The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1909-10-31
CITY STREET SIGNS
Forms Serious Problem in
Southern Towns.
DATA ASSEMBLED BY SOCIETY
Municipalities of the Country Pur-
sue Different Courses as 10 Man
agemeut of Service and style of
Msrking-Lamp- posts and Enam-
eIed Letters Have Largest Use.

What kind Of signs to employ to desig-
nate the names Of its streets Is a question
which some Southern towns and cities
are endeayorlng to solve One Of these
recently requested its street superlntend-
ent TO oner advice and he in turn called
upon the American Society Of Municipal
Improvement, or which he Is a member
for Information on the subject This So
ciety collected data from about 80 cities,
and much OF the Information obtained
was summarized In its report. as follows
Street signs. by which are meant signs
designating the names Of streets, are an
important and almost an essential item
Of the street furnishings Of every city or
large town. In the large city even the
residents are generally familiar with those
streets only which are in the immediate
vicinity OF their homes or which they
frequent daily. while in even the small
city signs are desirable for the direction
Of visitors and newcomers.
As, in order 10 afford the greatest con
venience. street signs should be placed
on all four corners Of each street inter
section. il follows that their number is
considerable and that the selection OF
the best, most durable. most effective.
and most economical sign is worth some
time and thought The method or place
OF affxing such signs also should be seri-
ously considered
Cities Pursue Different Courses.
As is natural the street department, or
the official in charge Of the same, is usu-
ally given control of this work. Excep-
tons % this are found in Pueblo, Colo,
where no designated authority has charge
Of this work; Macon. Ca, where It is
placed in the hands Of special commit
I tee. Springfield. Mass. where It is in
/ charge OF the city forester; East Orange,
y. ] where il is attended TO by the pub
I lie service corporation: Binghamton, \.
T.. and Salt Lake City. Utah. where the
common council has IL in direct charge;
/ Charlotte. " c.. where a special proVis-
ion is made when necessary, Columbia,
$. c., and Green Bay, Wis, where IL is
In the hands or a street committee, and a
number OF cities where il IS said % be On
I charge Of the board Of public affairs or
public service. IN which case Il may Or
may not be in the hands Of the official
who has direct charge Of streets and
highways
The ordinary location is on corner build
/ ings or posts. lamp-posts being used 20 a
/ large extent where gas lamps still exist
as means Of street lighting. Trees are
used in many cities where they are con-
/ veniently located, also the corners OF
/ wooden fences.
In a number Of cities buildings are
bet
only where buildings are not available or
consent Is not given to their use Somer-
Vile. Mass, uses the old Iamp-posts,
! which have not been removed. Butte.
4 Mont. uses telegraph poles where possi-
l bic, and Lincoln, Nebr., telephone or troll
( ley poles As implied above. the street
I names IN East Orange. y. J., are placed
on lamp-posts. red letters on glass plates
: being used. Rutherford. y. J., uses cleo
( trio light poles. as does Grand Forks, "
/ Oak. A number Of other cities. possibly
/ most Of them, use posts Of whatever kind
may be available at the street corners.
/ whether these be gaslight. electric light,
/ telephone. trolley, or other
style of Signs Varies Much.
In the style Of sign employed there IS
. considerable variety, but the enameled
sign seems to be the most popular, being
] used IN seventy-three cities. In the ma
iority Of cases the colors used are blue
and white, the letters being generally
white and the background blue.
I Other signs in more or less common
use are ordinary wood strips with tho
name painted on them. painted tin fast
ened TO a board or nailed directly 70 4
building or fence. openwork cast iron
. signs in which the lines only OF the let
tiers are reproduced in metal. cast iron
plates in which the names appear in
I raised letters. an aluminium plate with
I raised letters. and three-inch aluminium
letter on black Japanned tin.
B A number Of cities are placing the
/ street names in the sidewalks, and To-
peka IS trying the placing OF them upon
the face Of the curb.
The preference for style Of signs seems
TO be for enamel. although a number
state that the enamel signs are not sat
! isfactory, such cities being Little Rock.
/ Ark. Waterbury. Conn; Wichita, Kans. F;
WATERFOWL. y. Y, and Nashville. Tenn.
4 one correspondent claims that he finds
the blue enamel fades and would prefer
black and white. Two others have ex-
I perienced trouble with the breaking Of
enamel signs by boys. the city engineer
OF Knoxville stating that small boys and
I hoodlUms used enamel signs in that city
as targets. With the result that only a
few legibIe ones remained OF the many
which We're placed a few years ago.
The highway department of Long Is
land City. however. where the destructive
small boy Is very much in evidence, finds
I the enamel sign 70 give perfect satisfac-
ton. and the city engineer Of Altoona.
Pa, finds the white and blue enamel
4 signs 10 "have given perfect satisfao-
ton"