Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-01-19
WHAT MAY HAPPEN.
Bustling BOroughs Almost Ready to
Drop Into the Big City.
BRADDOCK THAT WAS AND Is.
Bulls Look On While Petroleum Drops
Out Of Sight and Sound.
REAL ESTATE MEN TAKE ANOTHER STEP

Pittsburg feels motherly affection for
the boroughs that lie just beyond her lin
its, which is intensified by the fact that
they will at no distant day apply for a
place beneath her sheltering wings. Will
kinsburg is almost ready for absorption.
Braddock may be able to maintain her
quasi autonomy for several years longer,
but she will eventually, like the prodigal,
become tired of chewing husks, and, re-
pentlng of her folly, become part and par
eel of the big and spreading city, with an
interest in the public schools, the municipal
building, the magnificent Court House, and
last, but by no means least, the Fifth avenue
hump. The rapid growth of Pittsburg renders
this result as inevitable as the march of time
and progress.
This preliminary being settled, the reproduc-
tion of the salient points of an interview which
THE DISPATCH representative had with the
pioneer banker of Braddock yesterday evening
may be both opportune and interesting. There
have been many radical changes there within
the past few years-changes in business as well
as in municipal dministration-and generally
for the better. Ten years ago the streets were
unpaved and almost impossible. 1t was not an
unusual occurrence for horses and wagons to
Pedestrians Jared no better. This was serious
hindrance to business. Since the borough sys-
TEN went into operation this inconvenience has
been removed in great measure, but the i'm
provements by which it was accomplished have
cost large sum of money.
The borough Indebtedness is not less than
Sl50,000. Nearly all of it has been expended on
the streets. But with all this outlay they are
not in condition to satisfy the public demand
or meet the requirements of business. After
every rain the streets and pavements are cov-
cred with mud from the hills, which overlook
the town. This is sometimes swept up and
carted away, but more frequently it is allowed
to remain. 1t is estimated that an additional
expenditure of at least SOO 600 will be necessary
to put the streets in good condition. 1t is gen.
orally admitted that the borough authorities
have done the best possible under the untoward
circumstances but their difficulties have been
great and the means at their disposal made
quate
Turning from this disagreeable subject,
Braddock has other features, showing the pro-
gressive character of her citizens to which she
can point with pride, among which are the
water works, gas and electricity, small but
well organized fire department, public library,
two fine public school buildings, a score of
churches, and the great Edgar Thomson Steel
Works. These corporations and institutions
partly compensate for muddy streets, and in
measure reconcile the people to pretty steep
tax rate. The population is not far from 10000.
The Oldest of the two national banks holds
over half million dollars deposited by 1000
persons, nearly all Of whom reside in the
borough. This is the town which, when the
fullness of time shall come will be one of the
most fourishing integers of the great city of