Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-01-15
BIG CITIES NEED LUNGS.
Air Makes Good Blood and, Therefore,
Good Citizens.

Air Makes Good Blood and, Therefore,
Good Citizens.
From the Boston Herald
The American Statistical association is Just
publishing a paper by DR.. E. R. L. Gould on
| Park areas and open spaces in Cities" which
contains important facts relating to the rapid
growth Of our large towns and cities.
1t is found that in the United States, since
| 1860, the Inhabitants of the cities have gained
80 per cent. DR.. Gould thinks that if the pres
ent rate Of increase in the twelve principal
cities of the country should be maintained for
the next 100 years their population would
| equal that of the entire Union of to-day. In
| view of this advance downward it has been re-
marked that "the futher progress of civiliza-
| ton is to depend mainly upon the influences
by which mems minds and characters will be
affected while living in large towns" The adj
vance of civil society used to be called the in
f1uence OF the country upon the town. but now
it is the city that solves the social problems and
notes the progress of the race and it is not
probable that the country at large will ever
again regain the supremacy which it enjoyed
from fifty to hundred years ago. 1t is the
cities which are to rule, and it is recognized on
all sides that in the cities are in the closest
general touch with our kind
1t Is in this light that the sanitation of cities
| is one of the foremost of practical questions,
and that the increase of air holes and breath
ing places is of the utmost Importance to
health. strength, life, and morals The New
YORK legislature recently authorized the appro-
prlatlon OF 81 GOO yearly in order to make
air spaces in the slums of New York city, and
in this way the famous Five Points has ceased
to exist. This has been done in London and
Glasgow with very gratifying results. Currents
OF fresh air have cleared the effluvia from the
Sums and made narrow quarters habitable.
But these open spaces are quite as useful for
recreation as for the prevention of disease. No
one who has seen the public squares of New
York on hot summer night will begrudge the
space for those who live in the tenement houses,
and the closer these squares are to the houses
the greater service will they render to the COM
munity.
In France, Germany and Denmark, the work.
ing people understand how to use these parks
or gardens or city air-holes better than do our
own citizens. In the summer months their
leisure is largely spent in these healthful quar-
tiers, and they greatly assist in uplifting the
lives OF the masses. We are still slow in adopt
ing the European usages in this respect Dr.
Gould would not only have these open spaces
Tor the summer, but would secure indoor
opportunities for the winter season. where
people have pleasure and entertainment in a
social way. Here the Europeans are still in
advance OF Americans. The great cities of
Europe, like London: Berlin, Paris and Vienna
are alive to the need of these open spaces and
park areas, and practically lead the world,
In this country the cities best provided with
air-holes are Philadelphia, st. Louis and San
Francisco, those in the second rank being De-
troit Boston. Baltimore, BROOKLYN and Chi
cago; The American city that is worst off is
Plttsburg and the next three are Kansas City,
Louisville and Jersey City. The difficulty with
US, as shown by the statistical tables which DIR.
Gould has prepared, and is known in fact, is
that the public parks are mostly ornamental
neighborhoods outside of the city instead of
wholesome areas in the heart of the commune
ty, where they are needed the most In Europe
the breathing space is close to the poor mans
nome; In America it often costs him a double
car-fare to reach it, and even then IL is scsntilv
provided with what he wants.
DIR. Gould thinks that the small spaces in
great cities are more needed than the large
ones. In the relative rank, where the areas are
acres or less, Washington stands first among
the cities OF the world, and PHILADELPHIA
stands last; Boston is fourth and BROOKLYN is
thirty-third on the list New York and Paris
are about the same. San Francisco and Berlin
stand together. London is unique and cannot
be CLASSIFIED. These small spaces are the first
essential, If the people who most need fresh
| air are to have it in sufficient quantities to do
them substantial service.
The second essential is boulevards and broad
avenues like Euclid avenue in Cleveland or
commonwealth avenue in Boston. These link
the smaller spaces with the extensive park sys-
tenn established on the outskirts. The third
necessity Is large parks like the Central in New
York or the Franklin in Boston, where every-
body can have fair chance. The deficiency
IN many cities is in the number of small areas
close TO the homes of the poor, provided with
the means of simple enjoyment and entertain
ment, and not fenced off from public use.
With all the care that the municipal authori-
ties seem willing to take, it is difficult to fore
see the growth of cities and sufficiently pro-
vide for their breathing places, and yet, with
the purpose of every competent American TO
make his own way in the big cities it is of the
first Importance that the conditions of healthy
and enjoyable living shall be as well assured in
the city as in the country town. The caution
which DIR. Gould suggests is the one that cam
not be too much insisted on, and that is the
need OF looking after the air holes where the
houses are crowded together rather than the
spending OF too much money on public parks
that appeal chiefly to the pride of the eye.