The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1878-05-15
IMPROVEM ENTS.

Under this head yodr contemporary (the
Beacon very justly commends to the inspec-
tion of our stay-at-home citizens, and those
from the surrounding neighborhood, the
changes that have been made in the build
ings on Union street also the matchmaking
of Union street between Church and Coryell
/ streets.
The improvements in the buildings named
/ are of more importance than represented,
and Messrs. Hooker and Rice have practical
/ ly demonstrated plan and method of even
tually abolshing from the sidewalks of the
/ streets of this city those unsightly and abom-
Unable nuisances the porches and steps, which
so greatly hinder and obstruct the pedestrian
and are contrary to law
The cutting down of the floors to nearly
the level of the pavements is a great improves
ment and must eventually be the leading fea-
ture to all popular sale-rooms in this city.
The late Saml. ID. Stryker protested against
this innovation upon the public rights when
many of the buildings were erected, but he
found no response from the citizens to con-
tend against builders.
Ho oNucIo VI property III Sho ivy Va hit-
adelpha had to accept the demands of trade
and were compelled to dispense with flights of
steps into their stores or places of Wholesale
and retail business.
In regard to the matchmaking of Union
street, between Church and Coryel streets,
it is certainly great improvement over the
fiat, muddy and dusty street that heretofore
/ = ~ To-,
proportion in our city.
The work may be satisfactory to the citi-
zens who projected aud paid for large por-
ton of it, and to the city Council who voted
the authority and the balance of the funds
for the contractors. But this is not the COM
petion of that improvement, nor the final
cost to the tax payers of the city and the
owners of property along this macadamized
section of Union street.
Cities are intended, and are designed ex-
clusively to give comfort and enjoyment to
the aged, the young, the weak and iniirm,
and from the most ancient records of archi-
lecture the ordinary step of elevation is seven
inches rise, and here at the intersection of
Union and Coryell streets we have as much as
10 inches and an average of 10 inches, and we
are daily witnessing the trouble and annoy
ance old people, children, mothers and nurses
have in getting along, where this improve
ment of macadamizing has been done in
fact, serious damage to the business of many
is the result, as well as the deprivation of a
liberty and enjoyment to those who have the
right to pass along the street and are entitled
by the annual paym of taxes imposed for
that very purpose.
1t is notorious fact that elderly men and
women, also children, have to avoid these
crossings, which they have heretofore enjoy
ed in their daily business or pursuits, and the
stores aud shops have customers diverted
from them because they cannot readily reach
section of the street as in former times, and
old people are prevented from attending
church and other religious services and visit
ing friends and relatives, because they find it
impraclicable to Chamber over the crossings at
Coryell and Union streets.
This will not be tolerated long and even
now the matter of altering the grade of the
pavement is being agitated 1t is very easy
to ag'tate talk and suggest, but not so easy
to determine how the funds and labor are to
be provided, and the property owners compen-
saled for the alterations demanded, and tie
annoyance they will be subjected to.
Take the case of the hardware store and
property at the N. w. corner of Union and
Coryell streets. Mr.. Boozer being a man of
prudence, judgment and industry, determn-
ed to fit up the premises in proper manner.
AT great expense and trouble, he introduced
the first large tlag-stope from the Hopewell
quarres, and procured the best of curbng, in
tending it to be model job for The city. He
procured the grade of the pavement and street
from the City Surveyor aud placed the work
accordingly. lie further paved the gutter
some three feet in width with cobble stones
and with material from Goat Hill iurnpiked
one half of the street in front of his property
ON Union street, and all at his own expense of
time, labor and money.
Under the name of improvement, few oc-
| cupants; and perhaps small majority of lot
owners, in connection with parties who desir-
cd to have money expended, prevailed upon
the city Council to have Union street, from
Church to Coryell street. and portions of Cor
yell street brought down to the established
grade, and macadamized, and in so doing MIR.
Boozer's turnpiked street and his paved gut
ter have been torn up, the boother stones lie in
confusion along his curbing, the material
hauled from Goat Hid, by his own labor, and
placed by his own careful hands in the street
was hauled away, his curbing undermined on
Union strickland far worse on Coryel
street, and he is further inundated by the
idea that his pavement must be lowered. The
entrance into his store damaged, and most
unsightly streak of unfinished wall will be
made visible if the pavement is lowered.
This is only one case. There are many 9TH
ers who suffer fully in proportion with Mr..
Boozer but not in details, and they are en-
titled to a just and legal compensation from
the city for these damages and aDnoyances,
and the city must enforce the alteration of
the pavement to conform to the grade of the
macadamized section Of Union street as they
have authorized and permitted.