The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1871-02-10
A Marvellous city.

A METROPOLIS WITHOUT AN INHABITAN7
1t appears that "out West" ready
made cities can be had by those who ar
not ready to await the usual formativ
growth of towns. The Chicago RepuJl,
can in an editorial says:
"We believe the present is the only in
stance on record of the laying out of
town, the making of its roads, the con
struction Of its drains, the laying of it
gas and water-pipes, the building of it
water and gas works--and all on the mos
liberal and magnificent scale, for city Of
ten thousand inhabitants, before one den.
tical individual had been secured as o
dweller therein In every other known
case these mprovements have followed
after the people In this case the people
have come alter the improvements
In all the essential comforts that dis.
tinguish city, Riverside is now first
class metropolis, with this advantage over
the ordinary cities, to witt That it is laid
out in accordance with a preconceiyed
plan by the foremost landscape gardeners
in the world-Messrs. Olmstead, Vaux g.
Co.-and upon so liberal a scale with
reference to garden adornment that the
area given up to roads, borders, grass
plats and parks, is almost equal to the
area devoted to lots-there being 1872 acres
of park and road adornment, against 814
acres of lot subdivision. These parks and
roadways are laid out in the most diversi-
fed and picturesque manner-there being
no two parks of grass plots alike in the
whole town, and not one rod of absolutely
straight roadway. The lines of grace and
beauty are everywhere observed.
The streets of Riverside, guarded
nightly by efficient patrolmen, are lighted
by superior quality of gas--the works
erected for this purpose probably being the
most complete and perfect of any gas
works in the country. The streets are
constructed in the same solid, smooth and
enduring manner, as those of Central
Park, New York Entering into the con-
struction Of the nine miles of roadway
now completed, there have been hauled
$4,000 cubic yards Of McAdam stone, and
$4,000 yards of gravel and 23o, 900 yards
Of earth have been excavated and removed |
to make room therefor. OF paved gutter
there are 100000 square feet, of drainage
10 miles, of water mains ST miles, of gas
mains as many, and of tar concrete walks |
5 miles Of deciduous trees there have |
been planted 81, 800 of evergreens 700;
and of various kinds of shrubs a. 600.
"Of parks, both large and small, there
are to be no end. The largest park, which
$ beautifully wooded by a luxuriant
growth of natural trees, consists of 1913
'cres, and the smallest, hardly larger than
! mans hand-the palm of Long John
being considered will measure in area
carce more than a square rod.
"Of public buildings there are already
light. OF these the Refectory--which is
imply the open gate to Riverside hospi-
ality, is an elegant specimen of suburban
architecture of the Swiss order-the church
5 gem of Gothic structure--the block
# stores and offices striking instance of
he combination Of the aesthetic and the
material in architecture, and the water
eservoir-now almost completes a per-
oct model OF symmetry and beauty.
Surprising as is the amount of work
lready done, and wonderful as have been
he results 10 single year, the improve
nents in Riverside, compared with what is
omprehended and to be accomplished as
uickly as capital and energy can COM
ete them, are yet in their infancy. Hun
reds Of workmen will continue for years
D transplant forest trees, to build addition
roads, to lay water and gas mains, to
ztend the drainage system, aud to beausi-
7 and adorn the parks, the road fringes
nd the grass-plants. And the timo is
lose at hand when the denizans of River
de will have it to boast that they dwell
! the heart of park, in the midst of
'ood, and by the side of running stream,
nd still have every adjunct OF comfort
ertaining to the largest and most favored
ties in the country.
"Of course, this large and liberal expen-
ture. and these magnificent results, have
ot been achieved without the correspond
g material returns which every we'll con-
lcted and earnestly prosecuted business
lterprise in Chicago is certain TO meet ,
it'll. Already the various divisions of !
e town, which only year ago was a !
lid, uncultivated waste, are dotted with /
vellings of varied design and exquisite ;
odel. Stores are opened and excelently Q
'tronized-a good school is in operation I
club for social recreation and the cultiva- n
~ of the feet, and another for literary h
lprovement and the cultivation of the
ad and better than all, Aourishiug
urch society and vigorous Sunday
hool are all in successful operation, and h
verside is essentially to-day the realized ;,
It which the large-beaded and large
arted proprietors promised themselves to
hieve, when they began the vast and Q
'orious and expensive work Of manufac- d
ring perfect city out Of wild and un- U
ltivated waste" o
A farmer named VIM. Wickes has been L