New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-12-19
THE RETGN or THE PIPE.

The future of this great city is ia with an
irrepressDle conflict between man and the
subterranean pipe. Indeed, we may sly the
fight is already on. A year or may decide
which is to have exclusive control ana use Of
the public streets. At present the mcu are in
nominal possession, but they hold it at great
peril. Yesterday a steam pipe burst, and only
by a miracle of good luck score or so of peO-
pie escaped without serious injury A few
weeks ago an electric pipe sprung leak and
set decrepit horses to cutting capers which their
legs had been unused to for twenty years. No
wayfarer can feel certain that the pavement is
not going to fly upward with him at any mo-
ment, or send INN dancing on his way with an
electric shOci. All the available subtertanean
space is taken now, and yet within few years
the unsigntly telegraph poles are certain to be
driven from our streets and their wires forced
INTO pipes underground. There is no telling
what the inventive faculty may produce in the
next few years which may require still further
pipe room. Any man with Il moderately elf
Gent Imagination can sce that the pipe capac.
ity OF our island is destined to he completely
exhausted within very short time. Then the
question will come, Shall man or the pipe
possess the streets
Judging from present indications ii is our
opinion that the pipe will prevail One of two
things must happen: Either the city must be
furnished with a new and capaclOus founda-
ton or the streets mist be abandoned for pur-
noses of locomOtiOn. AS the tendency of man
Is upward, and as he must sooner or later
weary of tumblng over garbage heaps, piles of
excavated sand, disrupted paving stones and
rows Of pipe; and as the daily peril Of being
blown up or killed by an Overcharge Of cleo
tricity will soon become so great as 10 make
the insurance companies refuse TO issue poll
cies on his life, he will abandon the streets
altogether and provide means for entire tran
sit above the present level. Why mott Why
should we not move up story and give the
unendlng pipe complete possession OF the
groundY We would thereby avoid a great deal
Of trouble. Elevated structures might be
built in all the streets, with rails for steam
cars in the centre and roadways for wagons
on the sides. The present streets could be
abandoned TO the exclusive use of pipes and
pipe-layers, garbage carts, street-cleaners and
hand-Organs. Of course the elevated road
ways would be so constructed that all the dirt
would sift through into the street below. This
would enable the whole city to gain a sweet re-
venge on the ash-collector, who has enjoyed
himself so literally for years IN sprinkling his
fellow. citizens with the contents of the garbage
barrels. We confess that we can't clean our
present streets, and can'C prevent their con-
slant upheaval. Since, then, We confess the
dirt and the pipe to be our masters, why not
escape oppression by moving upwardi
As for pedestrian accommodation on the
new level that could be easily arranged by an
endless balcony running by the second story
windows. We would then escape the ash-bar-
rels, boxes of merchandise, and the planKs
which now bridge the sidewalks to facilitate
the unloading of trucks whose owners act un-
der the conviction that they own the larger
part of the public thoroughfares. What seem
like obstacles to this scheme now will be re-
moved by the inventions which are sure to
come. Thus Mr.. Stedman assures us, in his
most interesting letter in Sundays TRIBUNE,