| Show STREETS AND DISEASE At best our streets are but average and the average is not high We do not mean that the streets are not high for they are so high irufnct that the center of the road is generally from six inches to a foot and a half higher than the outer part of the sidewalk and the sidewalk itself is generally raised far above the adjoining lots But this is engineering and the taxpayer tax-payer is not supposed to understand it and does not although many have tried to understand the whys and the wherefores where-fores but can get no further than the fact that it is so and take consolation in reading read-ing Pope and learning that whatever isis is-is right Can anything be more satisfactory satisfac-tory than this explanation It might be but it wont be In small cities such as New York Philadelphia London and Paris the middle of the street is even with the curb of + the sidewalk but these cities are on the sea level and we are high among the mountains so of course must I have our correspondingly elevated BO much so that strangers must think that the Salt Lake City street cars belong II to a new system of L railroads So wonderful won-derful is the construction of the streets that a geologist would at first sight think that in this town one of the greatest Wonders won-ders in nature was being performed namely that of elevation and subsidence while if it continue for a few years more Ignatius Donnelly will seek in Salt Lake Valley for the lost Atlantis and not off the African coast Then again the beauty of our valley and its beauty is surpassed byfew of the valleys of the world will I be added to when the spring floods come I and make our city a second Venice oaiy our highways will be land and our lots t i t 1 s lakes and St Marks will be in a sea and I not in a square The streets being asthey are it is necessary I nec-essary to make the best of them and I have them kept in as good condition as r the finances of the city will allow Our I streets will get worn and dusty and can only be partially controlled by the city in this respect but there is one thing the city can do and should do thatis see that they are not made the dumping ground for all the rubbish the town makes It may be asserted withoutjear of contradiction that there is not a street in the city which is free from ash heaps I and alongside of these heaps are old tin cans rags and all sorts of rubbish But I I the worst is ret to come and in our streets are found dead cats dead dogs dead chickens and nlanure piles The unsightliness of these things is not the most objectionable feature about them but the stench which arises therefrom breeding illhealth and disease Complaint Com-plaint is constantly made that we have no sewers and the city officers very justly answer that the area of the place is so vast that the city finances are totally inadequate to the undertaking This is true but what is to prevent pre-vent the City Council passing such ordinances as may be necessary if they I are not already in existence to fully control con-trol the streets and prevent anything being be-ing placed there 1 We believe there is I more a want of energy than of ordinances in the matter and if city officers would but do their duty the streets would not be as they are The energy required is not so great either the chief thing being to forbid people using the streets they do and when the ordinances are infringed have those who infringe them arrested and punished this will soon have its desired de-sired effect Then the mayor should see I that the supervisor of streets attends to his duty as such supervisor and if the mayor has not the time to look after these things let him resign and some one be appointed in his place who will All our city officers are well and promptly paid now let them well and promptly do their duty and there will be less complaint and more health |
