, 1881-11-27

any other United States port, woulu 1i''.o
for the South American Republic 1ate -.
| comparison with which that of Peru "ou1o
be fortunate.
STREETS THAT SHOULD BE PAVED.
less than n week ago the people Of Chicago
were wallowing in nlre. There was mua
eyervyllere. The pedestrian on the slde-
walk was spattered with mud from the
passing vehicles. The street-crosslncs Meio
lost to sight under the accumulation OF HILL
It was not possible to step from stfcel-cas
without pI,ueing into mud up to the ankles.
Driving was very much like taking mud
hath. Yet Yesterday, after short cold spell'
followed By a somewhat high wind, all the
mud had been converted into dust, which
flied the eyes, throat, and nostrils Of every
body who was on the street. FMS chicago
dust has peculiar power OF penetration and
adhesion. It makes its way through closed
windows and settles down upon garments,
goods, furniture, curtains, carpets, and
hooks. It detiies everything ittouches. 1t Is
no respecter Of person or property. 1tleaves
A blotch on the fairest Of faces. 1t detics
goggles. It compels people to regret the
mud which was but lately lamented. III
one word, Chicago is constantly atlilct-
ed with 4 succession Of mud anu
dust, and each in turn seems to be more try
ing and exasperuttng than the Other. This
condition of things will last just rs long rs
only 4 iew Of our streets are properly inl-
proved, and the MID and dust are dragged
from tile unimproycd streets to the paved
thoroughfares.
10 f,4ft hn
Council Must give. its attention without
further delay. Our City Fathers can find no
excuse for neglectlng 1t any longer. They
are now paid for the services which they are
supposed to render tile community. The sum
OF S3 session is not princcly remuneration,
bur it is enough to enable the Aldermen, VINO
are usually engaged il1 SOME other business,
to steer clear Of jobs and give their honest
attention TO the most obvious requirements
of public health and comfort. Chicago as
city is no longer in its swattdling clothes. 1t
is not becoming in this overgrown child to
wander about half naked, or wearing
4 dirty apron. 1t Is time that Chicago,
with a population Of more than half a
million, and business and enterprise far be-
yonl that figure, should be provided with
| I12 uEcE1ElES Hllu E0QfClliE14|Co "a NAG1 AANs
1t will cost some money to make the changes
necessary to a high-toned metropolitan
career, but the money will be we'll expended
and bring in ample returns. The Improve
uents cannot longer be delayed without re-
tarding The growth and impairinG the pros
peri1y of the city, 1t will be Improbable to
permit Chicago to gain reputation as a
place to make money which should be taken
somewhere else for enjoyment. We have all
the attributes Of metropolis except good
streets, and it is time these were provided.
The Common Council should lay ont mt
once a comprehensive scheme Of street lnl-
provements. It should start out with the
conviction that it is essential to tue continued
growth and prosperity Of this city that every
tilorouglfare, every cross-street, and every
alley lying within the district bounded by
the lake OIL the east, 1Ialsted street on tho
west, Twenty-second street on the south, and
I Chicago avenue OH the north should be
paved as. soon US possible in keeping with
the kind and extent Of the travel. Ordinances
| should be passed to provide for such in-
| proyements. They should be passed now in
| order that the improvements may be begun
early III the spring and prosecuted vigorous
| ly to the cud. There should be no omissions
| or exceptions. The payements should not bo
| uniform, but governed by the character Of
| the streets. On the streets devoted to whole
| saie business, warehouses, railway depots,
DOCKS and heavy teaming the paving should
! be Of stone blocks. 1t must come to this
| sooner or later, and the sooner the stone-
block pavement is accepted for the streets
used constantly by trucks and heavy teamtng
| the more economical it will be for the prop
| crty-owners who bear the cost OF the i'm
| proyement. On the main thoronghtares
| where there is an average OF heavy teanl-
| ing and light vehicles the cedar block
pavement, properly and honestly put down,
| is the most desirable. The cross-streets,
| devoted almost entirely to residences and
travelled but little, may be made Of macatlaln
or broken stone with Il top-dressing OF gravel.
| There must be Judgment and discrimination
| in determining the kind OF pavement for the
different streets, but payelnents Of some
| kind should be ordered for all Of them.
There could be no more favorable time
than the present for beginning the general
| system of street improvements which we
recommend SO strongly. Chicago will not
bG lDIG 10 endure Lllt VIGaelIt StIcclS loIiStl
than next spring; the breakup after winter
| will make them well nigh impossible The
| owners Of property are now i'll excellent cou-
| dition, as :, rule, to bear the cost of the pro-
posed improvements. Business has been
active arid profits good during the past
two years; the salaricd and wage classes
generally are. receiving more pay; the
operators III real estate have real
lied sufficient on the rise in property
| to be prepared for some outlay. Moreover,
| the expenditure OF every dollar per front
| foot for paving will add at least SO per foot
| to the value Of the property thus improved.
| Rents will be better and 1irmer by reason Of
the improved conditions Of the streets. But
no partial policy will succeed or serve the
end in view. 1t is necessary that d&l the
streets within the district We have described
| shall be put into iirst-class condition. If
half Of them, or even Il few Of them here and
t there, be permitted to remain elongated
lnudholes, there will be no escape from the
curse Of alternate mud and dust. It will