. She has not fairly
emerged from the village egg. Personal
pressure and respect for debris and chips,
and cooked hats and old boots, and old
humps and old guiiies, have not ceased To
weigh down the spirit of enterprise and be-
fog the public intellect.
West hope that the grades may be made.
We shall not cease to hope that a measure SO
beneficial to everybody and hurtful to no one
will be carried through. We hope so for the
love we bear to the chief city Of our mother
State. and because we know that the i'm
provement will be vastly advantageous to
her, and we hope SO because we believe this
grading is one of the schemes for improving
her natural advantages that are necessary to
insure her rapid growth. We belieyeihat
every bit of earth that will be touched by
the proposed grade will be immensely en-
HANGED in value, and that the increased 1cyc-
nue. from this enhancement and the rapid
increase of value of all the extensive section
of territory In the best part of Richmond
will make the money expended in the pro-
posed grading most profitable investment
for the city.
1t is due 10 posterity, for whom we are
now managing the great estate. Every year
will increase the cost of this indispensable
grade thus increasing the burthen for pos
terity and deprisIng ourselves Of the adyan-
fage Of IN indispe nsable improvement.
81 10 men say that this grade should
iaise been made by our ancestors? Certainly
bessi,lsp IN their estimation il would be pro-
l,ef. not orr successors complain of
rs 81 otaplainof those who went before
Y Sfef sol making q better grade
Again, why do tile lovers Of bills approved