The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1898-10-14
A CITY STREET.
Many Useful Public Servants Find In It
Resting Place.

Resting Place.
why, what foolish question:" I
hear some one say. "Cobblestones and
dirt, teams and bicycles, of counsel"
But pause moment and look closely
at the broad city thoroughfare, begin.
ming way down among the warehouses
and reaching miles out to the beauti-
full residences of the suburbs. You may
find more than at first you thought.
This iron post by the sidewalk, when
Hnscrewed, reveals large pipe which
we know is a part of an immense sys-
tenn of pipes lying hidden beneath the
ground. These pipes conduct the pure,
fresh water of the distant lake to our
houses, where we have only to turn a
faucet and take our fill.
In the middle Of the street we find a
large metal square laid in the midst Of
the cobblestones. Usually we pass over.
it unconscious of its existence but to-
day we will lift it and see what it dis
closes
Here's another system of pipes con.
Meeting with smaller ones which run
into the houses. What do these pipes
do? They carry off all the waste IL
guilds, thus preventing disease. An-
other glance reveals that the drainage
of the street also runs into these pipes.
which together bear the name of sewer.
Yonder the street is dug up. They
are mending gas-pipe. Yes, another
system of pipes and our homes are light
ed with gas. Light, water and waste all
run under the street. Shall we soon
add another set of pipes and heat our
homes with electricity?
But that network of wires above our
heads, what is that for? Here again
the street is our helper, for telegraph
and telephone wires find room, not to
mention the electric light which turns
night into day.
The red box on the corner lettered
sU. s. M" is a convenience we do not
appreciate till on our vacation in the
country we have to walk three miles to
post letter.
And the other iron box with the little
glass window in front, what protec-
ton it is! Here we may call the police,
if needed, or have the whole fire de.
partment at our service.
At regular intervals you notice that
the posts which support the trolley sys-
tenn are painted with broad band Of
white. This tells us that here and not
elsewhere the cars stop to take and
leave passengers.
In some cities-Berlin, Germany, for
fnstance-we may see small round
tower at the street corner serving as a
bulletin board. On these towers are
placed the posters announcing concerts
and entertainments of all kinds, con-
venient arrangement, which puts to
shame our shiftless American custom
of using the sides of houses and fences
for this purpose.
If you are early enough or late
enough at the corner, you may, to your
amazement, see a man come up, open
a door in the tower which you had not
noticed before, and take out an armful
of brooms and scrapers, and proceed to
the business of street cleaning.
Perhaps some of my readers belong
to one of the brigades which have un-
dertaken to make cleaner streets in our
cities. Considering all that the street
carries for us above, beneath, and on
its sides, it is quite right, isn't it,
that we do all we can to make and
keep our faithful servant clean and
beautiful marion B. knight, in Sum