The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1911-02-16
The CONDITION OF The STREETS
Letter From Mr.. GOOlrick- Sugges-
tions for improvements, Etc.
Communicated
To The Free Lance.

To The Free Lance:
1t is always more or less disa-
greeable 10 make complaints and
they are often received in the wrong
spirit and, therefore, it is with some
reluctance that | venture to call at
tention TO a municipal matter. which
is or should be Of deep interest TO
all OF our citizens The matter in
question is the condition OF our
streets. II there is one thing
which every town should attempt 10
have for the comfort and conyen-
fence Of its own people and for the
effect il has on visitors that thing
is good streets Outside Of a com
paratiyely few blocks no one can
claim that We have them in Freder-
lcksburg The condition OF our
streets this winter has been horrible
Take upper Main street for example
From the silk mill down 10 the cor
ncr above the opera house that
street is in disgraceful condition.
Words cannot adequately describe
the hopclessness of its present APP
pearance and yet it was almost as
bad last winter and winter before
last With all due respect to the
good intentions Of the Street Com
mittee or those who are attempting
10 improve It by buying or borrow
ing sand from the Power Company
and dumping it into the morass
which exists there, the attempt is q
most unwise one. Common sense
as we'll as common experience
teaches that before putting perma
nent material, such as sand or roch
or granite on a road or street thai
the road or street should be thrown
up i'm the middle and graded II
some manner i'm order that the
water may run to the bitches or
each side. This has been los'
sight of on upper Main, and those
in charge either for lack OF money
or through carelessness or because
they realize that they at least can
make the streets any worse are
dumping sand into the loDlollA
which exists there. The description
which fits Main street applies TO
greater or less extent to Princess
Anne and others. It would be IN
teresting to know whether the
Council proposes to hold its hands
and allow this condition of afialr'
to continue. Are we to continue t'
hope year after year for I'M
provement which never comes
For years and years. in fact eyel
since Fredericksburg sprang lhl'
existence. its citizens have hope'
for the day to arrive when the to"i
would have good streets, ana ye
after all these years, with supp!
of granite at our very doors, thing
are very little better than the
were before the war. 1t Is SAT
commentary on the councilman
form of government and a stronl
argument in favor of the commis
sion form. which unfortunate
second-class cities in Virginia can
not adopt until the State Cohsutu
ton is amended.
In the meantime wouldn't 1t b.
wise to have street com
missioner and give him wagons am
horses. machines and tools 10
street work. instead of entrustlni
il to a committee who have neithe
the time or the experince necessar
for the work, or better still,wouldn
II be we'll for the Council to toiio'
the staunton plan and elect gen
eral manager for all OF the mum
cipal work and plants!
The writer firmly believes ina
thousands of dollars would be save,
to this city each year by sue
plan and with its inaugurauo.
the town would begin to show won
derful improvement.
No carping criticism of any on
is intended by this article. 1t
simply in the nature of an appea
for more modern methods OF mum
cipal government.
c. O'Conor Goolricl