Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1885-06-15
WHAT THE FORT WANTS.
The Extension Of Houston and Burnett
Streets and Wide Bridge Over
the Trinity.
The Bottom Land Between the New Gem
etery and the Court House the Place
for Public Park.
Bonn wonrn. r.1., Juns y. lsss.

knowing that the columns OF THE |
GAZETTE are generally open to the
subject of public Improvements or
pertaining to the interest OF
Fort Worth and her people, l would |
beg leave to occupy small space. |
for the purpose of calling attention of |
the citizens at least to two OF the |
many-needed improvements in the
city. Those have reference to will
not only increase the valuation of
property all over the city, but double
1t on the North side or about the
square.
Now one OF the projects that have
IN view Is the extension Of Houston
and Burnett streets. Houston street
should be extended across the river
In direct line aid of the same width
that 1t is at the corner of Weatherford
street. The bridge across the river
should be OF the same width OF the
street. To begin with. the grade OF
Houston street where II crosses
Weatherford street should be lowered
to the same grade OF Weatherford
street, then along the west eide of the
square the grade should be changed
80 that the water will run towards the
river, the grade over the bluff 10 be
at an easy incline so that the street
cars can get up ii without any trouble.
Then from where Houston street
strikes the bottom lands a fine car
rage drive, to he not less than ninety
feet wide, should be layed out to run
up the West fork and to the north
corner of the fieW cemetary
Then, to continue the street improve
ments, Burnett street should be graded
down and extended until il strikes
the new road that crosses the Clear
Fork, when the present Bluff road,
which Is OF more account to endanger
peoples lives and TO cause the city to
pay damages than anything else, "a
we'll M the old bridge, which will not
last much longer, could be abandoned.
AS the county would be about as much
benefited by the new bridge rs the
city would, IL should be expected TO
bear one-half OF the cost of the same.
And now we come to the question OF
a public park, subject that has been
talked over before but which seems TO
have been dropped altogether, at
least as far as the section OF land that
/ have reference to is concerned, pro-
badly from the danger of overflow at
high water. have reference TO the
beautiful section OF bottom land be-
tween the new cemetery and the
courthouse and which charms the eye
OF everyone that climbs to the top OF
that building. Now, Ii Ia well known
that large portion OF that land Is I'M
der water once In great while, but
with the expenditure of few thou
sand dollars, q trlfling sum when you
consider the benefit the park would
be TO the people Of Fort Worth, that
could easily be remedied. A levee to be
not less than ak feet high at the old
bridge, and to extend with the natural
rise of the river TO high ground on the
north and down the river to the
mouth Of the slough, could be built,
the head Of the slough to be filled up,
when there would be no more danger
from overfows, that IL, IL the work
were done right high water would
back in at the lower end come, but not
to do any harm. The levees should
be at least fifty feet from the river,
Then to protect the water.works a
levee could be formed on that side to
extend from the iron bridge down 70 the
bluff, with an outlet at the lower end,
the earth to form these levees, and the
street fills can be taken out OF the
river and out of the park, where 3
lake could be formed.
Now, this article will be considered
by great many as q big thing on pa
per, but, II agitating this question Of
improvements should cause our city
and county officials to take hold OF
and osrru fhia I'm nrnvauaant thrnuuh
to completion, II will be a greater thing
In reality.
It is plain to be seen that these i'm
provenents will cost thousands OF dol
lars and cause the issuing OF more
bonds, but 1t would soon be seen that
those bonds were OF as much benefit
to the citizens az any bonds ever
Issued by the city.
Now, in my opinion, the city should
lose no time In getting possession OF all
of that tract OF land, from line with
the north end Of the cemetery to the
mouth Of the slough, and all between
that aud the West fork, together
with 81 east OF Burnett street, from the
iron bridge and along the bluff TO
Houston street.
Now, Mr.. Editor, II by giving this
article a space In the columns OF your
paper YOU should cause the citizens Of
Fort Worth to zee the great necessity
for these improvements and the city
fathers to act on them without delay,
YOU will have conferred great favor
on the writer, aud THE GAZETTE will
have added one more star 10 its ban
ner. BLACKWELL