The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1901-02-24
STREET PAVING PROPHECY.
Made Half a Century Ago and Has
Partly Come True.

Partly Come True.
The Morning News printed a communi-
cation nearly half a century ago about
street paving in Savannah, written by a
physician. once a resident of this city.
UPON his return to his home In another
city after a visit to Savannah. that is Of
interest just at this time.
In 1858 there was not a paved street In
the city. although some OF the slips lead
Ing down to the river front were paved.
as they are now. with cobblestones. Bay
street had a plank road from one end to
the other.
The writer OF the communication called
attention to Savannah's unpaved streets
and predicted that II something were not
done toward paving them. the city would
some day pay for its neglect. The pre-
dction came true. only too soon,
by the trouble of 1854. The
writer figured II out that II
only one street were paved each year
IN twenty years the entire bui;t-up part of
the city would be paved. This would have
included all the streets north Of Jones.
as there were but few houses on that
street at that time. and less than a
couple of dozen south of 1t.
II the suggestions of the learned and
progressive doctor had been carried out
Savannah to-day might have had 10000
inhabitants. But in those days as in
these, there were kickers who opposed
everything that might take money out
of their pockets, and very little was done
in the way of street improvements. Bay
street. from West to East Broad, and
Whitaker street. to Oglethorpe avenue,
were paved later on with cobblestones,
and on Whitaker street the some old
corn-breeding and ankle-tw twisting remind
ers of the days when cobblestones were
brought as ballast by sailing vessels COM
ing to this port for cotton, still serve the
public.
Until recent years Whitaker street was
the only paved north and-south street,
and 1t was the thoroughfare for heavy
traffic. Its Improvement was due
to the persistent and energetic efforts
of the venerable Col. r. d. Walker, then
an alderman The opponents of the meas
ure insisted that cobblestones would sink
in the sand, and 1t was useless to waste
money in that way. Col Walker, how
ever, insisted that the street could be
paved, and said that If the paving proved
a failure he would foot the bill.
The work was done, and the cobble-
stones have not yet disappeared beneath
the sand. Doubtless, it would be a good
thing if they would drop out of sight, and
then the people might get an asphalt
or brick pavement
The asphaIfng of Bull street.
the roadbed of which was hardened
in some places only by Old brick bats
gathered through the energy of the va
rious heads of the Street and Lane Com
mittee, was ony agreed to by majority
of one vote. That was ony a few years
ago. Broughton and Co g ess streets, and
some other thoroughfares, now pointed
to with pride by the people, were only
transformed from dirt roads into paved
streets by close votes.
Now that drain pipes have been lad
throughout the city, street paving s next
in the line of improvements, said large
property owner yesterday There shou d
be no delay in studying out plan by
which it can be done. without beng OPP
pressive to property owners. an orqan-
Eng for and carrying it out The city's
share of the cost of street paving VIII be
about sufficient to pay for the labor re-
quired to do the work, and that of the
property owners the cost of the brick"