San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1886-06-03
THURSDAY, JUNE 8, 1886.
CLEAN UP THE CITY.


San Antonio is a well-watered city.
OF this fact there is no reasonable doubt.
Now, could our glorious and time hon
ored dads" devise some way of making
this water available to the purity and
cleanliness of the city, and the comfort
of the inhabitants who dwell not along
the line OF street sprinkler, they would
not only deserve well OF their constitu-
ents, but would actually do something
tangible in the way Of preparing for the
coming of the slCkly season. The city is
not an at tractive sight with its smooth
payements half an inch deep in dust
banana Feelings, plum skins, bits OF
paper and other refuse; with garbage
boxes greeting the passer-by at every
other door step almost; with the wind
slept streets fringed along the curb on
either side with a motley OOnglOmera-
ton Of rags, old papers, pasteboard
boxes, corn shucks, feathers and birds
of that breed till the stranger within our
gates wonders where the moses the me-
LANCE came from anyway. Matters
would be very little improved II one was
to stand-most anywhere, any day that
the wind blows, and catch q shower of
San Antonio dust plentifully charged
with this street-litter, driving into his
eyes, filling his ears, choking his throat,
Defouling his garments, making life for
the time being delirium Of dust, dirt
and distraction. Other cities provide
against such contingencies by wetting
down the streets from the public hydrants
when the dust becomes too deep for or
binary navigation; or, by the citizens
turning their hose pipes on and laying
the demon Of dust, each opposite his own
premises. Here, however, the ar
rangements Of our water sup
ply preclude the possibility Of
doing this without the payment
of such tax as only the wealthy citi-
zeRs would feel justified in paying. Not
this alone. vt is the business Of the city
fathers to look after the streets. Take
Alamo plaza and the streets that radiate
from 1t in any direction, save Houston
and the narrow passage way to Com
merce, and they are smothered in dust.
The plaza itself is living illustration OF
sand storm In the desert whenever the
wind blows. Alamo street, from the
corner of Commerce southwark, within
one block of the pOstefiice, and in the
very heart Of the city, is as neglected az
winter lodge in garden Of cucumbers.
Windows and doors have to be hermeti-
cally sealed day and night along that
thoroughfare to prevent the dust from
destroying everything with the houses
that stand upon 1t. Something ought to
be done to make that street and
others like it habitable. Better
be tax ridden than dust and dirt
driven. Let the city make an appropri-
alton and secure the use of the water
hydrants for the purpose Of wetting
down the streets In the heart Of the city
at least. Let San Antonio dig out of the
dirt. The day Of her feebleness and in
fancy and adobe condition is past. 1t IL
high time that the day Of her sanitary
civilization was ushered in. Look al
the rsol Of molasas and water standing
since yesterday, at one of the principa
corners Of the city, Commerce and 10
soyo street, waiting for the earth Il
drink it up or the sun to dry it up. II
is there simply because there is hole II
the street and no surface drainage int
the sewer opening which stands inviting
ly open a rod away. These things are
mere straws showing how the wind o
administrative earelessness or inability
blows. The city is full OF such things
1t is high time steps were taken to abat'
the nuisances, prepare for the pestilenc,
that walketh in darkness, as well as tn,
destruction which wasteth at MONDAY
and take some care Of the health anC
comfort OF the citizens.
IN GROVER had been as wisely coached
politically as he has been matrlmonially
kha II