Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-09-07
QUE MAIL POUCH.
Streets and Court Houses.

| Streets and Court Houses.
To the Editor OF The Dispatch:
I The state Of affairs as to street grades and
| pavements about the two new Court Houses
| seems to be unsatisfactory to- everybody.
| Judge White considers it nuisance for juries
not to hear his charges, and has induced the
| grand jury to present this as an obstruction of
justice. And, at the other Court House on
Smithfield street, Mr.. Malone threatens that
when he has 1t finished he will sit down in its
best parlor in his easy chair and never open
it, but keep on sitting there unth the streets
are graded and paved with asphalt or some
other elastic substance. Wonder if a case Of
| conspiracy could not be made out against
Judge White and M. L. Malonef They would
seem to be acting in concert to compel the
city and county authorities to do something.
Concert of action can readily be proved against
them, and If the acts which they want done
are unlawful, or even If lawful, and the method
they are pursuing to accomplish their purpose
is unlawful, either way the case Of criminal
conspiracy against these two officials would be
complete.
Deemed Very Important.
But jesting aside, the matter is . very i'm
portant one. The expedient of covering the
pavements with sawdust, or plastering them
with asphalt. can afford no permanent remedy.
The grade of Fifth avenue and Ross and Grant
streets should be lowered to correspond with
the grade of Diamond street. This would
make the objectionably noisy streets eight to
ten feet lower than they are now, relatively to
the court rooms, and render the noise measure
ably imperceptible. That is the only perma-
nent remedy that can be applied at the County
Court House. Besides, the city and county
should have some regard to appearances and
the everlasting fitness of things. If it is a
proud distinction to possess the finest
County Court House in the United States,
in
| condition, in regard to the streets. The people
have borrowed and spent 1000, 900 in its con-
struction, according to q plan which contem-
| and Ross, at least to level with It's base
course, and can it be possible that it is to be
left for all time in its present unseemly condi-
| tlon, merely to save few thousand dollars in
| not carrying out the original plan?
But besides the eyesores and inconveniences
| which these Objectionable humps cause to the
| Court House, other considerations demand
| their removal; to obtain easier grades for all
purposes that streets are used for Is ons Of
| them, and very important one. Another
| reason is the obstruction which the present
| condition interposes to building and improve
ments. The common sense of property holders
| admonishes them that these humps will not be
| allowed to remain forever, and this deters them
| structures and erecting such buildings as the
| present progress in architecture demands for
such prominent localities.
Effect of 1t.
If these humps were removed and the grades
| finally established, we would doubtless in a
very short time have splendid Office buildings
of eight or more stories in height at the corners
of Fifth and Giant. and buildings of pro.
portionate respectability all along the streets
| in question.
1t was unfortunate that the agitators for the
removal of the humps when they introduced
| the ordinances into Councils year ago. asked
too much. They asked cut from 16 to Is feet,
| while 8 or 10 feet, or Just as much as would
| bring the surface of the street to a level with
| the base course of the Court House, was all
| that was needed. The deeper cut raised such
vigorous opposition from the Cathedral people,
| and other properly owners, on account of the
| serious damage it would do their property, that
| the ordinances were defeated, and the matter
was left In the present unsettled condition,
| much to the disgust even of the property hold.
| ers, as well as the public.
Now would be the proper time for the City
| Councils and Mr.. Bigelow and the County
Commissioners to act, and act promptly and
| effectively. The County Commissioners take
| much credit to themselves, on account of the
| Court House and its fine condition, and Mr..
| Bigelow will get deserved praise from the pub
| lie for the fine park he has 6ucceeded in raking
in from the remnants of the c1ty's property sur
rounding the Hiland Reservoir.
| 1t only remains now, for him and the County
| Commissioners to procure the removal of the
| humps in question, IN order to secure the ever
lasting gratitude of this community.
PITTSBURG September q