New-York tribune., 1900-03-25
NEW-YORK TRANSFORMED.
PIE WANT 1T so. SAYS MRS.
BLASHFTELD.

Can New-York be made beautiful city? and
does any whether il is not?' were the
questions with which Mrs Edwin n. Blashhei
preluded her paper which she read yesterday morn
ing before the League for Political Education,
No % West Forty-fourth-st.
Before Mrs. Blashheld had concluded her read
ing she had proved that the city can be made beau
tifu and that plenty OF people it so but that
the public has become 'visually starved" IL has
ceased 10 look for artistic effects
Our business men," said Mrs Bashheld. have
no time 10 daily with art or nature; they have got
TO get somewhere as quickly possible. II they
go out for recreation they either perched be-
hind a pair CT roadsters upon whose ears they
steadily fix their eyes. or. mounted upon wheels,
they scorch How they enjoy beautiful
facade imposing statue?
THE cultivated minority the only complain
ants for lack OF municipal art. FOR boast
of no beauty-we are commonplace: and yet not big
and grimy like London Our architectural effects
are best described by ". D. Howels. the jagged
tooth skyline of New-York.' II is with town
with a costume-it is the ensemble that tells
What need sermons in stones'--pubic
buildings both dignihed and stately; monuments
and tablets historical houses.
We all want to know where Washington lodged
and Poe rhymed, and where Peter Stuyvesant
planted cabbages in his back garden We want
trees and why introduce window boxes like
those that transform London into a bower of
bloom the summer times''
Mrs Blashfeld described length the beauties
in their architecture and publit decorations.
In the old days" she said the artists and
artizans taught the pOpulace In lessons OF intel
lectual development. and the strongest appeal for
municipal art is that z municipal educator.
Our country is inarticulate, and make love
country is make country beautiful And
do II. for America has proved that she has
architects. and there is good time coming for
architecture
Mrs. Blashfeld asked from the floor 10 sug
gest remedies for the defects. In her
sponse she expressed the thought that women were
especially suited for this sphere OF work. those
who had ideas for beautifytng the home could con
tribute them 10 the city.
The way begin" sal the speaker, is TO
notice things and then talk about them We need
parks. which the lungs OF the poor.
There the beautiful Palisades, and have
done best spoil them! Nature has given
of her best and when YOU sail up the Sound
twilight and you the beautiful atmospheric
effects OF the purple mist which settles down be-
tween the tall buildings, It is almost Baby in
its beauty.
Long Acre Square is happily arranged for
park and fountain. and If trees Will not grow let
ration thar Will well repay for the outlay
fountain If il is the smallest sculptured slab
with basin and. OF course. the little basin below
for dogs / would have commissions take
things away, prevent certain monstrosties and
control jUNJapositions that the beautiful
spires OF q cathedral should nowhere be obscured
by skyscraper' or enormous hotel The ugly
does disappear till the beautiful comes
A certain artist asked recently how 10 make
New-York beautiful, and ne tersely replied. Blow
IL upf