, 1873-05-18

where now are located some OF her busiest
thoroughfares. Her founders we're always
eauguine Of her future destiny, and
from an early day declared their conviction that
abe would become one Of tho lending commercial
cities Of the country. They had the history and
example Of all tho cities OF the world to teach
them the necessities, and warn them OF the dan
f-ers which must arise, and which never could be
rectified if not soen and provided for IN tho
orieincl doeicn. The site Was dead level,
Offering no natural features to affect the design,
except the lake and the river, the former CON-
prising the only object worthy Of consideration
for esthetic' effect while the latter furnished q
securo harbor for lake craft, and must OF course
plways be infinitely connected with the business
interests OF the city,
no EVIDENCE OF SPECIAL REFERENCE
to These features appears in the original plan,
and the only important provision which indicates
the faith Of the founders ir. the futurs great
ness Of the city, is in tho breadth Of the streets,
which is generally from sirty-ei1 to eighty feet,
"a most important provision certainly, and one
Ghich- is 80 often neglected that it reflects
credit upon the jud gment Of those who e1ercis-
ed such foreth ought.
Within the present city limits are comprised
shout 800 miles Of streets, and, with the e1cep-
diagonal to that of tho general system,
and only one Of which comes within q
mile Of the central business portion OF the city,
al the streets run due north and south and cast
and vest. The town having originally started
90 these lines, the great city has grown up hy
simple projections Of the ssme, the diagonals
being. old country roads whose convenience Tas
too well established to admit Of their removal.
Before going farther, it il worthy Of remark
that the arranging Of the streets according to
N. ~ ,$a yvtt4 tYyan
-. 4 SANITARY OBJECTION .~
of no mean import. No fact is better estab-
ushed than the necessity Of sunlight to- tho
highest degree Of animal. health, and no no
constitution can long endure. without IL IL
It's health-giying power. City houses at best
can rarely be so well provided for in this respect
as those which stand alone, aa is; generally the
case in the country and it is all the mora impor-
tant that every facility should be afforded to Sc
cure as much Us possible Of it's genial influence
But every house on the south SIDE OF a. street
running east and west must have 1ts front
rooms. which are generally it's living rooms, en-.
tirely secluded from the Sun during the winter,
and Tor most OF the day. during the summer.
This fact. coupled with that OF the indoor
life Of American, and particularly Western,
women is enough to account, for very Large
SHARE Of the nervous debility which 80 generally
prevails. II the rectangular system must be ad-
hered to in city arrangement, it would be Tar
better that the lines Of streets should be north
west and southeast, and the cross streets at night
angles With them, than as now disposed. :.
The present city limits embrace an area eight
miles in length by fro in breadth, and, with the
X*Ssception Of She few diagonal streets above al
S&ed to, the city is simply vast collection Of
SQUARE BLOCKS OF BUILDINGS,
3Ek6Yidcd by ekE;Sht Dtreetc, whose weary 1ength8
become faarfully HOMOGENEOUS to emo who 10 un-
der frequent necessity Of taversing them. -" !,
Here and there, ct wide distances from each.
other. single squares have been reserved for
public use, and in one or two OF these squares
: f1ABonA9n EFFORT At DECORATION, =:
hrs been made By moans Ut w1iat is commonly
known as landscape gardening, Mountain
ranges are introduced, which are overlooked
from the chamber windows Of. the surrounding
houses lakes of. corresponding size are created
apparently to afford an excuse for the construc-
lion -ps rustic bridges, which are con-
epicaous ala greater, distance than
hcase three feet high, On. rocky promontor,yE
tie size of dining-room table, serves to warnt
tue ducks and geese Of hidden dangers Of nsvi
gnttcp, aud this baby-house ~ornamentation is
Tolerated in great city which asplres to m ar
tistic reputation !; the crowds which thronE these
pisces in pleasant weather give evidence alike Of
the popular longing for relief from the din md
turmoil of tbs etreets and OF the facility with
which they might be made available forpurpoaes
Of instruction By truly artistic use Of objects Of
natural benuty and intarest. -. =: -
4 little area in the south part OF the city, :,
known es- --.--.-:-=-. ----
-.,--,.. %. ELLIS P1nK, ,..,~ ,;,z .-.:7
Is pleasing exception to the general rule, max
ing no such display Of absurditles, and being
ers tastefulty arranged in masses set in velvet
swarfl. Few people, except those in the im1ue- ),
date vicinity are aware that the city is indebted
for the possession of this little gem to the en-
watches over the flowers and provides for the
wants Of the frees and grass, and finds his ro-
4rd in the qualification Of his ruling passion and
the consciousness Of the pleasure: he confers on
Others ..,. - ...-. ..... - |
II one bss occasion to cross any considerable |
portion OF the city line diagonal to the uni
form course Of the streets; that is, if he wishes
to go from the northeast to the northwest part,
or from the northwest to the southeast he must |
ot necessity travel II
NEARLY osE-THRD FARTHER
than would be necessaryif it be could tako straight
course The relief afforded by tho few diagonal |
streets which exist is but partial, because they
are not systematically arranged to meet the ne,
to prove how valuable such . system would ba,
for they are always thronged, and the demand
for business sites along their lines is fal beyond
Tint upon -any Of the streets in their
vicinity. Except in the occasional in
stances where, these avenues ano5a Tenef,
cardinal points must tTaTerfe two sides OF the
.rcat fuuaro which GcG between his starting |
point and his destination. He maT relieve the |
of the straight streets by taking zig
zag course, but be cau in no wise a5ate one jot !
If the distance. -
Think now Of the aggregate OF -. -:
z UNAEcEssARr MILES -
which must be travelled in the daily traffic Of a
yreat city (and city Which may be termed
Iast Workshop, to which it may almost be said
i,e1e is q no aamittance except on business y,
he wear end tear of tie teams, and the loss OF
ine which might have been saved by judicious
ystam Of diagonal avenues. =
Chicago is noT preparing to spend millions Of
lol]a1s III constructing
II EEnIEs OF pAREs. .~~ |
Ehich nre necessarily very distant from the
hickly-peopled districts Of the city, because
and in those districts is too yaluable to be So
urcd in sufficient quantities for such purpose.
The nearest park Of the new system is between
our and five miles from the Court-Honse, aud
Il of them are on the open prairie, and Is yet
sr beyond the limits Of any ,semhlance Of city
treets.; They are situated respectively north,
rest, and south Of the city, and are to be con-
Iected with each other BY chain Of grand ave-
.uss Or bpuleya1da. having rVadMs1s On each