Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-03-02
A STITCH IN TIME.

The movement made by the Council
Committee on Streets towards putting
down a new sidewalk on the west side OF
Ninth street, between Main and Broad,
will cause general rejoicing, we think.
| The taxpayers of Richmond can no more
afford to let her great thoroughfares pre-
sent a shabby appearance than they can
afford to stand unconcerned while their
own property goes into decay.
In numerous cities Of this country abut-
! ting property-owners are taxed not only
for sidewalks but for curbing, cutters,
and roadways, while here they are
| charged only with the cost of new side
walks, and the average assessment can
never be great.
The assessment law, as construed by
our Supreme Court of Appeals, in effect,
requires the city to advance the money
for the improvement and to collect 1t
from the property-owner after the work
has been done. Moreover, the interests Of
the property-owner are safeguarded at
every step, and, finally, he may appeal
from the amount of the assessment laid
upon him. The requirements of the law,
indeed are such that the making Of
street improvements must be very slow,
and almost inevitably. the city must be
out of it's money for year.
We have to take the law as we find it.
and we hope the City Council will make
liberal advances of money wherever 1t
can be used to advantage. In this years
budget however, as we understand, the
sum named is so small that Madison
Wards share will be absorbed by the
Ninth-street improvement. yet many
squares on Broad and Main streets need
relaying as badly as those on Ninth
street.
We indulge the hope that before long
the Council will find the means of adj
vancing the money for Main and Broad
streets. To take it out of the fund set
apart for streets generally would be al
together impracticable-that department
of our city government has been cut and
whacked more than enough already.
But Richmond cannot afford to allow
her streets to deteriorate further.
We do not advocate great expenditures
upon streets at this time, but we are in
duty bound to call attention to the fact
that to neglect them longer will be TO
heap up big bills of costs for the future
and discredit our city In the present
What public-spirited businessman of
Richmond is there who can take a visitor
to the city out walking upon Main or
Broad streets without blushing with |
. n n
1t is disagreeable fact, but it is fact |
that we have not a single first-class |
street in this entire city. Where we have |
good roadways, as on Main street, we |
have shabby sidewalks. Where we have |
good sidewalks, as we have on some of |
the residential streets, we have poor.
patched-up roadways. We cannot afford |
to spend 100000 for street. improvements,
as one of our southern sister cities did |
some years ago, but we must stop the
deterioration that is going on and make
improvements gradually. beginning where
they are most needed
We have spoken mainly about sidewalk
improvements, because for these improve
ments the city has only to advance the
from abutting property-owners; but. If
possible, we should also like to see the
wishes of The bicyclists complied with,
and the driveways on our principal
thoroughfares also made smooth and pre-
sentable.
If the city will adopt a policy Of grad
ual and steady street Improvement and
will be less parsimonious with the Street
Department. it will encourage private
enterprise in building operations, and, in
the long run, save money for the tax
payers; but if it will not pursue that
course, in few years it will come face
to face with the necessity Of appropriate
Ing an enormous lump sum for purposes
Of street Improvement. Then, the ques-
ton may enter into ward politics and the
result may not be unlike that which
grew out of our procrastinating and div
dallying with the City Hall matter.