Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1889-09-24

That street Committee.

aCity as to the condition Of the streets and
the imperative need that existed for the
use of better surface stone for macada-
mixing The stones that had been put
upon the streets at great cost the year
before had crumbled under the disinte-
grating frosts Of winter, and laid on the
streets, in the spring, great mass OF
mud, to be removed at great expense.
We succeeded in stirring the commit
tee up, 80 that they hired an omnibus
one day and drove around the town to
see what stones were ohtainable.
They resolved, or gave out that they
had, to try each kind of stone upon
the streets and determine which was
the best. So far rs we know, this was
the extent of the committees virtuous
resolution TO get better stones than they
got from single quarry and single
quarries still supply the stone, and
the breaker that was ordered away
from II has never been removed. We
have waited in patient disgust, until
now the leaves are falling, and we fully
know that there is no good work to bc
expected this year upon our streets.
And from this committee we are strong
in the conclusion that no good work
can even bc reasonably expected Its
chairman il William Riddle and Parke
Cummings Is his chief aid. We used to
think that there was considerable good
in both these men and probably there
il il il can be drawn out. Mr.. Riddle
doubtless has an excellent knowledge Of
the school books in which he deals and
: Mr.. Cummings of the brass and things
that provide his ostensible business. But
neither of them have IA genius for street
management in the interest of the pco-
pie.
Neither of them know how good
street may bc Olade--judging by their
works. Perhaps they do not want to
know; or perhaps they may say stubborn
felIow-mcmbers keep them from doing
all the good that they could do and
would do ifthey had their way. Mr.. j.
=. StOrmfeltz Is on the committee he Is
reputed To know how to run plan
ing mill and he ought to be in
telligent enough to know how TO
make good roadway. Mr.. Joel l..
: Haines, having graduated from
barber shop through the police force into
an auctionecr's stand, may be sup
posed to have gathered information
enough In his pilgrimage To tell stones
from mud. Mr.. john V. Wise, brick
maker, may have natural antipathy
to stones and fondness for mud, but
should not let his prejudiccs affect his
action rs committeeman. Mr.. Daniel
Sing in his devotion to his grocery store
probably does not often get on the street;
but Mr.. II. II. Underwood, dentist aud
bicycler, one would think would seek TO
secure rutless streets with all his energy.
Mr.. Henry /. Freeh Is n tailor aud an
Intelligent member of the committee,
and Is not the black sheep of the flock.
Perhaps we will he able before long to
streets in bad condition and that per
mits the street railroads to make ruts, lay
sidings, occupy bridges and generally
take possession of the streets as they
please.
3 We cannot think that the street com
mittee has demonstrated it's wisdom as
conseryator of the city's interest in the
streets, In recommending that councils
permit the creation of another siding
on Duke street north of the bridge. We
do not need to prove that the loop made
by the street, railroad at its passing
points, Is u great hindrance To the use of
the street by ordinary vehicles; and 1t is
an obstruction which jury would de-
clare to be n nuisance, If II is not absO-
lutely necessary Ia the running of the
railroad. Everyone knows how objec-
tionable these double tracks are, taking
up the width of the street, filling il with
ruts and forbidding the adjoining prop
erty owners to use the streets in front of
their houses as a waiting place for their
carriages. At the place proposed
for the new siding on Duke
street, the street railway has fully sue
ceeded in taking possession of one
side of the bridge and entirely
forbidding its use by wagons and the
street committee seems to have thought
that 1t might as well finish up the Job
for that square by taking possession of
the remainder of il with II side track
And another thing, in which this re-
markable committee has succeeded iu
demonstrating its wonderful quality, is
in the grade it finds in this square of
Duke street and the one south of il which
ii has just given permission 10 the prop
erty holders TO pave with asphalt
blocks, II being now about a year since
the committee put on its last covering of
mud. They have awakened TO the fact
that their street grade and pavement
grade do not agree, though they are both
official and that the street must come
down or the psvements go up, to get the
streets licked into shape for the asphalt
paving.
And the notable body of owls debated
all last evening whether they could lay
their hands hard enough on the street
railway company 10 make il take
up Its rails, or whether they could
make 1t let them do il at the city's cost (:
the variegated birds all seeming to agree
that the property holders, having laid
their sidewalks according TO the city
Gunter, could not he made To change
them ; and the whole flock is out on
Duke street this morning cackling over
the situation. When they reach con-
clusion, probably they will do some
thing, which will turn out 10 lie nothing,
In the usual manner.
The French Elrctious