New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1872-11-16
BUILDING AND REBUILDING CITIES.

We have sometimes doubted whether
America has gained much by copying the
methods Of the Older world Observe, we
do not refer to the Invaluable principles OF
civil and religious liberty wrought by
Brutus and Luther and Hampden against
the stubborn resistance Of hierarchy and
monarchy. We doubt whether the ma
chinery employed to apply those prin-
cipleB is as etficacious in the old country
as it may be made in the new. We dis
approve Of deciding the improbable dis
| putes Of past centuries in our new world.
What we need is oblivion and progress. TO
make rather special application Of
these general principles. The american
| Exchange AMI Recietg has an article on
building and rebuilding cities, which We
have read with interest and instruction.
It teaches how a modern city should he
constructed for the promotion Of com
merce, industry and social comfort il
discards the narrow streets Of Jerusalem
and Joppa and Milan, across which q cat
can spring from one house-top to another
It counsels Boston how to rebuild, and
advises The railroad corporations how to
plan any new cities which may be founded
along their lines. We have only space for
some principles Of construction and az
rangement proposed in the plan and Illus
trated by a diagram.
1t may be remarked that the common
wants of society demand, as fan as pos
sible. q concentration and arrangement of
habitationss Trade needs its centres con.
Henient TO transportation. The homes Of
business men should not be so far from
the spot Of their daily duties. The cost
and trouble Of domestic service, ana the
growing difficulty of finding help, ten.
ders joint stock arrangements for lighting, |
warming and cooking necessary. Public /!
i"yatories furnish great economy, and the |
plan has even the boldness 70 propose that |
whole blocks shall be warmed by . com. |
mon furnace: that business and domestic
buildings shall be SO arranged rs
10 save money! time and comfort that
the sweeping OF the streets, the
sewage Of the dwellings. and the
location Of the public churches. schools.
parks and fountains shall all be parts Of a
judicious and benevolent whole. They
apply the system Of q family TO the c,'ono.
my Of i town. and minister the means Of
independence and happiness to all These
arc al new and emphatically American
ideas. They do not SAVIOR Of Communism
1t al. They are IN fact the offspring Of
0ur great ancestral Germanic institution
IF Goorey's true economy and industry.
which has always distinguished the Celtic
rom tha Latin faces. It j. one which
Louis Napoleon the greatest advocate Of
material industry as q means Of national
France has produced since Col.
3ert-edesired especially to introduce and
encourage.
Without pursuing tie details, ws notice
ONE suggestions applicable 70 oug own
.ity. The nomenclature Of streets is
.yerywhere susceptible Of Improvement. n
They have been. named IN compliments to
vents or individuals, but nov Is 4 stranger
Q find his way from Great Jones stree: il !
'ew York t. Duane. The proper plan i. !
9 lay the city off as nearly in paral!elo. !
ram a. possible. letter the streets one |
'ay and number them tie other. A. is j
-one in Sacramento. California. Thus I
he street corner becomes !, directory. .
oaohing the exact positions Of tie IL i
nirer' without bothe.ing people to guide 4
Ia. The sidewalks should lie wide 4
lQNgl to accommodate Tic increment of Il