Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1874-03-19
lailp Aennebse Aournal
AU G u 3 II "A,
THURSDAY MORNING. Mar. l9, 1874
STREETS AND SIDEWALKS.

gree the health, safety, comfort, conVen-
fence and prosperity of the pabilc. lhey
NAV add to the beauty Of a city or rem
der it deformed and unsightly. One OF
the chief attractions in every well ordered
city is good streets and sidewalks. Not
onl, should streets be regularly laid out
and of proper width, but they should be
neatly built and kept. with an eye to good
looks as well as to travel. Neat streets
are not only pleasure 10 the eye, an at
traction to those who tfavel them, but they
promote good taste, encourage noa'hes9
in building and the ornamen'a'ioh OF
grounds and gardens, and thus add sub
stantially to the good character OF neigh
borboods. Filthy streets are generally oc-
cupied by vile and filthy people. No man
of sense will erect a nice house OF orna-
ment lot upon wet, muddy street, with
out sidewalk or crossings. There IS no
indueement to improve his place. The
street is such q deformity and obstacle to
neatness that his time and money are OF no
avail to improve his premises. On The
contrary a street in good order is a con
slant reminder and stimulus to all located
upon it to erect decent buildings. keep
them in good condition, and improve their
grounds so as to make them attractive.
And this aesthetic view Of the subject is
closely connected with that of dollars and
cents, the value Of the property to the in
dividual and town. Every Improvement
made in the city by private enterprise is n
public benefit. making more valuable
property in the vicinity, inviting people to
come in and settle, and reduces the rate OF
taxation. Like good schools, churches,
libraries, our streets may be made to III
fuence our material growth and prosperi-
~. This is beginning TO be better under
stood by our taxpayers and authorities,
and SO we find money voted and paid less
grudingly and in larger sums TO keep
streets and sidewalks in proper order.
The tone of Mayor North's address to
our City Council upon this subject is to be
commended. 1t sustains the OUTLAWS which
have | Q n made within a few yeas to i'm
prove our streets by permanent works and
better sidewalks, even though the cost
has been considerable. His practical mind
sees there is true economy in the policy
adopted. The first cost of granite for
bridges, and concrete for sidewalks is more
than that of wood. but in a series of years
the wood is far more costly. The i'm
provements in our city streets during the
last three years have been large. We
have no doubt they have the approval of
all our citizens. Time will show that the.
money expended upon them was well laid
out. Our ncghbors in Gardiner ventured
the past year to try the experiment Of
draining and paving part of the prin-
cipal street of their city. 1t was a bold
move. but the work is completed, and
now there is scarcely voice in the city
raised against it, even on the score of
economy, the general opinion being that
it will prove wise in pecuniary point of
view as well as in the direct benefits it
will afford. Had the same Improvement
been made fifteen years ago, thousands of
dollars would have been saved to the
treasury which were sunk every year in
the mud and filth of the street and the
business and growth as well as health of
the city would have been promoted by
the same.
The sewerage of our city is a subject
that deserves attention. Our means of
drainage are inefficient, indeed amount to
nothing. The demand for Improvement
in this direction is growing with every
year, and we hope it viii be so loud and
strong that the city authorities will feel it
incumbent upon them to take earnest steps
for the construction of drains and sewers
on some broad and well defined plan. The
city must provide the means for citizens
to drain their dwellings and premises.
Of course such work must be gradual,
but if it were once begun ii would go on
as finances would allow, and in few
years we should have well drained city.
Our city authorities deserve well for what
they have done. Let them continue the
march of improvement. Our streets and
sidewalks are not excelled by those of any
city in the State. If we are wise we shall
not grudge the money that is needed to
make them better and better.