The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1899-01-09
THE FUTURES IDEAL CITY.
A Realm Of Pure Delight, Unlike the
London or New York Of To-day

London or New YORK Oh lo-uay'
At Toynbee Hall lecture was dellv-
cred by Mr.. Frederic Harrison on the
subject of Ideal London" The chaii
was occupied by Canon Barnett
Mr.. Harrison said that he had been
asked to give a lecture on Ideal Lon
don" as a conclusion to the SERIES Of lee
lures on London, past and present
which had been delivered at Toynbee
| Hall during the season, and by IDEA
| ondon" he meant London as II might
be, as it should be, and as it shall be. T"
The true ideal was no idle dream, but
/ the justification of study and the mo-
] tive of all useful endeavcr. London
was his birthplace, and for nearly sixty
yealrs had been his home For two
generations he had watched its growth
and rebuilding land as member OF the
| county council he had experience OF tue
practical difficulties of making improve
ments. In suggesting the ideal London
he should try to Keep within the bounds
of practical craftsmanship, but he was
not bound by limits of time or by the
exisencies of existing prejudices and
legisla ton. An ideal London should
contain all that pertalned to pure and
perfect citizenship, Now modern civil
ization had failed to carry on some OF
the best elements Of city life as known
to the ancient and medieval worlds
London did not inspire in Englishmen
the feelings which Athens, Rome, Flor
ence and Venice excited in Their citi-
zens. 1t was now valued as market,
an exchange, an office, or playground,
though that had not always been the
case
But a city that covered one hundred
and awenty square miles of buildings
was not a city, but wilderness or
houses. and cityAlffe was impossible for
population Of four or five millions.
People must be within walking dis ance
OF the country, or the town became a
prison and not q city. Therefore ideal
London would not exceed two millions
of inhabitants--and it would be better
with only one million-and it would be
but third of its present size He was
no lover of the tenement or fiat system,
but 1t was absolutely necessary If a
great city were not to grow to unman-'
ageable bulk. London at present had
no ideal tenements and few satisfactory
ones; but when spacious, airy. clean and
bralies, baths play-rooms and rick
rooms, We're available the economy Of
such wise cooperation would leave
room for boulevards, parks, gardens
and Fairgrounds He repudiated the
idea that London would go on increas-
ing at its present rate, for he was sure
that the causes which had led to that
increase were only temporary. Tn ideal
London. the Thames would run as clear
as at Henley, and again it would be the
great highway of traffic. The bridges
would be doubled in number, and the
dsfguring railway bridges would have
to be suitably treated. Steam engines
would probably be prohibited within the
city, and the air would cease to be pol
lutcd by the poisonous fumes Ct millions
Of chimneys.
1t was really strange how long We had
allowed preventabe nuisances to choke
up. A pure and unlimited water supply
would be carried through great aque-
ducts, as in Rome from nexhaustble
takes and reservoirs. This would have
been done long ago for London but for
commercial self-interest, political in
trigue and administrative jealousy.
Water, no more than fresh air, would be
bought from money-making specula-
tors. 1t was a prime necessity of life,
and as such it was the duty of the state
to supply it, pure and in abundance.
Science and organization would annual
ly save many thousands of lives now
sacrificed by preventable diseases. Al
ready the death rate of London has been
reduced by one-half in the present CEN
tury, and there was no reason why it
should not be reduced very much fur
ther. With regard to the question of
burial grounds, he believes that London
would return to the ancient and hon
Orcd pro CtiCc Of cremation, This prac- !
tlce would obviate the danger of infec-
tion to the living and the difficulty of
visiting cemeteries, which could only be
reached by a long and fatiguing jour
ney. 1t was too much forgotten that
cremation was only the scientific pro-
cess of preparing the remains of the |
dead for disposal
The problem of the reorganization of |
London had taken a new phase since |
London had been broken up into so
many parliamentary boroughs. He did |
not advocate "tenlfcation,' but he
looked forward to the different districts
Of London while united under strong
central government, having each sep
arate civil life of it's own, available for
all citizens within a mile of the r homes
and within reach of their own influence. |