The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-03-29
HELP OUR CITY.
Hints For Its Improvement by
Charles NJ. LOring.
How Streets and Homes May Be
Made Beautiful.
THE EFFORT WILL PAY
What Parks and Trees Mean to
City and individuals.
THE EFFORT WILL PAY
Some Suggestions Upon Which
Topeka Should Act.

and the streets on which they live
gained many valuable ideas along this
line from the lecture given at the High
school auditorium last evening by
Charles M. Loring, of Minneapolis.
While the subject of Mr.. Loring's
talk was Parks" the stereopticon
views shown by him We're largely illus
trative of the laying out and beautify-
ing Of streets and yards. Many of the
views We're of houses and premises oc-
cupied by the employees of the National
Cash Register company, of Dayton,
Ohio, the concern which has put forth
every possible effort to better the sur
rounGings of its employees, and which
has made a corresponding gain finan-
cially by securing better work from its
employees.
Mr.. Loring was introduced by Ed
ward Wilder as the father of the Min
neapolis park system, one of the best,
if not sthe best, on the American con-
tinent, consisting now of 81 parks.
IF the people of Topeka will vote
bonds for parks, said Mr.. Wilder,
they need not be afraid that the park
commissioners will lose their heads.
The most of us have been through the
real estate boom and know enough to
keep ont of such things. If we begin
a system of parks now we will have
something that we can be proud of in
our city, and our children can enjoy
after US, but if we neglect our present
opportunities our children Will not only
not enjoy the parks that we ought to
make, but they will look back upon the
folly of their parents in not securing
park lands while they were available
Mr.. LOring preceded his stereopticon
views by a discussion of the park ques-
ton in general, relating instances that
had come under his own knowledge of
| the immediate financial good the estab-
lishment of parks had done by increaS-
ing the value of property.
when / was a boy" said Mr.. Lor-
ing, 4 heard this motto from old
sailor. Do all the good you can
went west to Chicago when 1t was com
paratively a small place, and a more
disagreeable place to live in no one
could imagine. After a time I went
back to my old home in Portland,
Maine, and the sight of the beautiful
trees put an idea into my head that
! could do good by planting trees in the
/ west and teaching others to do the
! same. So when settled in Minneapolis
1 set about improving my premises by
| setting out trees. Strangely enough, my
method OF doing good proved of great
! financial advantage to me. In a few
! years when my trees had become we'll
! started, a wealthy gentleman came to
! Minneapolis to buy property. My house
was not so much better than those sur
rounding it, but it was nicely set in the
trees which L had planted, and he
wanted me to set a price on my prop
erty. I did not especially care to sell,
and I put the price we'll up, not think
/ ing that it would be accepted; but the
| man did accept it, all because 1 had
trees around my house. 1 moved on to
new property, planted more trees, and
| had the same experience, and that is
| how 1 got my start in life
1T pays cities as well as individuals
| to plant trees. Trees are beautiful
do not see why they are not on business
streets as well as residence. When l
came up your principal avenue today 1
/ 4
street! But how much it could be i'm
| proved by row of shade trees Oh eth
er side!' If you had a row of trees
along this street it would afford a shade
for your store fronts and for people who
are shopping. L do not see why it is
considered necessary to deprive bust
ness streets of their shade.
In European countries there are
great many small parks scattered
through the cities. This is particularly
true of London. On The estate OF the
Duke of Bedford in London there are
MANY little places about 200 feet square.
ard around these squares are houses
The agent of The property told lne that
the People who rented these houses paid
S25 a ear extra for the privilege of be-
ing rear these little squares.
In driving over your city today see
you have made the same mistake that
most other cities have done-you have
planed your trees too close together.
do not believe trees should be closer
than 40 feet when they are developed.
Houses need light and sunshine as well
as shade and if trees are too thick they
smother the house.
7 notice that you have done great
deal to beautify your city, but nlus h
more remains for you to do. You need
a good system of parks, and it will pay
you to establish one. AS a financial in
vestment it win pay you to help your
park commission in every way possible.
You cannot lay out a little park even
without the property in that vicinity
doubling in value
Il was out at what you call Martins
Hill today, and I have not seen a more
ideal location for park in many a
day. And one beauty of it is that it has
already been laid out as a park. I IN
derstand that it can be procured now at
? a price less than the improvements on
it cost originally, and you will make a
great mistake if you do not secure 1t.
You may think it a long ways out, but
it is not. AS soon as people find out
what delightful place it is and it is
thrown open to them, it will not be long
until your electric line will be running
out there, and in a few years your city
limits will follow. That has been our
experience in Minneapolis"
Those who saw the views exhibited by
Mr.. Loring could not avoid. being i'm
pressed by the effect which a little care
and improvement of streets and preni-
ses will make. The views shown did not
/ illustrate expensive improvements hui
simply the attractive grouping of vines
and shrubs on premises, particularly
those of the employees of the National
! Cash Register company. With a little
work many a bare little cottage in Day
ton, Ohio, has been transformed into a
: neat and attractive home.
Mr.. LOring recommended the use OF
the white or silver leaf maple as the
I most effective shade tree for streets but
he said it required shielding from the
: hot sun while it is small otherwise il
win become diseased and will be easily
broken by the winds.
ct can highly recommend Beggs' Hail
1 Remover as a pleasing restorative appli
? | cation for the hair and a sure cure fol
a 7 f1e