The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1891-02-20
CONDITION OF STREETS.
REFINING IND CLEANING NEEDED
ar ETERl TURN.


Those citizens of Richmond whose daily
routine work keeps them within the business
centre Of the city. and who, looking proudly
upon the rough cobble-stOne paycmenisoi the
principal streets, imagine that they liye' per
chance own property in a city whose paving
system is near perfection, are laborng under
a delusion ridiculous in It's enonnlty.
Even in the very centre ofthe city, whefethe
brick sidewalks are continuous where hags-
ing is at every crossing, and where the streets
are covered with cobblc-stones, money could
he expeuded to an excellent advantage. both
for the comfort Of pedestrians and the safety
Of horses and vehicles. ,
I'm many places the bricks wit which the
sidewalks are paved have sunk below the le'el
Of the curbstone, and aitef even sNEle ,"."
pools of water can be seen az frequent lhlci-
walls Water also stands for hours after % ram
over many Of the crossings, and even on th1
business part of Main street II stands several
inches deep in the numerous low places
where the stones should be rclald.
The streets. in fact are IN such bad conul-
tion mot only the new ones Just opened, but
some of the old streets that have been M use
for more than a century,. that II would re-
quire an enormous sum OF money 10 repair
them properly.
ENGINFERs ESTIMATE
Tn his report TO the Street Committee this
week. Colonel Cutshaw the City Engineer,
gave AN idea Of the amount required 10 put
the streets of the city IN a safe and comfort
able condition. The figures are gwen IN
minute detail for curbing. paving, eultriln@'
and other necessary Improvement; tahhI
each square in the city az time. HE tolh
figures by wards are as follows
Marshall Ward.... ................S 5Jll3 ~
jefferson Ward ...........,........ lVz'yS9 %
Madison rd.................... $50 w
Monroe Ward. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. orfll %
Clay Ward. ..................... -iu'o'' W.
Repairs t. wards at large.......... l1,UOO W
This gives a total Of SOL ,5l9.3'. Adding
to that the pay-rOlls etc. II gives grand to-
nj of $40 sl93S which Will have 10 be eK-
pended before Richm ond can boast of having
streets commensurate with her past history
and present prosperity.
INSPECTION TOUR.
While traversing a portion Of the western
reporter raac noted few OF he "lobloi-
hesn and imperfcctions which abound
on almost every street. Almost immediately
in front Of the old City Hall j. mole several
feet in diameter and filled with siaenant
water That whole square IS in terrible
condition as * Broad street for four or
FIVE squares west of Tenth street The
tracks used for hauling stone TO the new CITY
Hall are still IN position ana IN some l'a',s
10 the great danger of WienchnS wheels from
vehicles in attempting 10 cross
jefferson street from Broad 70 Marshall IS
literally full OF holes, and the mud is several
inches deep.
The south side Of Broad street from JcTo-
son 10 Madison is at the least four inches deep
in red mud, and the gutter IS crowded with
filth
Broad street from Madison west is in a hor-
rible condition. There are numerous Iuts
Ia. 4 -
car tracks are SO much higher than the street
that il Is almost imposs lbe 10 cross
Neally in front of Elba station. III the very
middle Of Broad street. is hole at least SIX
feet in diameter and about twelve inches deep.
This is full of water. black with refuse. and
just at the side of the station Is another hole
of like character.
ALLEYS npAssABlE.
In the west end Of the city many Of the
alleys are impossible.
On Harrison stree, there is no pavement no
all and the mud makes il almost i'm a-ane
10 pedestrians in fact the electric cars are
about the only vehicles that pass with any
degree of ease.
Neither is there any sidewalk on the west
side of Beech. and the mud IS equally az deep
as on Harrison
Plumb street could hardly be recognized as
n city thoroughfare. and Main from Plumb to
LOmbardy is a disgrace TO any city and
would be tolerated by the oyelsecrs Of few
county reads
I'm this part Of the city ruts and holes are
almost az thick as the cobbe~iones in Tire
portions which are so fortunate as TO possess
them.
Lombardy street, is no more fortunate in the
absence OF mud than the rest Of the neighbour
hood.
Cary street, from the Reservoir to the cor
porate limits, has the appearance of "a saw
mill road, and the sidewalks on either side
are hardly excuses.
Randolph. which would have been a beau
tiful avenue. leading from Cary street 30 the
Catholic cemetery. has been cut bl the city
carts and left unpayed, until now II can he
better measured by the gallon than by the
square foot.
CONTINUOUS sLUsH.
Reservoir. from Main to Ashland street is
one continuous sush. while Ashland siIcct ls
even worse. 1t is said 70 be All actual fact
that persons living in that part OF the city ure
compelled to wear rubber boots IN even going
from one house 10 another.
Almost the whole of Marshall street is i'm
bad condition, as are Clay and Leigh. and IN
several places on these streets west of Fifth
the mud Is deep enough to iutimidate man
who has been used 10 the slashcs Of Hanover.
First street from Leigh to the penitcntiury
can hardly claim the semblance of "A pave
ment, except on the sidewalks and holds its
own IN muddiness with the other unpayed
thOrOughfares.
good condition hut from Fifth to Sixth there
Is steep hill, with buggy-breaking ruts and
holes every few feet.
Oregon Hill can hardly claim a deceutlv
paved street, andyery few sidewalks worthy If
the name can be found in that part OF the
city.
The mud and miserable condition of the
streets are not confined to the part, of the city
mentioned but walk Of only a few squares
from the postottice in any direction will
reveal the fact that this statement even falls
short of expressing the ugly and dangerous
condition of Richmonds thoroughiares. nor
can the eastern part OF the city claim To be
much, If any, ahead Of the pant described as
10 perfectly paved and properly kept streets
Entered aud Cleared.
The British steamship Campus. Esterbrook
master, 1918 tons, thirty-seycn crew. entered
at the custom-house yesterday. coastwise from
New York, to load cotton at West Point for
Liverpool.
The schooner A. Booth Todd master. en-
tered coastwise from Baltimore with a cargo
of fertilizer.
The British steamship Queen Margaret.
Wilson master with "A Paron rl A. tn halo 8