Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-09-07
FOR BETTER STREETS:
Local Merchant Calls Attention
to Several Needs.
C0BBLEST0NES OUT OF DATE
Poor Surroundings of Center Market
Commented On.
QUESTION OF CLEANLINESS
New Municipal Building Is Sur
rounded on Three Sides by Streets
That Are "Execrably Paved"

That Are "Execrably Paved"
In commenting on the nearress az tho
completion cf the improvement of Pauns,l-
vania avenue and the radical change for
the better between the old fat surface and
the new a downtown merchant made thcss
suggestions regarding the condition OF tho
streets in some portions OF the downtown
business section to Star reporter:
Since one Improvement in a locality often
leads to Others" he said, II desire to invite
the attention of the city authorities. having
to do with such matters, to the general con-
dtion, and particularly to the surface of Il
street northwest, extending from 7th to 12th
street.
This street within the limits named 8
In reality practically space being per-
haps close to 300 feet wide and given over
substantially to tha occupation of truck
and market gardeners, who occupy tho
south curb with their wagons and the side
walk with their boxes and the display of
their products.
The north side of the streets surface il
paved with vitrified brick. but on the south
side the old cobblestone pavement still re-
mains. 1t is in an unsigdtly, rough and
WORKOUT condition, and is indeed perhaps
the worst street surface in the downtown
section Of the city. What prompted tho
spirit of economy in taking two bites of a
cherry in this instance and repaving only
one-half of the surface of this much-used
thoroushfare has always awakened my
curiosity whenever l have had occasion to
drive over it.
New Surface Needed.
"1n addition to the very heavy traffic over
the section OF the street In question, which
in Itself is enough to demand entire re-
surfacing. there are important sanitary con-
ditions which make the matter even more
vital than the mere repaving of the sur
face
THE surface is uneven that it is prac-!
tically impossibility to sweep II with
the thoroughness that is demanded by reas
son of the use to which the street is put
substantially that of produce and vegeta>
BILE market IN the handling of the country
products and fruits. much of II. including
decayed vegetables and fruit skins and
upon the street surface. where it lies and
still further decomposes.
But one of the most Objectionable fea-
lures is that hundreds of horses beloug>
ing to the truckmen are unhitch al from tha
shafts and permitted to stand for hours
beside the wagons and in close proximity
to the produce displayed for sale upon the
south curb.
THE result of this condition of affairs
must be obvious to the casual obs
server. On the three regular market days
of the week hundreds of tons of produce
are disposed of. and on the remaining days,
the line of wagons is of varying length,
but the sale goes on every day.
IF there is one section of a streets sur
face in this city which should be scrubbed
and secured. as it were. daily, 1t is that td
which my remarks are directed
Cleanliness Demanded. 81
This important sanitary work is an imN
possibility, however by reason OF tho
hummocky and worn-out condition of the
south portion of the space in question, and
its mere daily sweeping is insufficient to
amount to more than a superficial brushing.
The entire south portion should be resur&
faced without unnecessary delay with vitrfS
fled brick. and when so resurfaced shoul9
be kept thoroughly clean. and that part opf
posite the market house and extended foH
a block west should be flushed daily with
the hose from the fire plugs, after the fashS
ion of the New York markets, and their adj
joining streets. Until these simple and IND
expensive measures are taken 1t cannot be
expected that the present unsightly and ina
sanitary conditions may be corrected.
Cobblestones Obsolete.
Indeed, 1t is high time that the cobble<-
stone pavements in the downtown business,
section of the capital We're made conspic-
uous by their absence rather than by theif
presence. as is now the case in several
instances.
mentioned, that section of Ohio avenue
extending from 18th to 18th street should
next receive the attention of the street
PAYERS. There is considerable traffic upon
the avenue between the points named, it
is a wide thoroughfare and its surface is
very rough and uneven. 1t it is not de-
sired to repave It with asphalt ii should
certainly be resurfaced with Belgian
blocks in keeping with the streets in tho
immediate vicinity.
And then 1917 street from Pennsylvania
avenue south to the park presents cobbleS
stone surface which matches the uneveh-
ness and roughness of the other thorough
fares described There are in fact several
other sections of streets and squares in
the downtown business section thus
paved, and some provision should be-
at once taken looking to their ultimate and
not far distant resurfacing.
Municipal Building Vicinity.
This is especially true in view of tho
fact that the municipal building is rapidly
nearing completion. This fine new struc-
ture which, when completed, will be one of
the show places of the capital is sur
rounded three sides by eXecrably paved
and resurfaced streets and marks the CEN
ter of a section of the city in which the
street pavements are the very worst and
at present in the poorest condition OF re
pair.
steps should be taken to see to 1t that
these streets in the immediate vicinity OF
our new white marble city hall are taken