The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1898-12-06
SCANDAL.
The Condition
of Streets
IS NOTHING LESS.



If there is one thing that Worcester
people have cause to rise in righteous
indignation and protest against, # is
the way sidewalks are left after snow
storms, and at the present condition
.of crossWalks outside the center of the
city. The sidewalk evil has always ex-
listed more or less, but seldom before
have the crOssWalks been in such a hor-
rible condition for so long a time. Pre-
yious to the thaw they We're not SO OBJ
jectionable, but now that the snow has
become soft they are positively un-
.endurable, and not only that but a
menace to public health and safety.
1t seems strange tha5 there are side
walks in the city that are still unshov-
.eled since the storm of a week ago, but
such is the case, nevertheless. At the
corner of Main and Norwood streets
there is a vacant lot. Somebody owns
PIT, but no one in the vicinity seems to
know who. 1t is stated that it is owned
by New York party, and that the po-
lice have notified her that the walk
must be cleaned. Since the big storm
not a thing has been done to this place,
on the principal street of the city. Not
only on Main street does the snow lie
on the sidewalk, but UP Norwood
street as far as the land extends as
well. Pedestrians have broken a little
shoe-suing path through, but with the
soft snow it is fearful walking. Those
who have to pass this part OF the city
daily have not only been annoyed but
endangered by the condition. II one
goes up the west side of Main street,
and wishes to keep on toward New
Worcester on the same side, on reach
ing Norwood street he must either
plunge through the snow or cross the
road through the slush to the opposite
side and cross back again, to reach his
desI alton.
People are asking why in the name of
decency the authorities don't see that
the walk is shOyeled, and then see that
tie owner Of the land pays the bill
This ha.' not been done. The attempt
tn find the owner has gone on in a half
hearted sort of way, and for eight long
days people, hundreds of them have
been Inconvenience. If there is any
earthly excuse for such a condition
there are d great many people who can
not see it.
Another shiftless sight is found at the
corner of Main and Hawthorne streets
There is a large estate here that ex-
tends to the street above it, Downing
The sidewalk here, on Main, Hawthorne
and Downing streets, has only been half
shoveled a little strip in the center
with snow IeIl on Two sIues' AAla 0oli-
dltloh mas existed Ior q Weeh' anu ~ ~
pafehIly Wlh last az WiilIgL' uI tI..52
some one taxes d manu- III II. NJ" LneC
,lG sloW lisiS pei pii III ,,.I-os. tbo
across Ine SlueWaIh anu Ii4ahe9 me
waking pstd ana uaiisel9 5l'; ,,,4 a.,
mere are people " no w ~ me'H io,, y,
Wear IuppeIs an Ninlei' DuI 80 Us Us
as me plSsiiO i' i -, c,.ose
are oplIseu 70 liel - tior(tly q oi,,,@d
walk eAcePt IGM nc ~,
laIe YESTERDAY, ~" MIX 80
ana the center ol ne IVY iiiTit -. 81
can go over WlIhuuI IupoSI9 oiiu 80, ~
SHOES are necessary III SUM piS '3-5S
Ihese walks go rom siueM On ~ ~
walk ms IilalNeS ~ 49, boat
walks lhaI cross IL - 81
anu Sulue Wouiu ~ D1 Q
over IIell W. alo oI Of citv to stop
worcester - eIIou N VI. CT oi1S $3.50
TINS SORT OF I4IIs neIG il''9 a., ~
Deeh neglect aoouI sl e e4 us ~
mere Is no eAC u9e 10 tiii -
tHollLles SHoulu lCoN ~ ~ Ii
should see thaI Iiila VI n 70 uoI.S e.,
IN the req llulisDel u
a storm. 5eIuoil' II eNei' 10 aIiS ,' .lIill7
sald TO deIiIll ueHO5 M. uliiT99 So,
plant Is nlaue' hele 10 ~ ~, go,
why lhefe shoulu pt WdIe ~ Il
plants. Peopie hage ~ llaAel
plants, and VIII sulter a goou oeai pc
fore they resort TO u ne IiIlle ii@ az
come lot Il Systematic mana s SiiICllI VI
TINS question: ana soIile one 9'loOiu tame
a hand IN IT, ,r.,.,
If these coholllohs are Loull ' ~ ~ Nla5u
street, what must Ihey pe on Ine slus
streets? The answer Is IHaI IHey aIe
just what one Woulu expect 70 Hilu'
Terrible IN the extreme.
1t is little wonder that lhe chlidreh
have colds, diphtherla, sore Lhfoae OF
any disease thal can come from e"
posture. ThoughtIul mothers see mat
their little ones wear fuDpeIS. me
little girls take TO uhls falhef klhuly'
but the boys do not. Ihey want heaVy
shoes without rubbers and usually get
them. If the sidewalks ana crossWaIks
were in proper CONDITION, they could
get to and from school without WettlnS
their feet. AS it is now they are not
safe from wet feet unless they wear
rubber boots. Some Will say that the
children are not careful and go viii
fully into the snow, but one mas only
to watch the children coming ana gong
to school to see that they g9lEthelr wet
feet mostly from walking Wong side
walks that are improperly cleaned
and dancing across crosswalks covered
with from six inches to foot of snow
Children go to school with wet feet and
sit throughout the session to go again
in the afternoon and go through the
same dangerous experience.