New-York tribune., 1901-05-12
SrREEr SIGNS N PROSPECT.


The hearing Oh the necessity for street signs
which was held At the City Hall On Friday was
as we have already said. a hopeful symptom.
although from one point OF view 1t was an
amazing reflection upon the administration OF
affairs IN New-York In Il civilized community
there should be- NO more need OF proving that
street signs are needed than that pavements
and a water supply are. Ii should be regarded
as a matter OF course that all street corners
should be legibly marked and the marking OF
them Ia SO simple d matter that any competent
workman should be- able 10 do IL Alright without
canyassing the world for scientific aid. Never
theless the need OF signs is so urgent that II ls
well 10 accept without carping even the sllsh'esI
advances toward filling ii. Fridays hearing
marked such sn advance. and II Is hoped that
a much further step may be- taken this week.
for which lei Us be grateful.
The two plans for marking the streets which
were most discussed on Friday are those which
The Tribune discussed in detail Ia these columns
on the previous morning. One Is the placing OF
street names on glass plates forming the -FOUR
sides OF a lantern illuminated at night from
within by single incandescent light. and
plaeed upon the top of a post AT the street
corner The other is the placing Of the names
upon metal tablets affixed to the walls OF corner
each and some ground for criticism OF each.
The former would unquestionably meet the
public need I'm the most perfect manner on
the ground OF efficiency il is absolutely above
criticism Ii would possess the Indispensable
qualities of uniformity in place, height, etc. and
OF legibility 10 all persons al all hours Of day
and night The objections TO II are its cost
and the danger Of breakage which glass signs
incur But il Is quite obvious that neither Of
these objections Is sufficient 10 cause the rejec-
/ tiOn OF the system. provided II De shown 10 be
the one best suited 10 the public need The
cost wOuld. after all, be a mere triiie To a city
like New York. in comparison with the public
convenience which would be enjoyed In return.
The best is not too good nor too costly for this
city. We should have the best pavements, the
best transit system, the best water supply, the
best schools and the best Of all things in the
public service. Including the best system of
street signs. The other objection Is even less
forcible To reject the best signs because they
could not be- protected from breakage would he
to confess ourselves unable TO enforce the laws
for the protection Of our own property
The plan for placing tablets on corner build
ings has some admirable features. II Is com
paratvely inexpensive and provides for signs
which would be permanent and indestTuctible,
so that when they were once put mp the work
would be done for all time. But there are
several serious objections 10 it, Oh the ground
OF efficiency or lack thereof One is that such
system could not be uniform. Corner buildings
vary much In distance from the street and IN
style OF construction. that IL would be impOs-
sbe 10 have signs on them all al exactly the
same distance from the street and at the same
height above the ground. Such lack OF uniform
ity would seriously impair the value of the sys-
TEN. Again, there are many corners on which
there are no buildings. and where in conse-
quence signs would have 10 be omitted or else
placed upon posts thus still further violating
the law OF uniformity. Moreover. the varying
colors OF buildings would cause varying degrees
OF obscurity OF cOnspicuOusness in the signs
while in many cases the street sign would be So
mingled with multiplicity of business signs as
TO be scarcely distinguishable. Finally. IL is
very eravely 70 be doubted whether the mural
tablets would or could be sufficiently lighted 10
make them easily readable at night from all
points OF view unless they were made OF enor-
nous size.
The perfect efficiency OF the glass lantern
system needs no proof. Ii has long been expert
mentally demonstrated. Ii will doubtless ap-
pear TO most iudicious men the part OF wisdom
10 proceed with a system whose perfect fulfil
ment of their purpose is assured beyond doubt
or eayil. But the present situation is SO dis
credtable and barbarOus that. while we want
and should have the best. we shall he glad for
any Improvement whatever.