Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-03-12

used for the purpose instead of the hammer of
| the iconoclast. The park destroyers. it is said
| have already begun to bury the statue, foot
or more of earth it is alleged having been piled
about the base.
There is one thing more I wish to state in
this connection on the authority of the gentle
men quoted above. 1t is said that in one
street III the city quite a number of years since
the trees were cut as is being done now, and
that they are in better form than they
were at or near the time of their
mutilation. Admitting this to be the
fact, can the learned and scientific gentlemen
who made the statement say that if they had
been left untouched until the present moment
and therefore had all these years for additional
growth they would not have been far in ad-
| vance of what they are at present? The object
OF planting trees in the public streets is, as |
take ii, largely for their shade and also for
their beauty. Certainly had the trees in the
street alluded to not been cut there would
have been much more shade from them now in
the time of shade, and to their beauty, when
they are not covered with leaves. the branches
are seen to be more or less badly deformed
But suppose that these trees at this present
writing. are better than they would have
been had they not been cut. what
right had or has any one thus to de-
stroy the comfort and endanger the health of
the inhabitants of the city for fome wears while
the new tops are forming in order that in some
indefinite future the people then residing here
In
the far future will it take before the blessed
shade will come back to the once so beautiful
park! How long will it take the noble dis
crowned trees on Pennsylvania avenue to form
new branches SO that before in the long
weary days of summer their shadow NAV be
felt as blessing?
1t Is admitted, believe, that the trees in
Washington have done a good deal to prevent
the repetition Of many like cases of serious or
fatal sickness caused by or complicated with
al &Nll
the early history of the city
Ihere Is, says the National Reuie,c q monas-
terry In the Campagna, without the gates of
Rome, called the Tree Fontane where St. PauI
was executed There the malaria is so deadly
that, after long batting to retain their possess
sions Of it. the old occupants had to Withdraw
Tor the monks died in rapid succession and no
constitution seemed to withstand the climate
The Carthusians took it and began planting the
nelShborhood with trees, and now the whole
scene Is changed and the pestilence has abated
III these trees should happen to be treated like
those In the MCPHERSON Park how long would
the malaria remain absent? A Boston physi-
can recently said to the writer that upon cut
ting down the trees on the opening Of a new
road In the country not far from the CITY acme
forty years ago there occurred MANY cases of
malarlous fever. No such disease had ever
peen known to exist in the neighborhood be-
fore.
Is it unreasonable to suppose that the de-
the city might bring in the malaria, especiallv
perhaps, IN those streets in which the trees
nave been almost entirely stripped of their leaf
bearing branches?
THE PARKING COMMISSION
Inc PARKING commission upholds most stren-
uously the action In tree trimming. Mr. VIM.
smith Is chairman Of the commission. and he
to STAR reporter said: I'VE are cutting cara
fully and deliberately. We have met and CON-
suited on the matter, and came to the conclu
sion that immediate action was sbsolntejv
necessary. 10th Mr.. Saunders and Mr.. Saui
my colleagues. are opposed to trimming. am
not by anu by IT became plain to them that
something had to be done to save a great MANY
valuable trees, and as nothing but trimming
could do that. why we commenced to trim.
People who simply admire trees without
knowing anything about them do not sympa-
thiZe with us. Trees that are ordinarily the
longest lived have comparatively brief exist
ence on the curb stone. The sugar mamie
which attains to great age in the forest. will
not grow on the curb The tulip poplar, one of
the most beautiful OF trees, rebels il placed on
the sidewalk. On Rhode Island avenue the
tulip poplars are dropping away, and it is very
probable that within few years they will have
TO be cut down entirely. OF the fifty kinds of
trees we have on the streets there are several
adapted to the situation. if trimmed, but if not
trimmed they will not survive. Bricks and
concrete and Belgian block cut off the supply
of necessary nutriment. Anything grown in
the Botanic Gardens in a pot must be brought
into proper relations with the size Of the pot
or it will become unhealthy.
Had the trees been trimmed earlier there
would have been less cutting. On streets
where the trimming was commenced long ago
and kept up regularly we have the finest trees
in town. i street. for instance, or Sd street.
i will admit that trees not as picturesque
after being severely cut at this season Of the
year. but the cutting has been done from
necessity and not from choice.
Every influence seems to be against the sue
cessful growth of street trees; horses, boys
sewers, gas pipes and infinite variety Of
minor enemies are continually damaging the
growth. The conditions of the forest do not
obtain in the city.
Some comment has been made on the trim
ming Of trees in Mcpherson Square. had
nothing to do with that 80 may speak Of it
without prejudice. The work was done most
judiciously.
IF we mad permitted the trees We have been
cutting to go untrimmed they would have died
| IT five years. All of those that have been
treated are covered with scale-proof absolute
| Of their unhealthy condition. A have told
You before, Mr.. saunders Is opposed 10 trim
ming. Hs has supervised u, q neasly sll, e