New-York tribune., 1904-08-21
BROOKLYN STREETS.

The recent report by the President of the Bor-
ough of Brooklyn upon the amount OF building
and highway improvements under way In MS
part Of the metropolis may be gratifying TO
local pride. but 1t is TO be doubted If 1t will give
mrch real satisfaction to the multitudes OIL
b I,ynites who daily and nightly suffer-
ing from the outrageous condition of some of
their principal thoroughfares. 1t would prob
ably be 1udcious to say that the streets of
Brooklyn were never before, in the modern era
in anything like so bad a condition as at pres
ent and for some time past. They would be
disgrace TO third rate country town, not TO
mention the second borough of the second city
OF the world. We are not referring to the
streets which are torn up for purposes Of tun-
mel construction or sewer laying, though 1t may
be remarked in passing that these latter works
are being done with a cynical disregard for
public rights and comfort and decency such as
the subway operations In Manhattan even could
not surpass; nor to the III treatment of high
ways by the trolley companies. which Is beyond
the power Of words to characterize; but TO the
condition of the pavements of many OF the chief
streets which have suffered no such invasion.
Greene-ave. for example, one OF the chief
highways Of that part Of the city, has for
months been in condition IN which driving
is never comfortable. and is often positively
dangerous. The asphalt is full Of holes, from
Il lew lncit,S 10 Il iODI III utptu, anu lEOL1 10"
feet TO many square yards in area. In some
places these holes have been filled with com
mon soil, ashes and what not, with the result
that the street is made extremely foul with
dust and mud. In other places cobblestones
and powders have been dumped into them
helter-skeltcr, rising in Jagged piles high above
the street level and presenting distractions
threatening 10 break horses legs and wreck We
hicies. Lews-ave. another main artery Of
travel, has for months been n wild wallow Of
hills and hollows, along which II Is difficult 10
drive in daylight and positively dangerous to
traverse after dark. Hancock-st. in parts Is
scarcely better and is being made n storage
ground for building material OF all kinds. Bed
fordave., despite It's recent repavIng, Is for
some distance on the most travelled part in an
abomiI!able state.
The condition OF the chief crossings Of At
lantic-aye is simply scandalous. The manner
in which the reconstruction OF the Long Island
Railroad has been permitted 10 drag is in itself
bad enough; but there can be no shadow Of an
excuse for keeping such crossings as those at
Grand-ave Bedford-aye. and Albany-ave. in n
state that impers the legs Of horses and the
necks Of drivers. Whatever becomes Of the
rest of the avenue, which is monopolIzed by the
railroad, these crossings should be-should
months ago have Deen-put into decent and safe
condition. Now people have to drive across
them over rattletrap board foorings full OF
holes and cracks big enough TO catch horses
foot, over deep holes and bitches such as might
easily cause horses TO stumble and fall, and
among piles Of dirt and stones and rubbish cal
culated TO put a steeplechaser TO his mettle. We
have hitherto referred to the nuisance that IS
maintained at the junction OF BedfOrd-ave and
the Eastern Parkway, where the highways are
obstructed by a big boxed-in monument and
people are compelled TO drive over n deem ditch
and two or three lines OF curbing TO get past
The same story is rebeated all over town. There
are few important thOr0ughfares in the borough
that are not out Of repair while many OF the
most important are in a scandalously unsafe
condition. There is no public need which more
urgently demands Mr.. Littleton's attention than
that Of street repairs.