The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1895-10-01
RRorHER BL4kE ON RRIoKs.

And now comes Brother Henry t.
Blake, also of the New Haven Colony
Historical Society, saying that brick
sidewalks are, under certain conditions,
constitutional In reply to this we shall
darkly hint that flag, concrete and car
BOMBED stone sidewalks may also, I'M
der certain conditions, be constitu-
tional
Having thus evened up the LOCALITIES,
what about the necessities? Brother
Blake says that the mild ordinance
against brick sidewalks is not called for
by any public necessity, Good brick
sidewalks" he says, are as safe and
convenient for public travel as any 9TH
ers. Possibly, but how many good
brick sidewalks" does Brother Blake
know Of in New Haven? And does he
not know that the mild ordinance which
so excites him grew out of the fact that
it was felt to be a public necessity that
there should be better sidewalks in New
Haven than the brick sidewalks? Ideas
differ, it is true, as to what is a public
necessity, but most people acquainted
with the brick sidewalks of New Haven
don't think they are a public necessity.
Public nuisance is what they call them
Unreasonable and oppressive, says
Brother Blake concerning the mild Or
dinance. How? Is it unreasonable and
oppressive to require that new side
walks shall not be of brick? NO more
so than it would be to require that they
should be of brick. Is it unreasonable
to require that old brick sidewalks shall
not be relaid? Not If they are public
nuisance, as they are. Is it oppressive?
Sometimes, just as all of the taxes and
assessments for the public good in cities
are occasionally oppressive. They are
the penalties for not living in the will
derness.
Brother Blake says that many of the
brick sidewalks now existing in this
city have been in use for thirty or forty
years with very little repairs. Admit
ted, without question.
Other cities have brick sidewalks,
says Brother Blake, therefore it is I'M
reasonable for New Haven to think of
gradually getting rid Of them. If this is
good argument New Haven ought to
have open sevsrs, plank sidewalks and
many other things which other cities
have.
1t is the ordinance against brick side
walks, says Brother Blake, that makes
them what they are, and he charges the
city authorities with a kind Of conspir-
acy against brick, but admits that own
ers of brick sidewalks can legally keep
them in good repair if they are so dis
posed and thus defeat the alleged con-
spiracy. If they don't do this we can't
see how it is illegal, unnecessary, I'M
reasonable, oppressive and inexpedient"
to compel them to make sidewalks that
the public can walk on in safety and
comfort And it does not seem to us I'M
constitutional that such sidewalks
should be of other material than brick.
'tBrick walks have been in general use
in this city for fifty years" says Brother
Blake. Solemn thought! oh the pro-
family they have caused! Oh the wild
rage they have inspired! Oh the slips
and the sprains that have come from
them! oh the broken bones chargeable
to them! constitutional and histori-
cal!'' These were the words that were
once used to uphold the curse of slavery.
They don't gain in dignity by being
used to defend the "cussed" old brick
sidewalks of New Haven.