The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-10-02
BETTER SIDEWALKS NEEDED.
Aid. KrOusISOR Is Going to Push the
Matter Until Something Is Done.

The subject of better sidewalks and the
need for some better system of dealing
with the question Of sidewalk repairs than
that afforded by the present antiquated
ordinances is likely to be brought to the
attention of council at its next meeting.
Alderman Krouskoff has announced his
intention of presenting to council at its
next meeting an ordinance dealing with
this subject. His idea is that there should
not only be some system adopted by which
repairs to sidewalks can be made prompt
ly but that the city should adopt a uni
form paving, for the business streets at
least.
Look at Broughton street" he said to
a Morning News reporter in discussing the
subject. THE sidewalk pavements there
are disgrace to any civilized city. Here
we have a nice brick pavement, next door
is a rough stone tagging, and further
along you will find a mixed tagging and
brick pavement. In the same block you
will find at least half dozen different
kinds of pavement in all stages of repair
and disrepair. For a street like Broughton
a uniform sidewalk pavement should pc
adoted and all property owners not having
that form of pavement should be required
to put it down. At least, they should be
itNuiItu TO 90 50 Wien bAiC pa fNAiACiit' -
front of their property need renewing and
some of them need it badly enough now.
Now, go into the residence section or.
the city and what do you fnd?-broken
sidewalks in every block, and these side
walks remain in a state OF dlsrepar Tor
weeks at a time Under our present or
dinances there is such a system of red
tape that it is weeks before the city mar
shall can step in and make the repairs at
the expense of the property owner. What Is
needed is an ordinance providing for the
immediate repair of all sidewalks as soon
as needed by the city.
"At present a sidewalk goes to wreck
in this manner: A brick is kicked out
and nobody pays any attention to it Then
three or four more are kicked out but
still nobody notices it. When dozen or
two have been kicked out, somebody's calls
the city marshals attention to it. By
the time the routine has been completed
and the city marshal proceeds TO make
the repairs by order of council, half the
sidewalk is gone The city should have
a man whose special business should be
10 go about the city looking up the broken
sidewalks and repairing them promptly.
The property owner should be billed for
the actual cost of the work. This would
be the cheaper for the property owner
and better for the city. When it hap
pens that the property owner notices the
breaks in his pavements he gets a negro
to put in few soft brick, which do not
match with the rest of the pavement, the
result being a rough place in the walk
and an eyesore. There is a number of
sidewalks in the city that are as bad as
cobblestone pavements. They should be
condemned and the owners of the prop
erty required to lay new sidewalks. The
quality of brick TO be used should be spec
flied by the city"
Council appears to be in a progressive
mood, and, it is said, there seems to be
no reason why such an ordinance as out
lined by Alderman krouskoff should not
meet with the approval of that body and
be enacted into law.