The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1895-10-01
COMMUNICATIONS.
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(CoNtinued from Fourth fage)
the city are of brick and the proper
tlon Of slipping cases upon them is no
greater If so great as those on others,
Many persons slip and fall on Chapel
street and other streets paved with
flags, while the brick walk on the
Green in front of the churches, which
is very much travelled has caused none
or almost none of such claims during its
whole existence for over fifty years. In
our climate ice will form ON any pave
ment Ehe only remedy is sand or ashes
and this is effectual on brick as well
as others. Brick walks viii become I'M
even of course, and SO will flag walks,
but no one condemns the latter on this
account. The remedy is to compel
proper repairs and these can be made
more easily with brick than with flags.
Third-The ordinance is unreasonable
and in many cases oppressive. Brick
walks have been in general use in this
city for fifty years and many of those
now existing have been in use for thirty
or forty years, with very little repairs.
The city has itself repeatedly laid them
and ordered them laid, and now main
tains several on and around our public
parks. 1t has thus recognized brick as
a suitable material for pavements, and
it would be unjust, after compelling
owners to lay them, to order them up
for new material without stringent
necessity, which, as we have shown,
does not exist The city has no more
right to require A, who is poor, to lay
as elegant sidewalk as his rich neigh
Dor B, merely to improve the appear
ance of the street, than it has to make
him pull down his plain wooden house
and build finer one for the same rea-
son. Much of the property fronted by
brick sidewalks laid by order of the city
is unproductive, or for other reasons
will not bear the expense of unneces-
sary changes in the sidewalk material,
and the enormous cost of a general abb
lition of the brick walks in our city is
surely a legitimate consideration for the
common council
The brick sidewalk, it may be added,
is in general and approved use in very
many other cities OF our country, such
as Boston, Worcester, Springfield, Prov
idence, Atlanta and others, which have
no thought of abolishing them. 1t has
thus been recognized as a legitimate
pavement, and it's universal prohibition
here Is unreasonable.
Fourth-The ordinance is responsible
for the bad condition in which many of
our brick sidewalks are, and Its repeal
would promote their general improve
ment. We have a city bylaw requiring
every sidewalk owner to keep his walk
in good repair, and making it the duty
of ha nit ~
forcement. Instead of doing so they de-
liberately allow the brick sidewalks to
fall into bad condition in order to have
an excuse for ordering them relaid in
different material When such an order
is made it is frequently resisted by the
owner as unnecessary or oppressive,
and often either revoked or uncomplied
with. If the ordinance against relaying
with brick did not exist the order would
be for repairs and would be readily
obeyed. Instances of this kind have oc
Cured in more cases than one, and if
necessary can be cited.
For the reasons, therefore, that the
ordinance against the relaying of side
walks in brick is Illegal, unnecessary,
unreasonable, oppressive and inexpedi-
ent, 1t ought to be repealed
Rev. Mr.. Conwell's Lecture Commended.
To the Editor Of the JOURNAL AND COURIER
A few words about the lecture of Rev
Russell H. Conwell in the Church of the
Redeemer tomorrow evening, October
2, the proceeds of which are to be given
to one of our city churches. The sub
ject of the lecture is "Acres of Dia-
monds." Having heard this lecture once
I wish to call attention to it's very great
value, especially for young men. 1t is
practically condensation of what
might be large book on thrift, or how
to make themost Of ones opportunities.
1T is not only exceedingly instructive,
but it is filled with illustrations pre-
Sented In such an interesting and en-
PERTAINING manner as to most effectually
fasten on the mind great and important
truths. 1t is hardly necessary to say
that I have no interest in this matter
except the desire that as many as pos
sible take advantage of the opportunity
to hear one of the most eloquent and
remarkable men of our times in a lee
ture In which he is at his best.
LIVINGSTON w. CLEAVELAND.