The Evening critic., 1882-06-02
THE OTHER SIDE.
A west End Response 10 MIR. CiarI<e's
Communicafion-'T Critic' Per-
uits All Sides TO he Heard.
! Of TIE ErenlnQ CFtiIc;


TO ne Editor Of The Erenanq Critic:
WASHINGTON, Juno Q, 1882.
a word In reply TO Mr.. 3. @. Clnrko's unjust
criticism Of the Commissioners OF tho District
of Columbia, anent street improvements. Mr..
c., after giving the schedule OF streets adopted
by Congress, makes the assertion that not ono
OF them have rotten wooden pavements to bo
should not be improved until other sections,
particularly Mr.. Clarke's, have received what
he deems an equitable share. Now, Mr..
Clarke is not the wellinformod man you credit
him with being, for as TO one OF the streets he
mentioned, Rhode Island avenue, he had only
to vsit the section mentioned in the schedule,
from Thirteenth to Ninth, TO SEQ that 1t has
rotten wooden pavement of the worst possible
description, absolutely impossible, and Is far
from being sparseiy inhabited, there being
row after row OF fine three-story brick dwell
lings thereon.
so, II Mr.. q. desires to be considered n we'll
informed man, and Just man, he VIII amend
mittce, so far as Rhode Island avenue is con-
cerned. And Mr.. O. will not, presume, deny
the manifest truth that where rotten wooden
pavement exists, for which the tax payers paid
the large, fancy prices OF the Board of Public
Works regime, 1t is the first duty OF the Com
missioners TO replace them with good pave
ments in other words, TO return some con-
sideration for the Taxpayers money, for 1t
must be admitted they have not yet received
any such consideration, 1t being we'll known
that they were down but very short time
before they were ready to be taken up. Rhode
Island avenue has been impossible for years,
business community, who have hesitated to
risk their wagons upon It, but to the positive
injury TO the health of its inhabitants, as can
show from the opinion Of the faculty. There
is, therefore, every good reason why the rotten
wooden pavements should be first attended to.
SO far as the other streets mentioned in the
schedule are concerned, am not prepared to
speak further than TO say that, so far as Four
teenth street, Pennsylvania avenue, NJ street
rd ie aTe thee sy n
leading, important streets, well-buit up
with handsome, costly residences, arc great
thoroughfares and deserving of immediate
attention. And as to the remaining streets
criticised by Mr.. Clarke I presume tho au-
thorities we'll considered the matter, and have
abundant reasons for selecting them for I'm.
mediate Improvement For example: Any
man but n resident of Capitol Hill can readily
SEQ that this city, like every other city, where
II is possible, follows the well-known maxim,
"westward the course of EMPIRE" &C.; and
| II is an undeniable fact that upon the streets
| in the western portion OF the city arc being
| erected n large majority of the handsomesi
| and most costly residences, thus adding
| greatly TO the taxable property OF the city;
| and We can sec, obviously enough, there
| fore, that tho Commissioners deem 1t not only
| matter Of justice, but sound business sa.
| gacity TO improve the streets whore capital
lists and strangers seeking to make Washing
| ton their home rush In largo numbers every
| year, for 1t is not to be presumed that such
| gentlemen are going to select streets with
rotten, wooden pavements, or with no pave
| ments at all, unless they can have n reason
| able assurance that they VIII speedily be re
moved in the first case and new pavements
laid in the latter. Nor will 1t do for Mr.. Clarke
TO dilate on tho oft-repeated statement thai
Capitol Hill is the natural site for the city
| &C., &c. 1t is a hard, plain, undeniable fac
that 1t is the site now, and that capitalists
and wealthy strangers seeking homes do not
as rule, 60 there. They 60 northwest,
as every fair man will admit. OF course
1t is desirable that all the streets
| of our beautiful city should be improved, and
| If the Congress would only make the neces
sary appropriations there would, believe, bt
no cause for complaint; but sincerely believe
that the Commissioners have studied tht
matter well, and are doing what they deem
best for the beauty, grandeur and best in
terests of the city. 1t must be exceedingl,
disagreeable to the gentlemen to be con
stantly snapped at and unjustly criticised
when they arc doing the best they can for tn
true interests OF the city.
l. 1 will only add that have never yet seen
reply to the statement made some time sine
by gentleman who evidently knew what h,
was talking about "that in proportion to tn
amount Of taxable property, Capital Hill hat
received her full share OF street improve
ments." Very Truly,
T.J. MACNAMEE, 914 Rhode Island avenue