The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-09-27
PLAN OF BOULEVARDS
If the City Adopts 1t, Develop
ments Will Execute 1t.
sCHWAGERL's lDsAoFTHE WORK
He Thinks the City should Decide on
Plan and Make All Future
Plats Conform to ".

when almost any citizen Of Seattle has
the subject OF sealevards mentioned -
him. he iume6 ately has picture pra-
seuted 10 bis mind % a brad, level. well
kept driveway along Tia west shore Of
Lake Washington, connected nv well
paved streets With The business part OF the
city. Some pan Of this sort has aeen talk
Ell of for some time. but the city has al
WAYS been confronted with 50 many i'm
provenents 70 make that seemed 10 re
more urgent and necessary, that the mat
ter Of bouievards has been forced 10 occu-
py a position in the back row.
The city has many natural advantages
for park and boulevard system, but these
advant S-es are in one sense Disadvantages
a rectangular line could not be followed
because OF the surrounding hills but II
tie lines OF nature be followed A scheme is
presented which - unequaled by any city.
There is 10 better time for a man or a
city 20 make plans for the future than in
moments OF idleness. In good times men
are too busily engaged in the making 81
money 70 devote much attention 10 parks
ard dFivewaYs.
+. -. Sc1wagerl. park commissioner.
and landscape architect. Yesterday out
lined plan for the Inauguration Of a
boulevard system which IS somewhat
novel. as II does not require the imrnedi-
ate expenditure OF money. He said:
Every city 10 the country has heen
caused more or less difficulty and Excess
stve cost By the neglect Of the municinal-
ity TO provide a park and boulevard svs-
tenn. The majority Of cities which today
have such systems could have avertei
costly delays IL they had done what is to-
day suggested to the city OF Seattle.
Work tn an Adopted Plan.
The plan suggested is that the city for
muiate an official Plan for belt houie-
ward. OF generous width and arrange
ments. emhodying spacious driveway.
cycle way. walks, electric car line and
traffic roads, each properly placed in re-
iation To the ethens and separated by am
PIE areas Of planted lawn. OF course the
location should conform net only 10 the
easiest grades and alignment, but IL should
also lead 10 objective po.nts-the traffic
roads to connect with the county roads.
so that the farmers would have an easy
ingTess 10 market. and tho driveways 10
diverge so as 10 take in as much OF the
lake shore as possible. A large number Of
the property owners along the lake are
now and have been ready 10 Join hands
with the city to accomplish this magnif-
cent object. One arm, or artery would
emerge from the city in a southerlv direc-
ton, the other TO the north Let the nau-
nicipal authorities adopt such a plan as
the official plan OF Pie city, making legis-
lation which will provide that no addition
10 the city Will be accepted unless II con-
form TO the general scheme. In this way
the city can obtain magnificent park and
driveway system without any immediate
cost, for nothing more is suggested than
that the city indicate definitely where this
boulevard shall be located SO that anv
owner of land on the fine of tho proposed
boulevard should know how 70 lay out his
land In relation 10 this direct roadway II
the city. The acceptance by the city OF
these plats opens up 50 much OF the boule-
ward. Detached parcels Of the great whole
may for a while remain unimproved but
the Lesson that will be taught BY the COM
pletion Of the parts will cause the bring
Ing into line OF the missing links sooner
or later
Others VIII soon Fall in Line.
las TO such portions Of the city as are
already improved and graded, let the ceun-
Gil Indicate where II thinks the two drive
ways should so through the city, and when
the outer boulevards have reached some
degree OF maturity. and have demon
strated their necessity. usefulness. beauty,
influence and money-making power for
Seattle, the remaining factor will not be
long OF realization. BY this plan eondem-
nation or property is avoided as well as
the assumption OF a bonded debt, which
the city is not now able 70 consider.
This is strictly the city's and the prom
erty owners method OF securing a boule-
ward for the city on Just grounds. being
the same as any other allotment rendered
20 the city. except that the land swner
knows beforehand that his land WIFI be in
direct and easy contact with the city. and
he can plat inteVigently and in conformity
with the Plan OF the city as a harmo-
NOUS whole. This belt boulevard ought to
BE- continuous. II popular driveway has
any merit At all, So that a ride could he
a NV ntat 0f ~jf ed Ia
and returning at the other, taking In it's
course possible prominent villa residence
sites, public institution grounds. etc.
1T IS my opinion that there Is no propo-
sition in sight for Seattle so full OF prom
Use, so needful and SO desirable, which can
he accomplished with 50 little outlay. as
the making OF an official plan by the city
70 be followed in its future improvement
and extension"