Arizona republican., 1892-05-13
WE NEED IMPROVEMENTS.

The people who come to Phoenix
 express themselves as much surprised
 at our thrift and advancement, and SO
 far we make a good impression on the
 strangers that come within our gates.
 But all that is necessary has not yet
 been done, and at very little cost i'm
 provements can be made that will i'm
 prove the appearance of the city very
 much. Not only its appearance will be
 beautified but much will be added to
 the convenience and comfort. of our
 home people and visitors. We have no
 walks-ss matter of fact We do not
 need any now-but the time has been
 and will be again, that we need them.
 Last winter and spring during the
 rainy season there was not a decent
 crossing in the city, and the only walks
 that would to any extent protect one against the mud were up and down
 Washington street. No one could come
 to his business from any of the resi- dence portions of the city without mir
 ing down, and for weeks it was impos- sible for lady to go out on foot. Peo.
 pie from distance remarked about this, and said that while Phoenix peo- pie had remarkable enterprise in some respects they had very little iE the matter of improving the streets. This improvement of walks and cross- ings will cost more than all the other necessary Improvements, but at the same time no city ever los. a cent by by investing in such way, and TIE REPUBLICAN hopes that this will be provided for before the rains begin again.
 Another thing that we need right now and should be attended to at once is the extension of the street sprinkling. This is now confined to a small portion of Washington and Center streets and the ground covered is altogether inad- eauate for the comfort of the people. The streets up and down Washing ton for four bloc ks from the city hall. and two blocks on either side should be | sprinkled every day. If this was done regularly we would not experience the unpleasantness of the dust we had last fall and winter. Then the sprikin0 was not begun till the dust was three or four inches deep, and it was almost Im- possible to get water enough on it to | make the streets firm aud hard as they would have been had the work been done sooner, and in the latter case it | would take less water to do the entire season than the amount necessary to put the neglected streets in good or even medium condition. It might be well to look into the relative costs and conveniences of this matter and adopt the best and cheapest plan for comfort.
 Phoenix has two beautiful plazas and 1t would enhance their appearance very much if seats were put around their borders and along the walks, go that if one 80 wished he could 20 and spend pleasant hour. Most people work during the day and they do not feel like standing during the rest of the evening, Phoenix is excellent as a health resort and is being advertised as such. When people come here they ex- pect some conveniencies with which they can entertain themselves at least, ani they have right to. Thls would make the parks much more attractive and at the same time Phoenix would not be doing anything more than all other cities of even less population do.
 It would only cost reasonable amount to get one of the Phnnix bands to play on the plaza three nights out O, the week, and it would, during the warm months be a pleasant place to spend the evening.
 This amount could easily be made up by private subscription for Phoenix citl- lens, as rule, wish Co see the city prosper. They only want the matter 'larted and put before them in proper lgh1, whenwe venture to say that the public spirit of our people will show it. { 'eli superior to that of any city in the territory. Economy is good thins in it's place | put 1t can bo carried to an extent that more injurious than cx.ravagance. The question in the recent ci,y election vas Progress" ahL Us the mavor and 7 onncilmen expressed themselves as Impressive mon, dou btless, such of 1, .hese things a. lie m iheir jurisdiction , VIII be attended to as soon as they get q for work. 1;
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