Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1881-09-20
FIRE! WATER
A Plea for the West End.


A Plea for tho West End.
We mean the West End of Lancaster
city, or rather perhaps the Northwest End.
Now We have it right. Every one knows
that one of the fairest spots in and around
Lancaster is the college campus. 1t is
about the only park the city can boast of.
Although not public in the full sense yet
it is always open to visitors, and our citizens
often find pleasure in strolling through
its shaded walks. Apart even from its
being the location of one Of our educational
institutions, Lancaster should, and we be-
licve does, feel some pride in having such
beautiful place within its limits. RIM
ming by the campus and along the western
borders of the city is College avenue,
which is destined to he one of the finest
streets of the city. Buildings are steadily
and even rapidly growing up on the streets
leading to this avenue. The time is near
when private residences will be erected
along the avenue itself. There is no bet
ter location anywhere in the city. The
avenue is wide aud it will make beauti-
full drive.
Now the question we raise. is this Is
the city performing its duty in reference
| to those localities? One of it's duties is to
provide water facilities for this whole
| western end. There is ut present no pro-
lection against fire in any of the localities
referred to. They are too elevated to be
reached by the water mains. Must 4
whole section Of the city, and SD eligible,
remain without the necessary provision Of
water, and the valuable property there be
exposed to the danger of fire?
This subject has been considered by the
city authorities from time to time, but
nothing has been done. Cannot our cn-
gineers devise some plan by which this
pressing want can be met ? We are not
prepared to suggest what it shall be, but
certainly the city must feel the necessity
of attending to this matter some day, why
not do it now? Why wait until the ave
nuo is built up before anything is done !?
SO long as this want exists there is poor
encouragement for erecting buildings
| there.
We might refer in this connection also
to the Importance of grading College
avenue. A beginning was made some
years ago, but what was then done left its
condition rather worse than before. Some,
thing should be done also in paving West
James street. 1t is built up now quite a
distance out towards the college. A pub
lie school building and other handsome
buildings have been erected on this street.
1t also furnishes beautiful drive and is
r ow much used in that way, and yet its
condition ut times is wretched. Not a
square west Of the railroad bridge has
been paved.
We think our plea for some improve
ments in the localities named is \ good
one. l. is the duty of the college to keep
its beautiful grounds in proper condition,
but we submit that the city has duties
also in tho direction named. The college
property should enjoy the same facilities
and the same protection that are provided
for other portions Of the city. Students
and others residing in the direction and
vicinity of the college should not be de-
prived of the ordinary facilities of travel
expressage, etc., because at times ve-
hicle can hardly lumber through the mud
on James street. The same may be said
OF College avenue.
| As citizeu We favor due economy in
improving the city, but it seems to us that
| such fair section Of it should not be left
behind all other sections in public i'm
provements. We have now briefly made
our plea for the West End. In doing so, we
believe we have spoken the sentiments of
many other citizens residing in that por.
ton of the city. We may add yet, and we
do it with no reflection on our able and
obliging postmaster, for it is not his fault,
that there is but one daily mail delivery
to the college grounds. Surely tho large
number of persons residing and rooming
thore should be accommodated with two
deliveries a day. We hope what we have
said may serve to direct attention to these
wants and that our city fathers will en-
deavor to satisfy them as soon and as far
as it is possible. Give us at least the Or
dinary protection from the danger of fire.
A CITIZEN.