The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1898-01-26
RICHMOND'S AWFUL STREETS
Their Well Nigh impossible Condition
Pub ic Disgrace.
STACNANT POOLS AND MUD GALORE.
No City In the World With Like Popuia
tion Infict It's Citizens So Merciiessiy.
The Tax-Payers are Cry Ing Out for
Relief and Refuse TO be Comforted.
.pid YOU over see such streets? 2"


Richmond now. and so far there seems
10 be but one answer.
1t has been said, and said truthfuly.
that there are few cities, and perhaps
none. In this part OF the country with
worse streets than mas Richmond. The
people OF this city have made many com
plants. but so far no remedy for the
situation has been made. The population
of Richmond itself, exclusive of it's sub
urbs Is about 10000. Think OF city of
10000 people without one single we'll
paved street. Atlanta, with her 5000
people, and smaller property valuation,
has at least ono street Of granolithic,
while many others are well paved so as
to make good driveways.
Nashville is no larger than Richmond.
probably smaller. Still that city has
several wel-paved streets for driveways,
while the general condition of the streets
In the city is far better than in Rich
mond.
SOME EXAMPLES.
1t is not the purpose of this article to
censure anybody or any particular com
mittee for the wretched condition OF the
streets OF Richmond, but simply 10 COM
ment upon some of the unsightly and
disheartening ruts. holes, sinks, puddles
and small ponds 10 be noticed In various
parts of the city.
Take Franklin street, for example.
Prom Laurel to the Jefferson Hotel it Is
an ugly mass OF slush. There are any
number OF ruts, long, deep drains in some
places suggesting small guilies, puddles
and holes. so that in driving down this
thoroughfare, on which there are hun
dreds of thousands of dollars worth of
ha raoilanHpG iS nitrhpl and
1olted up and down in ones vehicle until
there is no PLEASURE in the drive.
In front OF the Commonwealth Cloo
there is mud and slush several inches
deep at times, while stagnant pools OF
water increase the distressing condition of
affairs.
UGLY SINKS.
Come down a little further until one
gets to First and Franklin, where the
Traction car tracks cross There you
have between the car tracks several ugly
sinks nearly a foot deep, where people
driving at an ordinary rate are tossed
nm nrobably a foot by the force of the
iohing. Take a view up and down First
street What do you see? AT First ana
Grace the same condition of ahalrs-seV-
eral deep ruts and mud three inches thick
ON each side. while the whole OF FIRST
street from Main TO Broad Is mass OF
slush.
Grace street, perhaps the most attrac-
tive resident street in the city except
Franklin, Is a most unsiShtly thorough
fare. one can count deep ruts, stagnant
pools and small sized ravines until one
grows tired of it. The crossings during
inclement weather, are hard 10 hpd lot
the mud and slush.
But these are only a few of the ugly
places TO be noted. Broad street has its
share, Main street is in a most unsightly
condition. and the cross streets are in a
bad fix At the corner of Tenth and Main
streets during rainy weather, there Is
usually a large pond almost big enofgn
for the newsboys 10 fish in, while mud ana
sIush is thick everywhere. Up and down
the full length of Main street the ruts
and holes are exceedingly disagreeaDle
In soma places the car tracks stick up
above the paving an inch, and throw the
bicycle people on their heads from time
10 time. IL has gotten TO be joke that
II wants TO ride wheel he must go TO
the country 10 do so. Indeed the wheel
men have grown almost discouraged.
They haven't been given the slightest
show.
ONLY "a JOKE.
Look at the paving OF Ninth street.
III Is a Joke. Inc blutNdlh OI bitlN SNANNN
from st. PauIs chuoh to Main street
excites all sorts OF public comments from
minstrel shows when they como to town.
Dozens OF holes full of water stand on
the pavement. the Main street sidewalks
from Seventh to Thirteenth are very little
better. Water stands in pools on them
for days at a time. The sidewalks along
Main, Grace and Franklin are in a
wretched condition as they are pretty
much all over town. street crossings
everywhere are thick In mud and slush.
Ladies either have to stay in the house or
drag their skirts through puddles an
inch deep.
one may ask ''who IS to blame for
ihis?" / don't know. l am constantly
reminded that the Street Committee
hasn't got the funds 20 their credit that
the budget wasn't properly distributed.
that the Finance Committee recommend
ed so and so, that Mr.. Smith or Mr.. Jones
or Mr. Somebody Else doesn't represent
the ward from which come the principal
complaints, that the Health Committee
Il held down by certain restrictions. that
the Board of Health is undergoing all
sorts of difficulties. and that the fault
lies with this or that, and that there
ought to be some sort OF new methods
introduced and so on indefinitely
THE PEOPLE SUFFERING.
Meantime paltry pitiful sum of money
rs appropriated 10 put In respectable con-
dition miles OF streets. the mud and filth
increase, tin cans. newspapers. vegeta-
bie matter. ashes. few orange peelings,
ruts. ravines, and stagnant pools multi
ply into lamentaOle condition for a
eity's streets 10 be in, and the long suf-
fering public goes Iogging along, CON-
planning. begging. pleading and almost
praying for relief; but no relief. The
thing grows worse and worse from year
10 year until now the principal resident
thoroughfares of the city with 100000 are
about what one would expect 10 see in
South Boston. Buena Vista, keysville. OF
other small PAGES which do not pretend
20 have city streets Everybody connect.
ed with the City Council can tell exactly
what the trouble is. and yet we go OF
living In the mud slush. ruts and pools
Certainly somebody is to blame-elsc
2 why are not other cities with admirable
natural drainage In the same wretched
..af> ~ n ffaire aS 10 streets7