Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1900-03-31
IMPROVEMENTS.
Alexandria, Va, March 80, 1900

Alexandria, Va, March ~, l9OO.
To the Editor ofthe Alexandria Gazette:
Dear Sir: Az community are We to
go forward or backward? Stand still
we cannot do, as it contravenes natural
law. Shall We get in step with modern
progressY Shall we cast aside our ul-
ira conservatism and take up the bur.
de, an responsibilities imposed upon
us by the age in which We live, OF shall
we go backward and become an eigh-
teeDth century community? That is
the question of the hour.
If forward is to be the watch word,
tie first siep is to provide our city with
modern sanitary arrangements and
with modern streets. That is absolute
" necessary. With our city unsewer.
ed and uupaved progress Is impos 'ibIe.
Modern ideas will not tolerate such a
condition. Enterprise will not enter
into our community. Those OF us
who have always lived without
modern conveniences msy find that life
uuder such conditions is tolerable, but
no man who has ever enjoyed such coD-
veniences will ever willingly consent to
do without them. Sewer and street
improvements are absolutely necessary
b4fore enterprise will consent to come
and dwell among ns. Improvement Is
the guarantee which we must give to
enterprise, that we, too, are an enter
prisiug community. Without improve
meuts we ask for the impossible. for
enterprise will not come in and cid an
unenterprising community.
] would respectfully suggest az the
fret act towards the betterment of our
present condition, that Coupcil instruct
our city engineer TO prepare plans and
sDe C fications for the Improvement Of
our streets and the building of the nee
esssrv sewers. That such plans and
spec icalions be submitted, either pub
licly or privately, to contractors In each
or either OF the ci les of New York,
Pr tiladelphia. Baltimore, Washington
aud Alexandria. with the request for q
BID upon each of the plans and specifi'
cations as whole. That the specifi.
cations require that the successful con-
tractors shall give the bond OF some re.
liable bonding company for the full
amount of the contract price; and,
further, that the work should be &C.
ceptable to q board of competent en-
pineers appointed by the city.
Such q course will disclose the fact
that the contract is q very small one.
and that stripped of all chance Of po-
ll,lcal jobbery the improvements can
ne made very quickly and very cheap
IL. The C ty Council and the people
will then learn, for the fret time, exact
" what amount it will cost to put our
city in a modern CONDITION, and having
this information the people will be pre-
pared to act.
While the plans and specifications
are in course of preparation. a commit
tee of Council should be devoting their
time to a study o. the ways and meana
to raise the money necessary to do the
work. One way has already been sug-
gested; namely, 20 adopt modern
method OF assessing property for the
purpose OF city taxation. That way is
equitable; it would possibly reduce the
pr. sent tax rate; nor would it universal
iy increase individual taxes. Other
ways would no doubt be suggested. and
I have full confidence that means
would be found to make our much
needed improvements.
At present nothing is beine done
We have a most excel ent city er'
gineer, q man willing, able and anx'
ious, to aid in the Improvement OF oui
CITY, vet denied an opportunity. Why
not set him to work ? 10 Conncil are
some of our brightest intellect; why
not also set them to work Is 1t to be
forward" or "bsck ward ?"
JAMES BAYNE.