The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1893-01-02

would bankrupt the adjoining lc,.s. It would
pay the owner of said lots 10 exchange them for
lots in the wildcat addition aliutsd 20, no mat
Ter now small or narrow the stressts
1t Is 10 counterfeit the evils rssJ}ting from this
want OF foresight on the part Of. the early set
tiers that this magnificent system OF boulevards
has been suggested by the park commissioners
ior the consideration OF our peolae, that IL ma!
hnally be said that Seattle is noE only the city
TO DO business in, but the city Of cities to 1--we H.
There Is, perhaps, no city in tlse Union OF she
size OF seattle possessing as fea private con"
veyances Taxing drive for pleasure is rather
an anomaly in this city. Il is more punish
ment Seattle is an ambitious CITY, determined
10 be the Center OF population. q behooves us
present Inhabitants, however. 10 bear in mind
tnat newcomers, especially the wealthy, will be
moch more readily attracted If our city pos
sesses such conditions Of culture and snioyment
as they have left behind in the East.
chicago. from q swamp, has bean transformed
INTO the most magnificent citycin the Union,
aud there is nothing to which che points with
greater pride than TO her boulevard system.
Nature was not with Chicago; She Is. how
ever, with the Queen City, making it possible to
excel In beauty and interest eyes the iar-fsmed
bouleyards OF the Prairie City. "Expend slo.-
100000 on park and boulevard system IN @ city
OF 5000 people" That this is nee the intention
goes without saying. The question for con-
sideration and the project Insrsly consists in
making such q system Is pla1ned possible for
the future.
The hope of realization Is baseG upon the fact
th.s every important city in the United States
has made its PARKS and bouisvards pay for
themselves, especially when they have taken
time by the forelock and established systems in
the early days. instead of adopsi5g the do-noth-
Ing policy OF our. fellow citizen sad land owner,
Judge McGllvra
New York. Brooklyn, Chicago; Philadelphia,
ptr< oil oNf u.
to increased valuation ofreal estste by reason of
boulevards and parks, more thai meet the in
terest on their cost.
This boulevard system fs not Fl opposition to
business. The boulevard along .he water front
OF Lake Washington viii still iease room for the
wharyes and shipping and manufactures OF q
New York or London combined
II has been noticed In Chicago that where
boulevards have been established near factories
that real estate valuations have become SO en-.
hanced as TO make 1t advisable fog the owners of
factories 20 sell out their real estete and move to
cheaper districts. This was Particularly the
history Of the North Side along the lake front,
which has been changed from a cheap unwhole-
some factory distric: to the NEST magnificent
residence quarter OF the city.
In contemplating the l4o miles of boulevard
loo to 2oO feet wide. it must be considered that
much OF tho distance is along streets already
plated, and that instead OF sweets $50 to 80
feet wide. which Is not intended at all, due
regard is being paid TO the fact t.at broad resi-
dence streets are dust-raisng gbosninatious-the
WIDER the road the greater the dis3t area. Grass
plats on either side OF marrow roadways are
therefore contemplated, and wksre the boule-
varo may widen TO go feet is ONLY in such D. aces
where precipitons bluffs occur-9ractically USE
less for residence or any other purpose.
The judge assumes that this bozilevard system
originated with real estate brokers' and there
II fhaf mir {or~
hoods circulated account for the large number
OF paupers we are maintaining, etc. If We
debit the real estate dealer with che paupers we
must reconcile tho charge by ;crediting him
the 5000 well-to.do and wealthy which have
been attracted to Seattle during the past ten
years, resulting in making the fortunate early
possessors of the land rich.
Who. therefore, are better equEpped than the
real estate agents to inaugurate tsis magnificent
boulevard system, which, if ESTABLISHED, would
make Seattle distinguished anon; the beautiful
cities OF the world?
Several months ago, recalling tina. from my
Childhood complaints were constantly being
made by Chicago citizens that so5much Of their
water front was given over to tho Illinois Cen.
trai railroad, and that the regress were not be-
cause the Illinois Central prove, ted the estab-
lishment of wharves and factories on the lake
sho.e, but because the road prevented the lay.
Ing out OF lake shore park end boulevard
with the shores of Lake Michigan would be
seattles experience with the kaores OF Lake
Washington unless some imeaediate action
were taken The writer therefo=e made 1t his
business to interview prominens citizens and
real estate men, and every ono lsithout excep-
ton agreed that the benefits to SEATTLE would bs
incalculable. Not long afterward / heard that
the board of park commissioners had been en-
gagged in this work, stimulated and urged by
many prominent citizens regardless of psrty
would IKE TO ask In passing shat ct present
Is to prevent factories from Locating near our
water works and concentrating. our drinking
water? What is being done to preserve the pur-
ity OF the water of Lake Washisgton? Would
not this boulevard along the shors, from Bsiley's
peninsula TO Union bay, serve as . picket limo tn
protect not only the pristine graae OF its shores
but to also tend to preserve the purity of fts
waters? And by just such precautions cannot
Lake Washington be made permanent source
OF water supply instead of Temporary make
SHIFT. and save the contemplated axpenditnra of
millions Of dolla-s7
The superintendent, M E. O. :chwagerl. who
by the way is man of more: than average
abllty and experience, in his report 10 the park
commissioners wrote as follows: "Much of tho
territory traversed along Lake Washington is
covered with numerous varieties IF undergrowth
ana shrubs. mrs, pop!ars, naples; ash and ma
dronas. All these skirt the hoses and are still
untouched by the blasting fres.os the logging
camps and clearings tina, have ruined and de-
vastated parkable trees and groavths of nearly
every portion ofthe Sound coun,r< and DESTROYED
the possibilities of natural parks and beautiful
landscapes The natural verdups around Lake
Washington is still in its maiden beauty and tho
people not only of this city, bug of the entire
state, may be thankful that sues fate has not
befalen it. This ribbon of ground is easy of &C.
cess to the citizens of Seattle aG1 possesses the
character and the features mos, suitable for a
romantic pleasure ground and affords possihil-
ties rarely found in such close proximity to a
city,"
To preserve this portion of Che lake ia a
part OF the plan of bouleyards end parks pro-
posed. Delay is suicidal
Space Will not permit to further discuss the
objections raised. Judge McGi.vra and every
other citizen should be commeIsied for raising
objections. Let US consider thoroughly the pros
and cons By so doing dangers q too precipi.
tate action will be avoided TsR FIRxIsa