Evening star., 1901-09-14
PARIS GARDENS.
Tax ON Open Spaces May Mar Beauty
Of the French Capital.

Tax ON Open Spaces May Mar Reauty
Of the French Capital.
Paris Corr. of the London PAN Nah Magazine.
This city of gardens is suffering by rea-
son of the aptness of the description. A
new tax of one-half per cent on all pri-
vately owned open spaces was recently
decreed in order to cover deficit of some
100000 francs more caused by the sup
preston of the octroi dues on wine and
beer.
The incidence of this new impost is, it is
true regulated on a liberal scale, but none
the less it places such heavy burden upon
the gardens of Paris that the tendency
to build will be further fostered. In the
case of private mansions with adjoining
grounds. the tax will be remitted on an
area equal to the ground covered by the
buildings. and hospitals and colleges will
be allowed double that proportion Never
theless, being calculated on the market
value of the ground, the tax falls with
great severity upon the owners of private
parks and gardens in the rlore central por-
tions of the city. where they do most
good and afford the greatest relief to the
eve. Any one who has sailed over Paris
In balloon must necessarily have been
struck by the wonderful frequency of these
oases of verdure.
Land in and about the Champs Elysees
ranges in value from 1900 francs to 100
francs per square meter, which gives a val
hectare. Only one garden in that quarter
exceeds this size-namely, the, one behind
the Elysee. It's market value is 20,OO0,0O
francs. Had President Loubet to pay the
new tax 1t would mean at least so 600 francs
per annum out OF his pocket. The neigh
boring grounds of the British embassy,
with which all who have attended his ex-
cellencys garden parties are familiar. come
next in size and value. Diplomatic immu-
nifty preserves them, however, from the
tax collector.
The largest garden in Paris is owned
by the Convent of the Assumption. young
ladies' boarding school at Auteuil. 1t has
an area of ten hectares. The beautiful park
and chateau Of La Muette, bought by
Nine. Ezard of piano fame in 1S4S for
SOO.OOO francs, and now the property OF
the Comte de Franqueville. is valued at
3O.OOO.O00 francs. and will have to contrib
magnificent grounds of the Sagan man
sion, in the Rue Saint Dominique have
been somewhat reduced by the encroach-
ments of the builder Baron and Baronne
Salomon de Rothschild's garden. forming
the corner of the Rue Balzac is famous
for containing the tiny pavilion in which
the author of ''The Comedie Humaine'
did some of his work. OF the Duke of
Brunswicks vast Partisan domain but lit
tie Is left. A splendid expanse of verdure
that remains intact is that adjoining the
Heine-Furtado mansion, now the property
of Prince and Princess Murat To give
list of the other famous gardens of Paris
would require too much space. But any
1ufther decrease in their extent or number
would be an irreparable loss to this smil-
ing city.
One important result of the new tax win
be to still further hamper converts and
monastic orders, who hold enormous prop
erty In Paris. mostly in the shape of gar
dens. Needless to say, political cani1ai is
being made of this fact in the campatgu
over the religious orders bill.