The Arkansaw traveler., 1888-11-24
BOSTON I'm 1858.


Visitor-"But don't go any vehi-
cles in your city"
BostOnian-s4Oh dear, mol We got
rid of all those nuisances years ago.
It is 8 great gain, assure you. We
arc no longer troubled by the jar and
rumble that used to make life in the
city 90 trying, and then we no longer
hear of runaway horses nor of people
being run over. You can't imagine
how much pleasanter 1t Is since we
banished our horses and carriages, our
wagons, trucks, street cars, and all that
sort of thing.
.But you have no sidewalks for ped
estrians."
"Because our people manage to get
along just about "a we'll without them.
You notice that we have walks upon
most of the buildings,and though there
are places where one has to leap . chasm
our people manage to get from one part
of the city to another. But even If
they couldn't, 1t wouldn't matter
much, for there isn't much call for
moving about nowadays. Thank
fortune, the rush and turmoil which
used to disturb our people has van
ished, and our citizens now rest in
perennial peace" sssss.
"But those chasms you speak of.
Don't people fall into them occasion
allyn"
avery likely; indeed hear 1t Is
quite common occurrence; but then,
that Is to be expected. There Is no
such thing as absolute safety in this
lite, you know. However, you must
remember that though few thousand
people are killed In this way each year,
we have complete immunity from car
riage accidents. That must MT be
over looked, you know"
"But what has become Of your
streets? How did you come to give
them up7"
"Why, you see, we had to, to tell
the truth. Or rather we thought we
might as well, seeing that they were
no longer of any use."
"Why, how was that?"
"Well, the gas men and the water
and the steam men and the telegraph
and telephone and electric lighting
companies between them kept the
streets open all the time, 80 there was
no passing through them, and after
while the citizens voted unanimously
to let the different companies have the
streets all to themselves. 1t was only
a pro fo,Daa proceeding, you under
stand, for the companies had possession
already. But that's neither here nor
there. The streets were turned over
to the corporation, and the people
took to the housetops."
"But how about the streets?"
"Oh, they are filed 30 full of pipes
Of all kinds now that there's no such
thing as digging them up any more"
"Oh, surely, then, you have gained
something"
"Somethingi should say we had !
There hasn't been q street opened by
any one Of the companies for several
years. But Pm AFRAID that there's
trouble ahead. Seven thousand diff
ferent petitions were entered at the
city hall this week for the right to
remove buildings to make room for
more pipes. Already one third of the
buildings in the city proper have been
torn down In order to accommodate the
pipe layers, and very likely the re-
mainder will have so before the march
Of Improvement" '-@s's.
"And how about the health OF the
city?"
"Oh, that has improved wonder
fully. The death-rate has fallen Off
to almost nothing. To be sure, most
of the people live out Of town now,
but then, you know, II Is hardly pos
sible that could have made all the diff
ference, though, TO be sure, It must be
admitted that where there are no peo-
pie the number Of deaths IL very apt
to fall of some"
"But how do the companies You
speak Of make It pay. II the people
have all moved away7"
81 guess they are mt making much
Just now, but they hope to realize later
when they extend their pipes into the
country. Quite dense population .
few miles cut, you know. And then
there's another chance for them. They
own the streets, you see, and there IL
talk Of uniting In one big concern and
going into the old junk business. 1t
il reckoned that from the practically !
mex haustible supply Of old iron there
is under the old Boston streets, enough |
junk can be mined to make the ever
lasting fortune Of all the stockholders. |
l tell you, sir, it's mine Of wealth,
and when they come TO open it up, |
California III be nowhere. But you |
must excuse we. I've got TO get home,
and It's kind dangerous crawling
about on these buildings after dark.
This is q great city; sir, . great city.
That is to say, It is now but you
should read some Of the old news
papers Pve got at home. II must have