St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1885-06-20


itors and strangers to become residents con-
stitute elements of enormous value, and all
of these are independent of their sanitary
value and the moral influence they exert on
all classes of citizens.
IN MAKING PRACTICAL APPLICATION
of these truths, Mr.. Cleveland said: Surely
no city ever started OH its course with
greater certainty of future wealth and
grandeur than the metropolis of which the
present st. Paul and Minneapolis are the
germinal roots name the two as one, fol
l will not insult you by admitting the pos
sibility OF so petty feeling as jealousy be-
tween them. If there are individuals in
either city small enough to indulge in such
a sentiment, it is idle to waste argument
upon Them, but every man of enlightened
views who considers the elements of their
future growth must perceive that all their
greatest interests are mutual, and that moth
ing can tend so directly to cripple and de
feat their future development as the want
OF mutual sympathy and pride.
The human mind can hardly grasp the
conception of the resources lying latent in
the vast regions of which this city must be
the central point of supply and distribution.
The proportion which has yet been devel-
which is still awaiting the magic touch OF
labor, and the man must be incapable OF
emotion who can contemplate the march OF
the vast army of laborers which is daily
passing on to conquest, without thrill OF
pride and Joy at the vision of the future
grandeur of which they are the heralds.
Your opportunity of to-day is to avail
yourselves of the advantages which nature
has provided foryour hand. for the Inaugural
ton of such a system of improvements as
shall be in keeping with the demands of the
future population. Preserve above all the
wild and picturesque character of the river
banks, and do not suffer them to be stripped
of their foliage. or Scared and scanned by
excavations.
THE DAY IS NOT DISTANT
when the thickly-wooded banks, the deep
and dark ravines, the rugged and precipit-
Gus rocks, and the picturesque cascades
which form the shores of the majestic river,
will be regarded as your choicest possession
for the unique character they will confer
upon the city. No money could purchase
what nature has here provided, and its
value when contrastod to the architectural
display of the great metropolis will be pro-
portionate to the degree of wild grandeur
and beauty they display and which no art
could initiate.
Amid such scenes as these the landscape
gardener has no other duty than to serve as
the high priest of nature. The highest
function of his art is to interpret her lam
guage and develop her suggestions,
and in so doing, he should only dare
to touch with very reverent hands the SYM
bols through which she addresses her wor-
shippers. He may so arrange the APP
proaches which give access to her sanctu-
aries as to afford the most impressive
views, and he may develop those views by
such artistic use of natural means as are in
keeping with the prevailing tones of form
and color. He may, for instance, use his
artists eye to increase the effects by such
planting of trees or shrubbery as would con-
ceal homogeneous objects, or he may re-
move them when by so doing he may add
to the picturesque effects. He may plant
vines to run over the rocks in wild profit
sion, or he may get the charming effects of
color by massing in cosy hooks such wild
flowers as are native to the locality.
BY SUCH DELICATE TOUCHES
he violates no law of nature, but rather
proves his devotion by conforming to her
behests.
But the man who could look down from
these rocky heights through the gorgeous
forest which lines their sides, upon the
mighty river which flows at their feet, and
tell of improving" them by the introduce
ton of such artificial decorations as conSti-
tute the stock in trade of most of the so
called landscape gardeners, who can see no
beauty in nature until they have washed
her face and combed her hair and put her
in stays, should be hurled headlong from
the precipice whose features he would thus
desecrate. Esfs
Two methods present themselves by
which the change from the monotony of
the streets maybe had, namely the appro-
priatiOn at intervals of one or more blocks to
be reserved as public squares or by the con-
struction of boulevards of such width as
to allow an ornamental space in the center
or at the sides. The system of small parks
is ON many accounts desirable, and st. Paul
is already rich in the possession of more
than twenty of these. They constitute an
attractive feature of the city and serve by
the value they confer upon AUDITING
ing property to confirm previous
statements of the Importance OF
parks as source of revenue.
Such parks, the speaker said, are Of greater
Importance as source of enjoyment, as
well as giving character to the city, than
those great riding parks which lie beyond
the reach of most who need the refresh
ment they afford. Not only these blocks,
but every little corner and triangle that
would otherwise become an offensive dust
hole, should be tastefully improved and in
this Paris has set the world an example.
In that city
PUBLIC GARDENING
is not confined to parks in one end of the
town. 1t follows the street builders with
trees, it turns little squares into gardens,
it drops down graceful fountains here and
there and margins them with flowers; il
presents to the eye of the poorest workman
the charm of vegetation and brings him
pure air and gives a direct benefit to the
people.
But these little parks should be located
on the line Of some leading thoroughfare OF
they will be but little frequented, except
by those to whom their quiet seclusion is
their chief attraction. They are local in
character. The broad avenue OF boulevard
with tastefully planted trees and shrubbery
is far preferable, for it provides for the
wants of a much greater number, to whom
it is easily accessible on both sides for its
entire length. 1t becomes picture of all
kinds of life; property on its sides increases
in value, and no display of wealth so i'm
presses strangers with the idea of magnifi-
cence. Since laying out the boulevards in
Minneapolis, a misrepresentation has
arisen that they are simply dreary,
dusty roadways some 200 feet wide.
This is entirely wrong; they are SIM
ply extended parks, accessible from
all sides and made attractive by the swarms
of life that are attracted to them. No
architectural decoration in the form of
monuments, statues or fountains can serve
the purpose of the simplest forms of natural
beauty. The more magnificent the archi-
lecture the more does it need the graceful
Of to f11l6u lie hoct