The comet. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1877-1882, 1879-12-20
LAMPS AND SIDEWALKS
"A Wall from IL Sexegenariau.

o. To the Editor of The Comet
" Allow me the use of your columns TO call
n 'he attention OF our citizens and city au-
d thorltles to one or two matters of general
interest. The first of these is the condition
OF our sidewalks, which, with the eycep-
:, tlon of here and there Il place in front of
some new storc-house, or some private
4 dwelling where new walks have been mt
down, the sidewalks of Jackson are n dis
grace to the community, claiming. ~ we
do to have some proper notions of the com
lofts and conveniences of civilized life,
one Is much safer ut night in taking the
middle of the road, where generally there
may be found a reasonably good wagon
road surface to walk upon; while the side
walks, which, i'll theory, are supposed to be
the smoothest part of the highway, are in
reality broken up into holes. ridges and
are well covered with loose and broken
brick, over which pedestrians have TO xt1m-
Die, to the great danger of diSlocatinp an
ankle-joint, or of getting broken limb or
bruised side. beg leave to say that it is
the duty OF the city authorities to see to if
that the walks of the city are kept in good
order, and not TO rely on individual ownors
of property to relieve them of that dutv !
Leu TAX De assessed upon the property in c
'front.' OF which sidewalks require to be j
bllllt or repaired and have the work done. il
hrst giving notice to the property holder to G
DO himself If within a limited time he will Il
not do 1t, the city should do it and collect =
the tax from the property. No city in the ;,
country ought to put up for Il single dav
with the miserably dilapidated walks. sucb al
as now disgrace this community. | know ir
number OF persons who scarcely ever 20 &C
Out at night because of the danger of bcino is
injured should they fall while CROPPING their Ia ~
way over the broken pavcments of the citv a
)ne person fell down the other night and n,
Vas quite badly bruised; another. some cu
Inc since, fell, and though not injured N
vas solled all over in the mud and wafer lei
leld III the broken place in the walk. If tia
oes seem to me that this is II most patient an
community, to put up for so many wears ~
flth the nuisance of which am now com ,I
tanning. There are parts of the streets sh,
here the walk is all broken up, and which of
ave been in that condition for fifteen vears Wo
ever since the war, pre
Ihere Is another want to which | will pra
vi attention, and that is the want of street
gifts on the leading thOrOughfares of the r
ty. Not street lamp is to be found in all ne
city kept at the public expense some ligl
the business places have lights of their En-!
IN III front of their establishments, and ven
rhaps one or more of the churches have
treet lamp on Sunday nights during the III
urS of service, and light in the CanitoI Miss
Hiding is kept, but these are the cxcep- meet
II. The rule is TO burn no street light :, h"eS
even on so great thoroughfare os Can- ~ -
''io''' from 'he uepot to state street its Sc
passenger, either going to or from the mem
5 in the night, must go feeling his WAY Nate
ng in the dark over broken pavements.
hire carriage, whether he is able to Abrs
Tor one or not. | know that the city
es are very high, and know that tbc y! N e
,ction will be made that we cannot aC ~
street lights, but say nevertheless. A
we had better economic in some other q
. Lights at night and good sidewalks l..
he principal streets, are necessity that Z.
cannot, well, any longer do without. but
seem to forget that this is the CAPITAL M
he state, to which are drawn by public
ness people from all parts of the State.
Legislature meets here the Supremc Ora
t sets here tbo Tinted S+atos -, the bri
Diytri,., C,,,,,.t,,, No'i't W. VI
- ii'o't n'i'' the 1O'cr- mont,
and State officers are obliged to live Hind,
and yet we are not even a respectable -
re in the matter Of sidewalks and
lamps. What say our authorities
we or not have the improvements so
needed! SENEN.