Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1891-05-21
SPRINKLE THE STREETS.
X eep the Improvement Going Until Free
land Takes First Place.

SfhtN AL
Keep the Improvement Going Until Free
land Takes First Place.
There is probably no town in the State
that could use a street sprinkler to better
advantage than Freeland. That such an
article is a necessity will be readily ad
mitted by every person who has occa.
sion to use any of the streets, especially
Centre. When the restless mountain
winds which continually hover over the
town conclude to annoy the residents
| they simply take on a sixty-mile gait
and sweep down the street with an ir-
restible force. The clouds of dust they
| leave behind settle upon the goods of
enterprising merchants who display their
stock, and pedestrians are busy for an
houi afterwards removing particles of
stray real estate from their eyes. A
gust of wind sends people scampering
inside OF doors to escape the storm of
debris which is sure to follow. Vehicles
driving up and down raise commotion
| that covers the riders with dust of every
description, and something should be
dCne to remedy this source of constant
irritation.
GET SPRINKLER THIS YEAR.
tcubIt toIIcGl lS IL llut JllOTOu1IlIdrp,
but when miniature whirlwinds chase
each other from Chestnut to Carbon all
day long, much of its attractiveness is
lost. A street sprinkler would practically
stop this annoyance, and as machine of
this kind must come in short while, in
order to keep pace with other improve
ments, why not get it now? The people
seem to be in a progressive mood this
season, and none but chronic GROWERS
and kickers would object. Such things
may be considered luXuries by some,
bat they are necessary luXuries to places
like Freeland. This is no longer a vii
lage, and those who think it is should
open their eyes to the progress made in
the last decade. Freeland has position
in the front rank of Lehigh Valley
towns, and it rests with the people here
to decide whether it shall continue in
the course which brought it to its present
position or whether it shall fall back and
become a stagnant sleepy place like some
of its nearby neighhors Its inhabitants
always respond with will as soon as
any necessity makes itself known, and
it is not probable that they are now going
to quibble over small affair like Il
sprinkler.
POSSIBLE OBJECTIONS.
Some of the fogies, and it must be
admitted there are a few here, may
argue that an Improvement of this sort
is not going to advance the town any,
but they should know that it is just such
little things that invariably make the
best impressions upon strangers. Sew
erage will be carried by an almost
unanimous vote on the 10th of next
month, and every man who is in favor
of perfect drainage will support the
lesser improvement. Large undertakings
come almost of their own accord, for
their necessity is more apparent and ap-
peals more directly to all, and when u
town shows desire to engage in these
matters, as Freeland is doing, it cannot
afford to lose sight of its minor needs.
The advancement must be uniform all
along the line-big and little necessities
must be attended 10 if Freeland wants
to keep up with its neighbors.
HOW TO DEFRAY THE COST.
Few of the business men should op-
pose street sprinkling, and several have
intimated that they would contribute to
a fund to defray the expenses of driver
and the charges for the water. 1t is not
likely that the latter bill would be eXhor-
bitant, for to do justice to the borough the
Water Company could not consistently
be anything but lenient in this respect.
The borough now pays an annual rental
of 1928 to the company for water which
it fortunately has seldom occasion to use.
The company is preparing to increase
the water supply by sinking another ar
tesian well, and this should furnish
enough and more than sprinkler would
daily require to keep the dust settled.
The gentlemen controlling the Water
Company are citizens whose interests
are identical with the people in general,
and it would be poor policy for them TO
throw a wet blanket upon any project
that is intended to prove advantageous
to the community. 1t is more probable
that street sprinkling would receive the
company's approval, and that no obstacle
in the shape of an excessive water tax
would be placed in its way.
DUST DIscoURAGEs TRADE.
Not counting the loss to merchants
from the spelling of goods or wares, nor
to householders and housekeepers from
damage to property or household furni-
ture, see the loss in trade that is the
direct result of keeping buyers out of
town because of the dust. The securing
and maintenance of public comfort and
public sanitation is public duty, and it
is recommended that the public consider
this matter affecting health, convenience
and trade, with view of arriving at a
satisfactory means Of eradicating the
evil. And we think that all good citizens
will, after deiberation, agree with the
| TRIBUNE that Council should take this
matter in hand and do away with the
/ dust.
THE DUTY OF THR BOROUGH.
1t is the business of the borough tc
take more effective measures to have the
/ streets in condition that during windy
days every pedestrian is protected from
the Inconvenience arising from the
clouds of dust that meet him at every
turn. The borough keeps the streets il
repair compels property holders to pave
and gutter, and will allow of no obstruc
tion thereon that interferes with trave
or trade. The borough disallows any
nuisance that is detrimental to the
health of the community, and prohibits
| the accumulation of any rubbish or dirt
that may breed disease or cause annoy
ance. What breeds more discomfort
| than the dust from the streets What
is more unhealthy or repulsive to good
taste than breathing in the surface Of
the street? What is of more injury tC