The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1898-01-28
The Miserable Condition Of RiChmOndS
Stre.tsa Menace 10 Our Existence
| PHYSICIANS SOLEMN ApNONI1ION
"a Is . Miracle That We DO Not Have Sc
rious Epidemics Here as Result OF
the Filth All Around--An Alarm
ing Condition.

streets OF Richmond. ana suggesting That
some steps be taken 10 remedy the evil.
These articles have been commended by
many readers OF the paper and a large
number OF expressions OF thanks have
come from many quarters The condition
Of tho streets as referred 20 IN the arti-
clcs mentioned was commented upon as
a distressing situation. Yet these COM
ments did not give an adequate idea OF
what some Of these 50 called streets look
like. Indeed they can hardly be called
streets.
Walk out around town and take look
az somo Of the numbcrless ruts, mud
holes and siush-pOnds. II 81 enough 70
discl" "rage outsiders who contemplate set
tling ere There Is no use saying Don
publish anything about our wretched
streets 90 outsiders. Tor they won't locate
here IL you do.
40 ARGUMENT AT ALL.
THAT Is % hachu eyed saying long since
out Of date III is not likely that out
sii-rs will settle here until they come and
take a look at thc city. Let them do this
OF a damp day ard the sight OF Rich
mond- streets i1 enough 10 scare them
away.
And suppose they don come here 20
settle Are the 10000 people who live here
permanently 20 suffer and wade around
through the slush forever, and plead in
vain for something ike respectable
streets. pavemcnts and crossings simply
because half dozen prospociors may
perchancc be frightened away by reason
of an opon publication. that. for mud,
ruts. and fifth. Richmond g streets would
take the blue ribbon i'm any well regulst-
cd contest with other cities OF the same
slze2
There should be O limit 10 this condl-
tion Of affairs. While hundreds Of eX-
cuses and explanations are being given
from time 20 time The helpless public
continue 90 suffer.
Is there any reason or sense in saying
that this lamcntahle situation cannot be
helped? How do other cities help IL
Richmond has as fine natural drainage
as any city in this country What good
is this fact doing the city? From year
- year the streets grow worse. the ruis
srow deeper the hlth accumulates. ana
Sun little Is being done to improve mat
ters
HARD on THE HEALTH.
Rut the purpose Of this article is not
10 set forth the rough and neglected con-
ditiOn of the streets. This has been re-
fcrrcd 10 in preceding articles. ana J shan
rrohabfy have something further 20 say
about IL later. The purpose Of this article
- 20 set forth in general sort of way
the fsct that R,chmOnds streets arc
about the dlthiest to be found IN i re
specfab.c country where people care any
hius at an about their health.
10 Is wol-known fact that the street.
cleaning force Of Richmond Is but
fairly good-sKod Joke. The entire force
consists Of about enough mon 20 proper
Is clean two or three ~ such mud-holes
as Grace or Franklin streets. You can
lake "a walk over the city to-day ana
you viii end tlu-cgns. dccayed fruit peel
inRe ola papers vegetable matter III
ereai 0uanuues. ashes. cindera, stag
uaut pa0i- oi dish water barrels Of re-
fuse matter from kitchens. and indeed
every conceivable kind of Nth 10 add 10
tho trouble During the summer water
melon rnd-. dccayc1 fruit. and other
vegetable waste IS found In many parts
OF tho CITY, The district around about inc
Cld A-atket is usually distressing while
ALLEYS .u over .he city are breeding ais
ease hy reason of the nth.
LITTLE sWTErING.
Fcw Of thc streets are ever swept. and
those that are swept arc only half done
p9v,nc a. frequently taken up ana then
nnt down with heavy layers Of SAND ana
dirt This dir, .s allowed TO remain iol
weeks. A rain comes. ana with II mnu
and slush-all because the streets are not
swept
Another thing ls noticeable. streets are
torn up at any times OF the year re-
elrdless Of the liability TO icfcr5 OF
various sorts. and have known OF cases
where streets have ior days ana even
weeks been impossible 10y reasons OF oe-
..rnrfiooe in cxcoyatinc. curbng ana
.ticceJ Grading. Sometimes part Of the
work ie done. and the workmen leave II
Cor DAYS and oven wecks. with hoIcf
.,d ditchiug. and The earth turned up To
hrce1 disease several blocks along
Grace street were almost impassable Tor
weeks bv reason Of the street beng
.orn nm. and either lem 80 or hNed win
, tv.o-lnch layer of sticky. yellow clay.
And so IL goes on from year TO year Us
aWrul.
DIR. HODGES TALKS.
From "A hygienic stand point 'he si'ua'
lion IS q distressing one.
pr. J Allison Hodges. who mas gwen
tnis subject "a grcat deal OF s'auy anu
thought. and has observed very closely
fhe eject OF the bad streets ON the hesllh
~ hi4 pahcnts was seen in regard 10 thc
.rhiect and save some facts that are well
worth considering. Dr. Hodges said:
.I 90 not know OF any city oi ine SIG
-, Richmond with worse system OF
..~eets and a worse sanitary condition.
.l.,c streets are exceedingly hlthy 10 com
,ocncc with. Little seems 10 De done TO
sceu them clean and ihe nlth aeeum-
,rulafes TO an alarming extent l go
,botit tnc CITY a great deal Ia my prae-
ftce and consequently have opportunities
fo obaerve. Tho vegetable matter tnat
..rnn,mulaios In tho streets and alleys Il
e,o,ien 10 breed disease almost TO the
,vtert OF an epidemic. Then the mud
gbsortlne an SORTS Of 81 ms and retaining
imuure vegetable matter n getting worse
and worse. a.. ..,n,,
- have known the street people to turn
am block after block OF street. az tho
,.erv worst tino OF tho year wAen dis-
cases arc move apt to originate and
.pread than al any other season. ana be
,sf, 80 by the week 90 cause fever or
other diseases
.srfcre is another thing that has grown
,o be very serious. Ia putting down
these quantities Of pulverized sraYel they
,,,, down hard rock hrst, then comes
~. fine gravel In such "a way that II Is
next TO impossible to pack 1t down. Sci
dou a crusher Is used. The consequence
4 that this nnD grave b. blown al about
,he city. and people eScs ana throatS
.,ffor very severely an sure that the
many eases OF conJunctiv.us NJ me Guy