Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1899-08-11
BUILDING UP A CITY.
ENTERPRISE SHOULD REST ON susl-
NESS PRINCIPLES.
Science and Engineering skill should
Ne Used 10 Develop Natural Advan-
tngeS-Health, Employment and Ed
ucntion First In Importance.

tnses-tiealth, employment and Ed
ucntion First In Importance.
In an address delivered before the
North Oakland (Cal) improvement
club on the science of modern town
building Mr.. A. A. Denison said in
part:
The creation Of cities was once
matter of chance depending upon nat
ural conditions. Like Topsy in Uncle
Toms Cabin" they "just growed up"
Now the making of a modern city
has become a science. Into II enter
sound business considerations, the cal
culations of engineers and of experts
ence
The development of cities originally
depended upon harbors, rivers or the
crossing of natural highways between
countries. These largely influenced
the location of old world cities.
In the United States and other later
settled countries railroads have been
an important factor, and great COM
mercial cities have generally grown up
where railroads converge at tide water
or If inland at point Of contact with
river or lake navigation. New York.
Boston. New Orleans, Chicago, st.
Louis. Omaha. Oakland and San Fran
cisco are examples of such commercial
cities.
Another important element is special
advantage for the development Of an
industry. For example, Pittsburg with
convenience of coal to iron deposits;
also Birmingham, Ala, where like con-
ditions exist. The advantage of cheap
water power was often considera-
tion in the location of New England
manufacturing towns, such as Fall Riv
er, famous for its mills, and latest Buff
falo, which has harnessed Niagara
Falls to supply electric power for its
manufactures. There is promise that
electrical force from the Blue lakes,
which ought to give great impetus
to its industrial development.
Other natural causes operating to To-
cate or to build up cities are valuable
mineral deposits. as the copper mines,
upon which Butte and Anaconda,
Mon, are maintained. The latest ex-
ample is Dawson City, the result of
gold discovery. Boom mining towns
were frequent in early California upon
rich strikes. and cities such as Oil City
and others have grown up where oil
wells had been developed. At Tesla,
In this county, where coal mine is be-
ing developed a town is being built.
Sometimes speculative enterprise is re-
sponsible for laying out of towns
which have no natural basis for their
existence. and they collapse.
Modern science and engineering skill
are now cooperating with the natural
advantages of favorable location to
make certain cities pre-eminent. The
building of railroads, the construction
of canals. the improvement of harbors,
the extension of wharfs and piers,
these are some of the factors in the
growth of cities which result from the
mere efforts to develop the CONNER
cial advantages of cities.
But there are other considerations
that induce people to seek homes in
cities. Beyond the stress and struggle
for wealth is the desire for satisfac-
tion-in a word, for happiness. 1t is
because cities afford more means Of
satisfaction that they attract popula-
tion, and as these things are created
city becomes q desirable place of resi-
dence.
What, then, are those things which
make a city attractive as place of
residence?
rst-Healthfulness. (a) Natural
climate. ETC.; (b) result Of proper sani
tary conditions. sewers, etc.; (c) dispo-
sition of garbage, pure and adequate
water supply.
Second.-Employment. (a) Means of
livelihood. natural mines. forests. etc.;
(b) development of industries. manu-
factures, etc.
Third.-Education (a) Intelligence
adds to individual enjoyment: (b) Sc
curity of property; (c) social inter-
course, td} wise administration OF gov
ernment.
You will note the order in which l
place these considerations, which I be-
lieve is their natural sequence.
First.-Hcalth.
Second. Unemployment.
Third. Education.
The above result is the we'll being of
the community.
Fourth.-Means Of recreatlon-parks,
boulevards. etc.
What, then, is municipal govern
ment? 1t is cooperation of the citi-
zens to secure certain benefits, services
and utilities which may be more ad-
vantageously obtained through united
than through individual effort.