The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1920-02-26
Flowing Through the slush.

If the city of Kenosha has an or
dfnance or the state Of Wisconsin has
an enforcible law to make people clear
the snow and slush from the sidewalks
in front Of their property it is to be
hoped and expected that the proper
officials Of the city viii start enfore-
ing these laws.
i, We do not mean by sending notice
to householders to clean walks, but by
sending police officer to arrest the
owners of property where the people
have shown absolutely no regard for
the rights Of the rest of the people.
Hundreds of walks in Kenosha today
are buried in slush and water. In many
cases the snow has never been .remov-
ed from these walks since the first
snow fall in November and not one of
the owners Of the property have been in
court to face fines and costs. In other
years the city did show some interest
in looking after these delinquents, but
this year it would appear that no at
tention is paid to the walks at all.
Within stones throw Of the busiest
part of the city there are walks which
are impossible for pedestrians. They
have been in this condition for months
and no effort has been made to remedy
the conditions. In some cases the own
ers of the property have gone to Cali
foTnia or Florida for the winter in or
der to get away from the bad winter
weather here Now if these people had
Just taken the walks along with them
they would not have been missed near
ly so much. They have fully empha-
sized the fact that they are "Out Of
town" OF course in lot of cases
the people owning. property where snow
has been left ON the walks have gone
neither to California nor Florida.
They have just stayed at home con-
tent to plough through the snow
and slush and willing to let every
boGy else do the same. Most people
in the city take pride in doing their
part to keep the walks open for pedes-
TRANS. People who refuse to take this
pride should have it thrust upon them.
The thing for the city to do now is to
clean the walks. It may cost money
but the more it costs these people the
harder it will drive home the lesson
that they owe. something to the rest of
the people. Every walk in the city
should be cleaned right now. With the
usual thaws of this time of the year
these walks are menace to the health
Of both children and adults in the city.
1t is impossible to pass over these
walks without wet feet and consequent
dangers of bad colds and illness.
1T is Of no value to appeal to the
civic pride Of these people. Similar APP
peals have been made before and they
care as little for such appeals as
chippy bird cares for a small boy try
ing to put salt on his tail and capture
him. The only way to force these
people to realize their duty as citizens
Of city is to arrest them and take
them into court and fine them. The
way to reach their civic pride and start
it to acting is to reach their pocket.
books first. A good drain on the pocket
books of people who want the rest of
the people to wade through snow and
slush will go long ways toward caus-
ing them to see their civic duty for
the future.
The city is today taking great
chances on account of the condition of
sidewalks. 1t is not the property own.
ers who pays the bill for damages. It
is the rest of the people, One claim has
already been, filed against the city and
undoubtedly there will be flock of
others before the ice season is over.
OmS successful suit against the city will
bring an expenditure lot greater than
would be necessary to clean the walks.
The city does not have to pay for
cleaning the walks. The law gives it
the right to clean walks and charge the
cost to the tax rolls. 1t has done this
very thing in other years. Why the
hesitation this years Lets clean them
of without any idea of partiality. Va.
cant lots and improved lots alike, and
make the bill big enough to make
these people want to clean the walks
themselves in the future. The city
could not over charge these delinquents
for the work.