Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1884-08-15

city Twessy-sixth stfscs Tor exampis)
crosses Broadway ard one square OF crosses
sixth avenue, and YET sixth avenue, ,
straight street, crosses Broadway not many
squares distant. This fact proves that
Broadway Is like our Laurel street. and
varies greatly from straight line. But
would anybody In the world propose that
Broadwsyebelow where IL crosses sixth
avenue should have one name and above
the same corners have another names We
think not. There 10 no trouble In follow
ing the meanderings Of Broadway; nor Is
there any In following those Of Laurel or
any other Of our streets.
The very object Of the change we advo-
cate Is to provide method OF tracing the
streets from one side Of Richmond 10 the
other as well as Of finding them. What Is
now the northern end OF First street used
to be known beyond Jackson street as II.
stephen street. Surely It is much better
10 cali 1t all First street. Tie northern
end Of Foushee street is still known rs st.
James street. Why' Because between
Broad and CLAY streets there is no street on
8 line with those streets. II the cross streets
were numbered, beginning at Rockets or
below, Foushec street would be, let us say,
Forty frs. street all scross the city. Fit dis
appeared at Broad street, the sojourner In
the city, or the stranger, or the resident,
would have the satisfaction OF finding
il again as soon as he reached on
Clay street point In line with 1t.
So as 10 Laurel street. It's a continuous
street from the southern corporation line
TO Broad street; and we can think OF no
reason why the street that comes nearest to
facing IL on the north side OF Broad street
should not bear the same name az Laurel
(say Forty.ninth). thus bearing one name
oil the way from the river 10 the northern
line Of the corporation. 1t seems TO us that
il would be great improvement to let Bel
viderc street and Smith street be known
as Forty-seventh street for whatever num-
Der might fall TO them from the
noltntlu W tuc sOutu'Iu Hut VI tuO
corporation, since they are really and
truly one and the same street. So as
TO Pine and all the other cross streets
In the west end. Let them be numbered,
and in every instance let the same number
be given TO the cross street facing IL on the
north side OF Broad street, or the street
that comes nearest 10 facing it. Pine street
IL now cut into two parts by Monroe
Park. Is that good reason why the part
north OF the Park should have one name
and the part south OF it anotherS OF
course not. Nor is the fact that Gilmer
street lacks few feet OF being on a straight
line with Pine q good reason why both
Pine and Gilmer streets should not be
named Forty-cighth street SAY, and thus
be traceablc from one side OF the city TO
the other.
Cherry street runs from the river TO
Park avenue. There it runs almost into
Shaier street. Shafer street extends three
squares TO Broad, and runs almost into
Hancock I'VE think il is). Why should not
these three streets be one street (say Fiitetb)
extending from the river to the corpora
tion line on the northi What possible diff
ference can it make that the three vary a
little from a straight line. or that II Henry
street were continued to the river in a
straight line instead Of ending at Maine or
Bclvidere, ii would interscct Cherry street
Compare such objections with the fact,
gives no clue whatever to the locality Of
the street, and, secondly, that the same
least and VEST fall on adiOn-
ing squares. No. east Main street (snd
so Of Franklin, or Grace, or Broad, or ary
other street, is next to No. l west Main
street. No. II east Franklin street is on
The square adjoining that on which is No.
IL west Franklin street. There is soon
fusion worse confounded." Strangers are
utterly at a loss how to find their friends
houses In the neighborhoods thus troubled
with want Of proper system in the num-
bering Of the houses, consequent upon an
improper naming OF the streets.
Brook avenue, Church Hin avenue, and
ether such streets-streets that cannot be
included in any regular or general plan OF
banning the streets by numbers-may all be
called "avenues." Let the fact that they
ire called "avcnues be recognized as in.
licating that they are outside OF the gene
'al plan Of naming the streets.
But II our proposition Is not good one,
let somebody else propose better. Though
we cannot say that we like that OF :" Clay
Ward " rs well as our own, yet other per-
'ons may like it better, aud others still may
suggest a plan better than either. Think
II 1t, and let us hear from you.
=. S. Since the above was put in type
We have received note from wealthy
,itizen OF Richmond Offering to pay out Of
ais own pocket all the expense OF the pro-
posed change in the names Of the streets.