The Evening critic., 1882-03-06

To The Editor of The Eceninq Critic:
For city improvements l ask and desire
nothing that is not Just and fair, and l want
no man to administer our government who can
be controlled by personal or sectional favorit-
ism either in our favor or against us.
For East Washington want nothing simply
because 1t is for our section, but rather be-
cause II is essential to the greatest possibili-
ties and the grandest attainments of our city
and District. Personal and sectional aggran-
diZement at the expense Of republican equal
ity and manly honesty, must ultimately be-
come Improbable. For such reason the re-
cent action Of Messrs. Morrill, and Voorhees,
and other Senators, seemingly against their
own personal interests, must bring Self-reSpect
and win admiration and gratitude. The pro
scriptive policy toward q section Of the city
can not always be perpetuated On the 10th
OF October, 1879, Lieut. F. V. Greene, Assistant
Engineer, reported on District matters under
his Jurisdiction "that there are ninety-one
miles of streets which are wholly unlmproved.
large part OF them are in the suburbs Of the
city, beyond the limits Of existing houses, and
will need no attention for few years. Others,
however, are in the heart OF the city and
should be improved at once. Prominent
among these latter are the streets in the VI
cinity OF the Capitol. About the same time
also the Commissioners expressed preference
to the plan of working from the centre.
Since then, they have expended large sums
of the public money in opening and improving
streets previously untraveled, through un-
settled swamps in the northwestern part OF the
city, leaving unimproved and impossible
streets greatly needed as thoroughfares In the
immediate vicinity OF the Capitol.
AS examples, / instance New Hampshire
avenue, from q to II street, and street, from
Fourteenth TO Sixteenth street northwest, and
and d streets, from First to Third street
northeast. In the article on the subject I'm
| THE CRITIC of the I'd instant q and ID streets
south were mentioned; and q and ID streets
northeast are scarcely less notable examples
| AS early as 1878, the Commissioners estimated
| for the Improvement Of both these lastnamed
| streets and placed them high up in theii
| "order OF precedence recommended for selec
| tion," by Lieut.. Hoxie; and they have beer
placed In their schedules for improvement
| every year since, and the appropriations ever.
year have been applicable TO their improve
ment. But they remain unimproved to-day
| Said part of street still remains In the mos
| deplorable condition OF any OF the old Woo
pavement streets OF which 1 have an!
knowledge, and scarcely any street In tn,
city is more needed as IA public thorOughfare
| as II ID the only east-and-west street, excep
| the two steep-grade b streets, by which Capi
tol Hill is accessible from the west. If 1t wer'
| in good condition 1t would be more Travelled II
| one week than would New Hampshire avenue
from NJ to l. In one year. Yet the Commits
| sioners new "schedule OF streets requiring
| immediate attention includes the latter ant
excludes the former. And street from Thirt
| to Fourth street northeast although in miser
| able condition, is included neither in thei
| special nor their general schedule OF contem
plated or necessary improvements. And sai(
| d street, although statedly scheduled for i'm
| provement for five years in succession, still
| On the other hand, on New Hampshire avenu,
| north OF Q street and on u street between
| Fourteenth and Sixteenth streets, although
| more recently scheduled for improvement, tn,
| Commissioners have already expended 500,
| 600 In building nice graveled roadways ant
| laying good brick footpavements at publi
expense, through uninhabited swamps.
| ReSDpctfully. s.. G. CLARKE