Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-11-17
WORK FOR PAUPERS.
How Another Park Could Be Con-
structed on Mt. Washington.
TRANSFORMING THE BARE HILLS
The Bluff Could Be Terrsced and Planted
With Shade Trees.
1T WOULD PREVENT MANY LANDsLIDES

1t was suggested IN The D1SPAICH year
ago that it would be good idea were tn
city to acquire the title to the northsid
of Mt Washington between the PanhaDdl'
Railway and Grand View avenue, from tn
Monongahela Inclined Plane clear dowI
past the Thirty-sixth ward to the borough
of Esplen, and terrace it and plant 1t will
trees, so as not only to prevent the danger
Gus washouts that yearly imperil the live
of passengers on the railway, but at thu
same time improve the sanitary condition
of the city and render an eyesore thing O.
beauty 1t was short-sighted policy to allow
the hill. to be denuded of its natura
forest Subsequently, it was suggested thai
buildings ample to accommodate the city's
wards might be built on terrace made neal
the Duquesne Inclined Plane, and the
paupers labor might be utilized in ter
racing the rest of the hill and identifying
1t. They would be as proftably and pleas
antly employed at this work as in raising
cabbage and other vegetables on $35O-an.
acre land, and more 50, as such work has
never been selfsustaining and never will.
OF late some public-spirited people, who
refuse to allow the use of their names, have
suggested the formation of a terraced park
on this part of the hill They say its bleak
ness, which cannot be hidden, is calculated
to repel rather than encourage the visits OF
strangers and sightseers, whereas a COM
paratively trifing expenditure would make
1t equal to the best part of Schenley Park
for pleasant stroll.
How to Make Natural Park.
It is probable the owners of the ground
would, as rule, donate it to the city, were
it to be improved, as at present it is not
worth taxes. 1t would have paid the rail-
way company years ago to have had the
work proposed done, as it would not only
have saved heavy damages for loss of life,
but much work in removing the debris that
is every spring deposited on the tracks
when thaw is accompanied by rain. This
tree clad hill was in ancient times, as may
be learned by an examination of a painting
of the city made in 1917, one of its prin-
cipal attractions, and it could easily be
retained.
There are trees which grow 12 feet year.
These, with willows, might be planted on
terraces first and then the ground carefully
cultivated and ,fertilized, fertilizer costing
black walnut, hickory and the seeds of other
deciduous trees might be planted along
with persistents, evergreens, and in very
few years the people of the city would not
only have pleasant summer retreat, but
the present danger of Grandview avenue
tumbling down into the Thirty third ward
would be entirely averted. There is no
need whatever for any drainage from the
Thirty-third ward coming over the north
side Of the hill, and it ought not to be al
lowed, as the strata dips the other way and
the natural drainage is toward Sawmill run.
A Breathing Place for the People.
While some people may at first glance be
disposed to regard the proposition as
chimera, it hasn't q single element Of one.
1t would furnish resort not only for those
who have no means to take run to Schen-
ley Park, but also to the tens of Thousands
have no time to take in the city, and still
often leave with the impression gained by
Dickens, in 1872 of having come in and out
of city looking into the back doors of the
houses. It Is even worse than in 1842, for
then the traveller either came or went by
the Ohio river and Water street, and the
river front of Manchester presented q more
pleasing environment than much the
present day traveller sees coming or going
on the Pittsburg and Ft. Wayne, Baltimore
and Ohio, Pittsburg and Lake Erie rail-
ways. City pride, without the aid of any
other stimulus, should set the project in
motion at once.
If the hill in question were improved, as
it could be at small expense, and put un-
der proper police arrangements, the chill
dren of those too poor to go to summer re-
sorts could have an outing every afternoon,
and receive substantially the same benefit
as now received from the fresh-air-fund or
ganizations and at much less cost. There is
room for an infnity of suggestions, but
these will do for an introduction to SUBJ
iect of vast import