Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1884-07-22
Aanrastrr Entelligenrfr
TUESDAY EVENING, JULY %, lee4.
The streets OF Lancaster.


The city of Lancaster needs to take
heed lest It may have to pay heavy dam
ages some day to those who are injured
by the imperfect condition of its streets.
We observe that it is the custom of
those who dig up the streets to lay down
sewers or pipes, to leave high hillocks
behind them as monument of their
labors. They may be gratifying eVi-
dences that work has been done on the
streets, and 1t must be that the street
committee and the street superintend-
ent share the contractors satisfaction in
viewing these evidence Of his labor
else surely they would not permit
them to he erected for they are an
noying and dangerous to those who
use the streets, and the city may have
to pay dear for permitting the nuisance.
IL any one should be injured in person or
property by 1t he would certainly recover
damages. We have spoken Of this
wretched practice before, and speak of Il
again to call attention to the condition
in which West Chestnut street has been
left by the party who built the sewer in
1t. A high mound remains over this
buried evidence of the city's enterprise
In the centre of the street, aad horses
coming along meet it suddenly east
of Mary street and stumble on
1t, to the great danger of their
limbs. 1t used to be the approved
practice to puddle every excavation
in the street, so that when ii was filled
up level it would not sink. The cheaper
method now permitted is to throw back
the dirt aud stones high above the street
level, and utilize the wagons and the
rains as the means of settling down the
mound in the course of time. II may
not be the cheapest method in the end ;
and it is wrong in the city to permit the
practice, not only because Of the danger
of damages, but because Of the insight
illness and annoyance of the obstruction.
We are sorry 10 SEQ that the city 5
streets hav5 so little intelligent super
vision. On Chestnut street west of the
hillOck we cliticise, some one in author
ity has been dumping soft earth foot
or two deep over the street, into which
carriages plunge without warning
Further west still, great holes under the
covering dust threaten to wreck the
light Wagons which have been wont to
seek this avenue as a fayOrite driveway.
In other parts of the city great mounds
Of ashes and other material are Liable
to be me. at any moment, unmarked a.
night by warning lamp; 50 that night
travelling through the streets III wagons
is unsafe. The electric light being
out large part Of the time
and failing to illuminate che mid
die of the square at all times, com
pols the traveller to feel his way viii
slow and cautious step. The footway
are generally in very bad condition
Property owners are allowed to keel
them out of repair. The wooden cover
ings of the cutters at the street cross
ings are broken in some places, inviting
breakage of horses legs. Generally
the streets need supervision and repair
and are in a thoroughly disCIedIlab!,
condition. Some one Is in serious fault
if il is Superintendent Dean, as is to he
supposed, we have to say that while be
knows how to run a steam engine, ~
does not seem to have the first idea O.
what is needed for the safe lOC0mOtlO.
Of man or beast.