The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1875-06-03

a move was nuue III NOuHCll WI 1ucn'
day night to forbid by ordinance the
erection OF awning posts on the pave
ments or the extension OF signs across the
payements, 1t elected good deal Of dis
cuasion and was but partially successful
While We would not presume to dictate
10 the Council what measures should 'c
adopted, we cannot but conruFwIth those
who advocate the prohibition of cross
signs extending from the house to the out
edge Of the pavement, Many such signs
are hung very low in order to force, as it
were, the attention Of the passer-by.
Some of them barely avoid the laws pro-
yidlng against the obstruction OF tile
i. sidewalks, and all OF them are unsightly
distractions to the street view.
The cross signs are, Of course, designed
to render the place OF the tradesman or
dealer conspicuous, and great deal oil
ingenuity-mOre ingenuity than taste
has been displayed in the Signs which
cumber the sidewalks in some portions oil
The city. The proposed ordinance limits
the extension OF cross signs to three feet
from the building, which distance GER
tainly gives sufficient room to erect
a neat ornamental sign, and is all that
should be allowed The subject OF avn.
ing posts and awnings did not seem to us
to be clearly apprehendcd by some Of the
members Of the First Branch, since they
spoke Of the kind which opened out and
shut up like n fam. Such are used only
rs a shade for windows So far as Main
street Ia concerned north Of the creek,
but very few Of the old obnoxious wooden
frames exist, and since the late improve
ment from Nth street to 10th street all
on that portion Of the street have been
taken down, as have in fact all others sup
ported by uprights Of any kind resting on
the payements. 1t is the desire Of much
the larger portion OF the people living on,
and doing business oil that portion Of tho
street covered by the late improvement,
that Il should DO kept clear Of all un-
slightly fixtures in tho way Of cross signs,
and that the curbs should in the future
be kept clear Of all posts, whether OF wood
or iron, for the support Of awning frames.
All those who have replaced their avn.
ings have adopted the self.suppOrting
suspended frames, thus leaving the pave
ment unobstructed by anything and pre-
serving the symmetry Of the entire street.
OF course there are few people every
where who huve to be forced up to the
advancing condition Of things - who
would, il they could save for the time
being a hve.cent piece, refuse to
comply with any rule or suggestion
which had not the force Of law, however
obvious the improvement made thereby.
The Main street improvement is one that
Justly Commends itself to every person in
the city as not only the best but rs ab.
.solutely the single respectable improve.
lfent ever made in the streets Of this city.
1t is but reasonable, then, that n large
degree Of personal pride in having all
the Improvement that has been made
stand out prominently, should he mani.
tested by those living and doing business
on the line Of the improvement, II
would certainly he a good idea to make
the Main street Improvement an mi
tial point, not only for the character
Of all future street improvements
but also for all legislation in re-
lation to the matter Of awnings aud
signs, such as Is now before the Council
So fast rs the progress Of undermining our
city in the way Of street improvements
proceeds, 80 fast, at least, should steps be
taken 10 remove every obstacle from the
walks, until nothing remains thereon
save and except the fire plugs. As M ex'
cuse for the support Of awning frames
from the pavements, II is claimed
by some that the fronts Of few
buildings will not stand the weight Of
hanging awnings. All We have to say Ia
this argument is that house, the front
of which will not bear the weight Of an
awning Ia not safe building to live in,
or indeed to he left standing, and the
owners Of such buildings putting in such
a plea should be compelled to tear them
down as dangerous to life. The subject
Ia we'll worthy the attention Of the City
Fathers and We shall probably see what
they will do about it,