Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-10-09
SATURDAY.. OCTOBER 9, 1897.
LET US "IxICK."

The Dispatch is glad to find that there
Is a growing interest here in the subject
pf street Improvements.
Our people are not willing to have
Richmond considered finished city"
Least OF all can our taxpayers afford to
have Richmond so regarded. And above
eli, owners of real estate whether that
real estate be in the heart of the town
or in the East or West End, are con-
cerned in all that will increase salable
values and make our city more highly
esteemed as a place of residence.
But how is 1t possible for us to make
Richmond more attractive without our
having better and cleaner streets? For
years and years our STRENGTHENING has
failed of its object in a large degree. We
have depended too much upon rains TO
come and wash our city free from dust
and trash. and have done too little in
the way of providing ourselves with
street-sweeping machines. Season after
season, when rain has failed us, have
such complaints been uttered. 1t is no
new thing. and cannot fairly be at
tributed to any recent action of the City
Council.
For five years, at least. there has been
need for more machines, and while most
liberal-not TO say extravagant-appro-
priations have been made for other pur-
poses. this patent necessity has been ig-
nored.
Never will Richmond be able to COM
pare favorably with other cities of our
size until provision has been made for
sweeping nightly such streets as Main
and Broad, and until the paper trash
nuisance is met boldly and decisively.
And never will the authorities act until
public opinion demands st.
AS to street repairing: Our authorities
might as well recognize now as later on
that the bicycle has come TO stay" and
that the wheemen have rights which
wheelmen are vigorous, active young
men, who will eventually make their in
fiuence felt. Most Of them are now. or
soon will be. voters. So. in the making
or repairing of roadways the conve-
nience of wheelmen will have to be con-
suited to greater degree than it has
been in the past.
But the wheelmen, numerous and influ-
entail as they are. are small in numbers
compared with the masses who are inte-
rested in having good. smooth sidewalks
And the masses are getting tired of
having their ankles twisted upon such
pavements as that on the west side of
Ninth street between Main and Frank
lin.
1t is little to our credit that our people
trudge over such uneven and disreputa-
BILE pieces of pavement as that. 1t has
been in that condition for some years,
and meanwhile we have been told that
the law as to assessing property-owners
Is not in practicable shape! What
definitely for the law TO be adjusted?
Why cannot the city take the small sum
OF money that is needed and make such
repairs as will cause that piece of side
walk to be safe and presentable until
the assessment law is SO arranged that
we may require the property-owners to
put down a new sidewalk?
Richmond cannot afford to adopt the !
''do-nothing" policy with reference to
her streets. To do so would be danlning
TO her prospects. II would dissuade some
new comers from making their homes
here. and II would be dscouraging in the
highest degree 70 our enterprsing ana
pubiio-spirited citizens.
II We hope for more prosperous fu-
ture, we must reject the idea that street |
improvements may he abandoned for |
series OF years and then resumed where
they were left OF. And most OF all. we
should keep up the sidewalks. All OF
rs use the sidewalks. while oaly smali
esosesSion Of our population use the road