San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1890-01-17
ALAMO PL

come a Bower Of Creenness.
Alderman Wulff, who is chairman
of the councils committee on parks
and public buildings, is taking gen.
uine interest in his work, and pro-
poses to create in the plaZas of this
city school of instruction for lawn
decoration, on the principle that ex-
ample is the true teacher. The one
question that seems to give Mr.. Wulf
concern is the success of his planting.
He entertains some fears that his
trees and shrubbery may not grow,
but is taking every precautiOn to pre-
vent such a misfortune. All who
have passed by the plaza during the
past three months know that an i'm
mense amount Of good garden soil has
been drawn to the plaza and the great
oval covered to a depth of several
feet. The superintendent thinks that
this with the precautions taken will
secure good growth for the grass
beds and ornamental shrubbery
which are to cover the ground.
The general idea is to cover the en-
tire oval, except the walks, with grass
and ornamental shrubbery, sur
. round the whole with beautiful shade
trees, erect fountain in the center
and seat it so as to afford easy resting
places for those who enjoy the shade.
Very few flowers will be set out, as it
is the intention to preserve the green
ness of the place at all seasons of the
year, and evergreens will be largely
chosen for everything, save the outer
| circle of shade trees.
The great oval enclosed by the stone
! curbing in the center of the plaza and
within it's paved area, is $50 feet in
| circumference. In the center of this
oval, at what would otherwise be the
| intersection of Crockett street aud the
middle of the plaza, is a circular plat
about twenty feet in diameter. On
the line of Crockett street, across the
oval and sweeping around this CEN
,ral plat, is gravel walk, twelve feet
| wide. A similar gravel walk, ten feet
! wide, runs all around the large oval
! and betwixt and between and around
| and about the various shaped
plats into which the whole oval is di-
yided. Just OH the inner edge of the
! ten feet walk extending inward from
! the stone cur bling, shade trees are
being set out at distances of fifteen
! feet. These trees are China and Lig-
ustrum set alternately. 1t being the
| intention as the trees grow to remove
| the China trees and supply their
| place with others of more durable
nature. The foundation Of the walks
is some eight or ten inches below the
surface, OF these enclosing pIats The
edges of the raised plats are temper
ally protected by circular and curved
lumber strips, but when the sod has
taken firm root and spread over the
| edges of the grass plats these strips
will be discarded. The walks will be
covered with fine gravel to level
with the enclosing strips and no un
sIghtliness will be apparent when
the whole is completed.
Fire hydrants with nose for sprlnk.
| ling and watering purposes will sup
| ply plants and roots with needed
moisture and keep the atmosphere
| cool and inviting. Magnolias, labur-
| nuns, Cedars Of several varieties,
larches, Laurel aud other evergreens
! will be thickly studded over the
| plats. If 10 fountain is set on the
center well of Bananas will occupy
the circular plat instead, surrounded
! by border of ornamental shrubs.
MIR. Wulf hopes to create in the
| living decorations of the plaZas,
of which this is but the
beginning, a more general taste for
lawn decorations, as we'll as to afford
! pleasure to citizens, strangers and
winter visitors who come from the
bleakness of northern climates to
see the all-year-round greenness OF
san Antonio.
The work on Alamo plaza is in
good hands, because it is in the
hands of q man who is in loving
sympathy with his work and takes
a deep interest in it. The LIGHT
has watched this work with much
PLEASURE since it was begun and is
genuinely glad to note its progress
and the prospect of something de.
cidedly better than the mud lakes OF
the past.
A daily sweeping Of the plaza pave.
ment will be necessary 80 soon az
this work in the oval is accomplished
and for this all good citizens pray.
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