Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-09-27
Chief BigeloW Will Commence From
the Ground Up, by Abolish
ing Brick Sidewalks.
IMPROVEMENTS IN SHADYSIDE.
Remdnerstiye Possibilities of Real Estate
in the NeighbOrhood Of
Sehenley Park.
WHYCHEAP RAPID TRANsITPAYs WE'LL.
The Remarkably Low Rates Charged in the City Of
Cultura

Chief Bigelow, of the Department of Pub
lie Works, says the brick sidewalk, that relic
of barbarism, must 90, and as he is sup
ported in his resolve by city ordinance, he
probably means what he says. 1t has been
held by disputants that bricks would be
more appropriate than good intentions for
paving the rosd to the grill room of His
Satanic Majesty, but while the Chief does
not take such a radical view of the matter,
he still holds that rusty, dusty bricks
are not the proper things with which
to adorn the sidewalks. of such
a great, growing and wealthy city as Pitts
burg. Mr.. Bigelow holds that bricks are
unhealthy, as they hold moisture; that they
are dangerous, as they become slippery upon
the slightest breath of frost; that they are
unpleasant, as they have habit OF becom-
ing loose, and when pedestrian steps upon
one he is liable to shoot a stream of mud up
the inside o: his pant-leg, and he challenges
anyone to prove that they are artistic.
Under an ordinance recently passed the
Chief will see that no more brick sidewalks
are laid, and those now in existence will
have to be replaced, when worn out, with
approved by the Department of Public
Works. Only limited amount of repair
ing Will be allowed on those brick sidewalks
now laid, and when the Chief decides that
any portion has crippled sufficient num-
Der OF pedestrians he will order 1t torn up
and replaced.
MRS. SCHEKLEY's OFFER.
IT, l. IL ID,
to consider Mrs. Schenley's offer to sell the
city 19 acres of land for $4,000 TOR an
entrance to Schenley Park. Chief Bigelow
thinks the offer will be accepted without
any demur. Mr.. Bigeiow says if the city
does not want the land he would
be very glad to get it himself at
that price, but he knows that Mrs.
Scheuley would not sell it to any individual
at any price. Mr.. Bigelow says the price
asked for the land does not represent a
tlthe of its value, and further holds that
property in the neighbOrhood of the park |
has not vet reached the limit OF price. In |
this connection the Chief says good property |
on the park can be bought for $50 foot |
'front.' and the greatest price yet asked is |
$500 foot, while property on the Allegheny |
Parks cannot be purchased for less than $500 |
a foot front.
Shadyside is receiving great deal of the
Chiefs attention just now, and he expects
that within the next two weeks the paving
of g number OF thoroughfares in that dis
trict, including Aiken avenue, Bidwell ave-
nue. and Copeland street, will be completed. |
UNFAIR CRITICISM.
Mr.. Bigelow says the department has been |
unfairly criticized in the matter of paving |
Aiken avenue. For number of years, be |
says, the residents ofthe avenue opposed the |
Improvement, and wnen finally bare ma
jority was obtained and the work started, |
they could not wait until it was finished, |
but grumbled because the department did |
not rush it through, regardless of bad |
weather or other hindrances. In addition |
to paving the streets of Shadvside, the de- |
partment has pretty thoroughly severed the
district, and it is no longer the favored |
haunt OF fever and ague, typhoid fever and |
other miasmatic diseases.
Mr.. n. Sawyer visited the Chief yester- |
day. and intimated that bridge across the |
hollow from Highland Park to Morningside |
would be appreciated by the residents of the |
latter place. Mr.. Bigelow said such an i'm
provement would possibly be made in the
future, but hardly for a year or two.
Mr.. Sawyer, VINO has had con-
siderable experience in operating street
railroads in this city, intimated
that if such a bridge was built an
electric road would be built to Morningside,
which would result in building up that
suburb. In talking about street railroads
Mr.. Sawyer said that Pittsburg lines could
afford to haul passengers for cents, be-
cause there is alwayss greater proportionate
increase in passengers when fares are de-
creased. Electric roads, he said, were not
only cheaper to build, but cost less to oper-
ate than cable roads, and could, therefore,
afford to carry passengers at lower fare.
BosToN's CHEAP FARES.
As showing the effects OF cheap fares upon
the business of a road, Mr.. Sawyer spoke
about two lines in Boston which issue yearly
tickets at the rate of 50 per mile, the num-
Der OF trips being unlimited. If this rate
were applied to the Fifth avenue road a
ticket would cost SIS, or about 4 cents a
Gay, on which the holder could ride as often
as he or she wished for year. This rate
was made in Boston as a result of a contest
between two companies to obtain charters.
Both roads accepted the condition, and
although at the time it was thought they
would lose money, Mr.. Sawyer declares
they are about the only roads in Boston
making money. The people generally took
advantage of the cheap transportation and
moved out along these lines, giving the city
remarkable growth in this direction.
Mr.. Sawyer saws when he managed the
Central street car line the road paid, but
when he left the management at once
charged for carrying market baskets, and
Immediately the receipts OF the road took
sudden and alarming drop. His experience
has convinced him that a road makes more
money when it charges low fares than when
it keeps up the rates.