The Evening Tribune September, 1891

Defective Sidewalks Need Repair.

9/24

   In the main, I think, we have pretty good side walks in or city. But in many places there abominable holes and broken planks, if not numberless, yet quite too great a number. It is quite too hazardous to pedestrians and should not be allowed to remain so. Somebody will have a bill to pay, by and by, for a sprained ankle or broken leg. It would be eminently proper for the common council’s street committee to look after and remedy these defects.

   There are too many grades, or perhaps I ought to say, a great lack of grade in our walks. One man is ordered to rebuild the walk in front of his lot. He does so, and his walk is raised to the proper grade. But the next lot is greatly below the street level. And so we go up and down to the great inconvenience of those who have occasion to walk at night, and those who trundle baby carriages.

   There is another nuisance almost worse than these. In many places for rods together, on many of the older walks, the spikes have worked up until they stand from half an inch to two inches above the planks. I have heard of several instances where ladies have spoiled their shoes and tore their dresses by hitching upon these nails. Why cannot the street commissioner be ordered to go over these walks and sink these nails to their proper position?

JUVINES JR.

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