Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-07-10
HOME MISSION WORK
That Has for Its Object the Total
Wiping Out of Hardscrabble.
RESULT OLA TRIP In THAT SECTION
Taken by Party of Gentlemen Who Can
See Great Future
FOR WHAT IS NOW A CITYs EYESORE

| Appended IS plan for missionary work
in, or rather, for the wiping out of Hard
| scrabble A party of citizens.has gone over
the territory, the purchase of which has
| been suggested by the County Commission
| ers for room for jail enlargement to give
| extra accommodation for cells, Jail yard
| and a street to connect Fifth avenue,
| starting at its junction with Ross street,
with Forbes avenue. E. P. KeaTns
suggested that while the county is about it
| it should continue the purpose so as to take
in the territory as far as Chatham street and
removing the buildings, none of which are
very valuable, make the triangle into a
park. The suggestion was received favor
ably. In its support was urged the consid-
Grafton that not only would it make q
pleasant breathing spot close to the crowded
business portion of the city, but country
people, when they came to town to be wit
nesses, do jury duty, pay taxes, ETC., would
have pleasant place to stroll and rest in.
Further, were the space between the juno
tion of Fifth avenue and Chatham street
kept clear, the Court House and Jail would be
thing of beauty and a joy for generations
and not be hidden from sight on its eastern
side by tall buildings that are like to take
the place of the rookeries at some future
time. 1t was also suggested that such an
Improvement would soon thoroughly reform
Hardscrabble in connection with the News
DOyS
Another Proposition Met With Favor.
After this topic had been discussed in all
its longitude and latitude John j. McCaffrey
broached a second proposition, which met
with even more favor, and that was one to
connect High street. or the extension of
Sixth avenue, with Second avenue east of
Try street, near Rea & Co.'s porkhouse. The
proposition was hailed with feryor, and
a motion was made to adopt it
and discuss it afterward. The motion
was carried without debate, when one
| man made speech subsequently, re-
questing as a special favor that his name
be suppressed-thOugh from the unanimity
with which his views were indorsed, the
request for suppression seemed strange.
Said he:
"Chief Bigelow has won golden opinions
in the face of much opposition, for his sue
cessful management of the Schenley Park
opponents who surrender when success sits
on his standard, but he can put a brighter
feather in his cap-a more resplendant
ssws in of his SsW ytbdasana shs eHpenS do
lars on this connection suggested
by Mr. McCaffrey, and at this time, when the
city is stirred by the terrible accidents
caused by cable and electric cars colliding
on grade crossings, the agitation of the prop
o5ition is opportune. Atpresent Hardscrab-
BILE is an eyesore. Few people visiting Pitts
est in the union, and it is mortifying to be
forced to explain to them why Hardscrabble
exists in the shadow of the Temple of JUS
tice They naturally feel that there is an an
not only on the taste but the morality of the
city.
How to Wipe Out Hardscrabble.
'Now, the proposition is to abolish Hard
scrabble by using portion of it for q street
to connect High street with Hill street. The
street between the two thoroughfares
named could run back of the coal yards on
Try street and not interfere with them. 1t
would come into Second avenue q few feet
east of Rea & Cos pork house. 1t could be
connected by bridge with either Third or
Fourth avenue, and what would be the re-
suit? Why, the death trap at the Try street
and Second avenue railway crossing would
be abolished. Teamsters could reach any
part of the city from the Southside and Sec
ond avenue without burdentng Grant
Smithfield and Wood streets, and not only
relieve these streets of q considerable part
of their congestion, but get rid of three or
four of the most dangerous street railway
crossings in the city, in addition to the very
dangerous trap at Second avenue and Try
street.
"Boyd street is now being paved, and this
will greatly improve the situation, as there
will be no more washing of mud and other
filth from the bluff down upon Forbes street.
Shingiss street should be improved and con-
tinued up to the bluff, so as to give drive
up there. A very fine one could be had at
all four points of the compass obtained, and
in section that will never be disturbed by
rapid transit lines, as there is no call for
them, all the bluff being near enough Forbes
avenue to accommodate dwellsrS. Thus we
could have in the heart of the city finer
boulevard, for driving. on the edge of
Boyd's hill, above the Monongahela, than
any to be found in Paris or any other city
since the walls of old Babylon were de-
stroyed.
Many More Advantages.
owe are not obliged to build wall to
have drive from which we can overlook the
city and take in panorama exceeding in
loveliness anything that the Queen of Baby
lonia ever saw in her native country of
Media. In conclusion, beginning at my
starting point, wish to say that Try street
is irretrievably lost to the CITY, but its place
can be filled at comparatively small expense
with all the other advantages 1 have emu
merated''
Mr.. McCaffrey again took the floor and said
he wished to supplement what had been said,
stating that if the proposed extension of
High street to Second avenue were made 1t
would not only catch much of the Southside
travel that now crosses the river at Soho
and runs the imminent risk of being mangled
at the crossing of the Baltimore and Ohio |
railway at that point, and further, that were
High street extended to Hill street in addi- |
ton to all other advantages enumerated q
row of warehouses could be built and would
be that could load direct upon the cars of
the Pittsburg, Cincinnati and st. Louis rail |
way. not only saving part of the present
congestion of trade, but the advantageous
terminal facilities thus afforded would make /
the property command an exceptionally
high price.