The evening light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1881-1883, 1882-03-29
A Picture of st. Louis Applicable San to
Antonio.

Antonio.
From the ST. Louis Globe Democrat.
The average property holder OF St. Louis
may proftably cogitate over the following
question: When money can be made by liv-
ing a comfortable, civilized way, what is the
use of losing money by prolonging mud
prosecuted, dust-ridden, exasperating exist
ence? Making the extreme supposition that
it will cost property owners $Io foot to
properly pave a street, or $3.50 to place the
front OF 2s-foot lot in the desired condition,
will not the houses on street thus paved rent
for SIS more year than those on street
poorly paved or not paved at all? The strong
probability is that they will rent for $50 a
year more at least; but SIS is 10 per cent.
on the capital invested, and that is more than
money brings, as rule, in these days. But
irrespective Of the increase in rent the durabil-
ity of the $40 pavement makes it in the long
run less expensive than the perishable maca-
dam.
These are propositions which ought to be
thoroughly digested by every man that owns
lot in the thckly built part Of St. Louis. In
the securing of comfort there is more money
to be made than in continuing to live in dis
comfort, If the people of ST. Louis owned
some other city in which their personal COM
fort could be affected in no way because they
did not live there, it would put money in their
pockets to pave it just it IS desirable that st.
Louis should be paved. This is clear and
indisputable fact. A renter can afford to pay
SIS more for a house upon a wel-paved
street. He will save that much in the wear
and tear of furniture and carpets, to say moth
ing of the added pleasure of existence. And
what is true of one street is true of the whole
city. If it is rendered comfortable and attrac
tive its business will be increased. There is
disposition in human nature to mngle the use
full with the pleasant, and country purchasers
will always give the preference to the more
agreeable city. In fact they will sacrifice some
dollars in order to transact their business in it.
Those who desire to vary the monotony of
country life by visit to the city will not 60 to
disagreeabe one at all, but will 60 miles
further to reach comfortable place.
st. Louis has grown and prospered in spite
of its dirt. What might it not have done if it
had paid attention to matters that some people
assert to be non-esSential? A citizen meets a
business friend from elsewhere, and desires to
entertain him. If he be stranger to the To-
caty his natural desire is to be shown the
city. Shall our citizen get out his horse and
| buggy to take him around, or walk with him
1t makes little difference. The chances are
that before the two have gone many blocks
they will prefer to give up the expedition and
seek some spot where they can rub the dust
out of their eyes and have quiet talk. This
is what they are driven to when the mud does
not similarly place bar either on riding or
| walking. The stranger makes up his mind
| that he will not come to St. Louis again il he
can help it. Experiences like this are repeated
| in numbers almost every day. A city must
have advantages indeed to build up trade in
the face of such obstacles.
And why is this so? Simply because our
citizens have not the collective moral energy
| TO get out of the old ruts. The city assumes
metropolitan proportions while they can not
grow out of their villagehood. There are live,
energetic men here who grow fretful and in
dignant at the general apathy, and we'll they
may. They are endeavoring to do what they
can, but they find that they have heavy load
| to lit, and are liable to grow disguised with
the almost hopeless inertness and old fogyism
that meets them on all sides. They demon
strate with the certainty of mathematics that it
will be money in the pockets of every prop
erty-owner and every business man to have
good streets. They appeal to local patriotism,
and endeavor to rouse sense of shame. But
the impression made is slight. The sentiment
they meet is: 1--WE have plowed through the
mud and dust in the past. and it will not hurt
us to do it in the future" Limedust is looked
upon as a necessary evil. 1t even requires
more public spirit than all the residents on
some of our principal streets possess to pay
for sprinkling. The consequence is that the
good that is done by sprinkling is impaired
by the dry dust reservoirs that supply the wind
| with its sitting burden.