Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-10-10
THE MOONLIGHT SYSTEM.

Our people are beginning to have their
cleaning and street improving. They are
not satisfied with the present condition
of things. They do not regard it as
creditable to Richmond. They look upon
it as bad business policy. And we much
mistake if they ever will be satisfied until
our city has complete equipment OF
street-sweeping machines.
To rely upon rains TO do half the work
and a few machines to do the rest is not
10 be longer thought of. 1t is much like
the system of street lighting that once
prevailed here. The rule was to consult
an almanac and not light the gas amps
on the nights when it was indicated that
there would be moonlight. But it some
times occurred that clouds obscured the
face Of the moon and thus yelled our
city in darkness. So, at the very time
that the lamps were most needed they
were not lighted. So too, under our
present STRENGTHENING system, at the
very time our streets are busiest and
dirtiest, the rains do not come.
Eventually, that system had to be
abandoned. So, too, our present mode
of street cleaning will have to be inn
proved. We must not depend upon the
rains to do the work that our own hands
should do. We ought, at least. to buy
plenty of machines to sweep Main and
Broad streets every night.
Again. we ought to put positive PRO-
hibition upon the paper-trash nuisance
If we are not willing 10 make an iniexi-
bic law against the littering Of cutters
and the scattering Of dodgers then let
us employ boys 10 go up and down Main
and Broad streets hourly to pick up the
paper as fast as it is thrown down.
other cities have battled successfully
with this nuisance, and why may not
we? We can, if we try. So, let us rouse
ourselves from our Indifference upon this
question and resolve that Richmond shall
take higher rank as clean. well-kept.
neatly-appearing city.
Since we first called public attention
to the condition of the sidewalk on Ninth
street, between Main and Franklin, hum
dreds Of persons have viewed the pave
ment there and expressed their disgust
at its appearance. 1t has been in n bad
condition for years. Yes; while that piece
of pavement, in the very heart Of the
city, has been permitted to remain to
discredit us with strangers and to dis
comfort thousands Of our own citizens,
many good streets have been torn up and
relaid. as If no other way could be found
TO spend the city's money!
The Ninth-street abomnatlon is a type
of many other sidewalks here If you
doubt this, examine the sidewalks on
some squares of Broad and Main streets.
and on many other much-travelled
thoroughfares.
And are we 10 tolerate this sort OF
thing without murmur? No. To do so
would be to conslgn Richmond to the
catacomb of finished" cities. AS truly
as a bird is known by its feathers, city
is known by its streets.
Now let the authorities cease dallying
with the question of assessing abut-
ting property Owners" and make such re-
pairs 10 our sidewalks as will tide them
over" until the time comes when we may
put down pavements of asphatum or
concrete.
Let no more good. substantial streets
be ripped open and rebuilt until we have
provided comfortable sidewalks upon our
principal business streets.