The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1879-04-17
About a City,

,ars ,ha, there has been going on quietly.
,nd n some extent anobserved, great
charge In the reIslrse values OF CITY pro.
ncr,y. Broad-street property has advanced
considerably, while chat on Main street mas
,,.en relatively declining. Some rents on
Rrosd street are higher than those in con-
spIcuous parts Of Main street. Below the
market ON Maia, and below Fourteenth
street, rents baVe steadily declined s'uce t"e
war, and higher UP on Main street, ana P'".
s,cnlar,y wcstaf Ninth, property has at pest
,.noo;ned ct q stand-stili; while on Broao
<,ree, there is n greater appearance OF ac'l'-
err and indeed better show OF business
THAT street presents busting, snowy up
,,e,rance. sad always excites the remarks OF
the passenger for its brishtness ana eneetN
3ulness.
Now. what is the mattcre We answer
promptly and correctly: it is toe 9Taoes OF
sbc streets. We would do nothing in the
world 10 pull back Broad street; but some
thing oawht to be done to benefit Nam.
The psl,inc back OF any street should not
result from promoting the prosperity on an
other. The proper grading and DISPOSE
tjons of streets aud squares never cause
martini and unequal growth and develop
ment OF city, but ditfuse benefits ana
stimulate general Improvement comfort
andthriil. Main street is suffering notonlg
from almost obstructive grades, hut from
The lack Of through transportation. Pass
unr from the western line Of the city along
a Instantaneous up-and-down route you
reach Twenty fifth street, whence you hha
the hill almost inaccessible. You may con-
SHINE a little further down, and there stop,
ar iump into the river. From Main street
you cannot rise to the northward by any
feasible line except that by Adams'5 valley,
and that leads nowhere. Looking to The
south YOU are locked in. The Free bridge
mt Ninth street you cannot reach Ivy any
route ct to be travelled, and Mayo's bridge
Is toll-brldge, and cannot be regarded us
one of the streets OF Richmond. That
should have been made free bridge thirty
years ago, and bad it been so made Main
street would not be in the condition that 1t
is In at present.
Main street needs thorouohncSs and free
and facilitated intercourse with all The hills
and with Manchester. The present condl-
ton OF that street is not surprising. In
deed, it would have been surprising were
il not so.
II property holders and those citizens
who want TO promote the activity and
growth OF all the streets will only think Of
Df
know how to remedy the evils now exist
ing.
We repeat, We do not desire to see one
part OF the city pulled back and another
pushed ahead. There is no necessity that
any such! thing should be. A proper appli-
cation of the hand OF Improvement will diff
fuse advantages and promote the general
comeliness and prosperity OF city.
We might cite the city of Washington as
an illustration OF the good effects OF proper
grading. Every part of the city is improy-
ing. and it is q wonder how, without great
addition to population. every section is in
an improving and flourishing condition.
This Is a wonder. 1t is fact which
passes censure upon the jealousles and
rivalrles which often veX and retard city
improvement. Small iealousies and envy
combine to postpone Improvement, and
thus effect the common Injury for the graft
tication OF few narrow-mindcd persons.
These suggestions, without going further
into detail, will serve somewhat to set our
citizens to thinking. Our City Engineer
has the lest OF ideas about the matter OF
grades, and the inestimable advantages
proper grades confer upon city. lie has
had world of difficulty in suiting the tastes
and conflicting views OF citizens, and there
fore he has had an uphill work OF grading,
and has advanced slowly; but all see the
immense advantages that have followed the
grades he has been able to carry out.
There is much to be done to put the city
in order. Main street should be redeemed
from its scandalouS position for the sake OF
the property upon it, and for the sake OF
the general prosperity Of the city. But
many other parts OF the city need attention
and labor. One Of the principal points with
regard to Main street is that it should have
the facilitated throush-routes from hill to
hill, and not be confined rs are the swallows
to the cliffs. Sol SHOULD have the easy way
to Broad street; and there is want OF scope
and verge ut that point OF Junction. FROM
Bank street to Capitol, and from thence TO
Marshall and Clay, there is work to be done;
squares to DC enlarged, streets to be ar
ranged, and many Things done to make the
Capitol au attractive place, and give the adj
iacent territory the best arrangement for
fine dwellings and lovely situations.
But, going no further in this respect, we
conclude with the remark that both public
md private reasons for some measure for
the benefit OF Main street are sufficiently
urgent TO claim for it the serious considera-
ton OF the people of the city.
First Gun for Grant.