The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1893-01-02
THE PARK AND BOULEVARD
SYSTEM.

SEATTLE, Dec. 81. 1892
To THE EDITOR: In yesterdays Posr-ISrELLI.
GENCER there appears a communication from
the pen Of ] m. John J. McGilyra, protesting
against the park and boulevard system outlined
by the board OF park commissioners of this
city. So strong is his denunciation, SO fercelv
does he stgmatizs and publicly arraign the
whole project, that one Is inclined to wonder
how in the name of common sense ANYBODY
could have entertained a project go b.siuless
and preposterous as he makes 1t out to be- The
natural conclusion, therefore, is that II the
Judge has candidly and fairly represented ths
project, then surely such "a wild and visionary
scheme would quickly die by its own hand.
and hardly deserves go bitter a condemnation
Judge McGilyras objections are as follows.
lie MAKES The system appear appalling In its
magnitude and expense. at embraces an area
OF at least 100 square miles, with four main
PARKS; "these parks 10 be connected by sys.
tenn OF boulevards 80 TO 80 feet wide" "tbe
entire roadways will be over lad miles," "then
these boulevards are to be parked and otherwise
adorned" "expend $40 ,oo0, 000 indeed on park
ana boulevard system in d city OF 600 people
groaning under the heavy burden OF enormous
ta1atons!" be asks. He declares that the
scheme originated IN a real estate Office: that
the city Is now cursed by wildcat additions
etc, and whenever the real estate brokers get
hungry for real estate to plat for sale, with nsr
row streets and small lots, they start this hou1a
suffering for parks and he enumerates the small
private and public parks we already have. He
says: 1.-THE whole thing smacks and smell, 81
fraud and CORFU ption, and Is so wild and vision,
a.y that it ought TO be frowned out of existence
at once" and he concludes protesting against
the scheme.
Now, the question is, how would "tbs ve-v
good men whose sympathies and services have
been enlisted" 20 use the judges language. rec
onclse said sympathies aud services with this
communication l think they woul. urerT.
mousiy respond that the Judge has rnisrenrs.
senied the facts: that he has written a most un
candid and unfair letter: tina, he is behlnd tho
times, and has linked his name 70 q car ths, ia
booming down grade
Let US consider this park and boulevard svs.
tenn from the other point OF view,
The city OF Seattle has been so lavfshlv dow
cred by nature thai Il is doubtful II there can h.
found n the United States 6 city so highly
favored IL Is COATED on an island. One can
row from the SAT- waters OF Puget sound on tha
west into the soft, fresh waters of magnificent,
Lake ash.ngton on the east, and thence fn.o
Lake Cuion and Salmon bay N the north tina
completely enyironIng the city. Il is nerhar.
the only city in the world that has 10Th sslt
water and fresh water harbos large eoourh %
accommodate the lsrges! fee, o. sa:ps thar ba.
ever anchored together. Il Is almost as rorD.
u!elely surrounded by suow-clat peaks ASH e
~ water. Therefore. both from q coInrnercgsI
All scenic standpoint, IS seattle pre-emtneu,.
Now comes the question, il Seattle Is % ex.
ceqtoaa.ly &ni incomparab!y situated, why do
We hear 50 frequently the remark inside tbs,
seattle - the city 20 do business in. but Ia.
Gems : the city 10 live iag
Is q; NOT because Tacoma was wisely SURVEYED
sct nagniEceDtiy plated according to natural
contours w.:a view to compel her streets N
follow the lines Of least resistance, instead ~
IKE Seattle. laying out her streets apparently
win The sole intention o. keeping Up perpet.
Cel warfare against the eternal laws c. s-.yi,a.
iou' streets here Climb bluffs and nlnDra
down rsylnes with an abandonment and rsck
lesscess far from re.ssu-ing. There are .ddI.
tons, Tor example. plated on the shores o. Lake
Washington tie streets OF which il graded