The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-01-10


fully regulated and restricted. Water, either
in ponds or rivers. adds greatly 10 the in
terest of the landscape, and affords desira-
therefore, important TO choose the site for
rural park where an ample supply Of
water is available.
landscape gardeners. or those who have ex-
ecuted works OF landscape gardening, both
in this country and abroad Of one may safe
ly judge by their work., have given COM
paratiyely little thought to the adaptation
OF the design to the natural scenery. Their
works indicate that they were almost en-
tirely occupied in creating a series of rather
artificial, little effects, and in securing as
many interesting and beautiful objects
means or amusement as the space and Pc
cuniary considerations would allow, with
apparently no idea of subordinating all such
things to a controlling, comprehensive and
harmonious general design, In which natural
landscape is the essential characteristic.
We need say little as TO the largest public
grounds which we have referred TO as pub
lie reservations" since ii is not likely that
your city can afford to secure such reSer-
thousands of acres. and include ranges of
hills and other natural landscape features
of considerable extent. The principal object
In preserving large areas of natural scenery
for the enjoyment of the public is to secure.
In greater degree than Is possible In the
ordinary ord municipal rural park: opportnni-
and less sophisticated character than could
be maintained In less extensive public
woods and over hills and valleys.
ASSESSING FOR PARKWAYS.
The subject Of parkways is. perhaps, of
more direct interest than that of great
parks to a large number of people who are
looking for enhanced value in real estate,
as well as for the opportunities for pleasure
driving and for agreeable building sites. As
a parkway affords. almost invariably, con-
tinuous, double frontages as valuable for
building sites, and in all respects as we'll
adapted to the purpose as any public street,
a similar method of assessing the cost of
the Improvement upon adjoining property
owners ought to be pursued rather than to
pay the Whole cost out or the general tax
levy. There should be reasonable limit TO
such an assessment, which may, roughly
speaking, be considered to be SO much of
the cost as will correspond with the cost of
an avenue from one hundred to two hundred
feet wide.
Beyond this limit it is proper that the cost
should be paid partly by assessment of prop
erty within a quarter of mile or more.
which may be assumed to be benefited I'm the
same manner as ii would be by the laying
out of a public square or local park and
partly by being charged to the general tax
levy as expressing the benefit which a park
way broader than any avenue would be TO
the city whole pleasure drive and
landscape feature of interest TO all. If such
parkway can be laid out so as TO include
the banks of a river, creek or brook which
serves as a storm outlet, a large expense
for walls, and, possibly, covered channels
can often be saved the city by preserving
the waterway as sufficient space can thus
be secured TO permit the banks adjoining to
be sloped off gently and preserved from
damage by floods by means CT turf or close
growths CT bushes.
The Muddy river Improvement of Boston
is an example OF this sort of parkway. This
principle of preserving the streams in park
ways has been carefully worked out for
one of our large suburban towns by its city
engineer. who proves that, from an engi-
neer's point of view alone, Ii will pay TO
preserve all the principal streams i'm park
ways rather than TO make walled bitches
and channels for them from time to time.
1t is also to be noted that in laying out
parkway along a river or watercourse ii is
often possible to widen out the boundaries
10 such an extent as to provide valuable
local plea sure grounds which are not only
worth moro from thus being made part OF
continuous parkway, but usually thus
cost less both for land and improvement
than II separate from the parkway.
LOCAL CONDITIONS.
Not having been provided as yet with
detailed typographical survey, and lest some
OF the landowners should get the erroneous
idea that to carry out suggestions the
requirement of part or the whole Of their
lands might be a matter of necessity, so
that they would be likely to obtain larger
payments for their lands than If your COM
mission felt free to lay out parks elsewhere.
we deem it advisable at this time to specify
in detail the exact sites and approximate
boundaries of such parks and parkways as
would seem to us to be most desirable from
Typographical and landscape considerations
Inc central public ground OF the city was
fortunately provided for Indianapolis in the
original plan. Ii has been made impressive
by a large and dignified monument. All that
need need be said, therefore. is that the buildings
facing on this central public ground ought
III possible to be the handsomest and most
monumental in the city.
AS for the other parts of the city. there
seems 20 be decided lack of open squares
and small recreation grounds. This deficen-
cy should be remedied gradually; first, by
taking and improving squares in the outer.
unoccuped or but little built upon. AS the
city grows in wealth squares can be formed
in its more densely occupied parts, espe-
cially where buildings of a poor character
exist. Philadelphia possesses fifty such
squares, twenty-five of which have been
eral cases ground has been taken that had
numerous buildings upon 1t. As public
squares are equally beneficial to those liv-
ing in their immediate neghborhood their
hrst cost. in most cases, can, with Justice
be assessed upon the adjoining property.
Where, however. such squares are laid out
in districts already densely populated the
expense Is SO great that a large per cent.
OF it may justly be borne by the city at
large through general taxation. The in
creased cost in such cases may perhaps be
regarded as a fine for the appropriateness of
the citizens in not having secured the
square before 1t became so expensive.
GARFIELD PARK.
Indianapolis already possesses in the
southern part of the city park of the
class which we have called local parks"
This park possesses admirable natural feat
ures in the way of pleasantly rolling land,
grove Of well-grown trees and a brook,
affording ample water supply for an orna-
mental pond The park is being improved
in a, perhaps, unnecessarily formal manner
but in general will well serve it's intended
purpose. Your board will undoubtedly need
TO provide two or three additional local
not be possible, for financial reasons, to Sc
cure them all at once, as would otherwise
be desirable; II so, the best policy would be
to secure those first which will form a
part or the continuous system of pleasure
grounds and parkways along a river rather
than TO take isolated pieces Of land. 1t will
be practicable in this case TO postpone the
expense or much OF the improvements
which would be necessary for isolated
parks, since they viii oe rendered accessi-
BILE and their scenery would be, for the
most part, enjoyable from the parkway
drives and walks. which may be provided
largely at the expense of adjoining property
owners.
AS TO large rural park, the same policy
would apply; that Is to say. the parkway
should be extended 10 the outskirts of the
city, where land is little built upon and
where the conditions are favorable for
secured from time to time as funds become
available and as the land owners are found
willing to sell at reasonable prices. Some
times IL has happened in other cities, where
the financial ability Of the city TO acquire
a large park has been well known 10 be re-
ErrfCfR6- owners