New-York tribune., 1901-05-09
STREET SIGNS ONCE MORE.

Another CLEAN of hope Is afforded TO n long
suffering city in the announcement that an
other hearing on the subject of street signs will
be held at the City Hall tomorrow. 1t is to be
hoped the hearing will be well attended and that
there will be some plain. emphatic and practi-
cal talk heard, which will not be devoid of
effect. New-YOrk is to-day absolutely and IN
questionably the most bewilderng and dis
creditably blind city in the world in respect to
street signs No other considerable city in any
civilized land is anything like so badly served.
There is not another city, Of even the third or
fourth class, in the United States, laying the
slightest claim TO culture and progress, which
is not far ahead OF NewYork in respect TO this
prime necessity of comfort and convenience
AT the same time there is scarcely another city
in the world in which it would be so easy 10
mark the streets simply, plainly and effectively.
The fact is, simplicity and plainness are the
essential features Of an acceptable and effective
system, for the sole purpose of a street sign
system is to give information in the most di-
rect and unmistakable manner Certain quail
ties are therefore obviously necessary. One Is
that the signs shall be unmistakable in their
designation of the streets. A sign is useless II
there be any doubt as to which street it refers
TO. Again, It must be easily legible, from both
sidewalk and roadway, At all times of day and
night. 1t must not be necessary for n driver
TO stop and strain his eyes, or for a pedestrian
to climb up to the sign and strike match to
read ii. Moreover ii is essential that all the
signs shall be precisely uniform in style and
appearance, and uniform also in place height
etc. so that there need be no hunting around
TO find them, but every passer-by will know in
stinctively and merringly just where to look
for sign, and will recognize it to he n sign
the moment he sees it. Finally. we may add.
the sign should indicate on it's face both of the
streets at the intersection Of which il stands
Now, the sign which answers these require
ments best is the best sign and the one which
does not answer them is not satisfactory Some
have advocated placing metal signs on corner
buildings. That plan has some decided advan
tageS, such as cheapness, durability and Sc
curity against breakage. Investigation and ex-
pertinent may be needed to prove whether such
signs could be so lighted a to be readily read
able at night from all points Of view and could
be placed TO fulfil the requirement of uni
formity. If these questions concerning them
can be answered af1irmatively the system will
doubtless be strongly commended. If not some
other plan must be devised. The old scheme
was to put the signs on the street lamps when
there were gas lamps at all corners. But now
electric lights have largely replaced gas
lamps. and these cannot be utilized for sign pur-
poses. If signs on the buildings be found unsat
isfactory, then. may have TO resort to the
erection and maintenance of special sign posts
at street corners for this express purpose
though. of course. they could also be utilized
for bearing letter boxes, fire alarm boxes, police
telephones. etc.
We venture to repeat the pictorial suggestion
which we offered some time ago, as follows: