The Autobiography of Benjamin FranklinFranklin, Benjamin
ReligionComparative
The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin
Franklin, Benjamin
Franklin, Benjamin, 1706-1790; Statesmen -- United States -- Biography
Our city, tho' laid out with a beautiful regularity, the streets large,
strait, and crossing each other at right angles, had the disgrace of
suffering those streets to remain long unpav'd, and in wet weather the
wheels of heavy carriages plough'd them into a quagmire, so that it was
difficult to cross them; and in dry weather the dust was offensive. I
had liv'd near what was call'd the Jersey Market, and saw with pain the
inhabitants wading in mud while purchasing their provisions. A strip
of ground down the middle of that market was at length pav'd with
brick, so that, being once in the market, they had firm footing, but
were often over shoes in dirt to get there. By talking and writing on
the subject, I was at length instrumental in getting the street pav'd
with stone between the market and the brick'd foot-pavement, that was
on each side next the houses. This, for some time, gave an easy access
to the market dry-shod; but, the rest of the street not being pav'd,
whenever a carriage came out of the mud upon this pavement, it shook
off and left its dirt upon it, and it was soon cover'd with mire, which
was not remov'd, the city as yet having no scavengers.
After some inquiry I found a poor industrious man, who was willing to
undertake keeping the pavement clean, by sweeping it twice a week,
carrying off the dirt from before all the neighbours' doors, for the
sum of sixpence per month, to be paid by each house. I then wrote and
printed a paper setting forth the advantages to the neighbourhood that
might be obtain'd by this small expense; the greater ease in keeping
our houses clean, so much dirt not being brought in by people's feet;
the benefit to the shops by more custom, etc., etc., as buyers could
more easily get at them; and by not having, in windy weather, the dust
blown in upon their goods, etc., etc. I sent one of these papers to
each house, and in a day or two went round to see who would subscribe
an agreement to pay these sixpences; it was unanimously sign'd, and for
a time well executed. All the inhabitants of the city were delighted
with the cleanliness of the pavement that surrounded the market, it
being a convenience to all, and this rais'd a general desire to have
all the streets paved, and made the people more willing to submit to a
tax for that purpose.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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