The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1901-09-04

Louis of Plans for Public Parks.
The prOpL-ed exhibition at St Louis OF
outdoor structures and city plans. sUg-
gcsted at the recent convention Of the
National League for Civic Improvement
al Buffalo. was the tangible outgrowth Of
concerted movement in many OF the
large cities Of this country. inaugUrated
By body of faT-sighJed men who have
the intellectual and aesthetic advance
ment Of American cities at heart
An active agent in this campaign has
been the Architectural League CT Ameri-
ca, in which organization there exists a
committee on municipal improvements
which stands ready TO offer suggestions
to any city OF individual having in mind
some new city feature
The report Of this committee will short
y be published in the leagues yearbook
The report was complied BY the chairman
Of the leagues committee. H X Bush
Brown. of New York a sculptor Of wide
reputation, two Of whose equestrian
statutes stand on tire Gettysburg battle
field Mr. Bush-Brown Is at work just
now on a design for a monument to Com
mOdOre Stewart and Commodore Balm
bridge. to be erected either In Trenton or
in Newark, y. J. Mr.. Bush-BrOwn's pa
per opens with a reference to the large
possibilities OF municipal Improvement in
the arrangement and grouping Of public
buildings. and the development Of parks
and waste places. OF the park system OF
BostOn-the best in this countryside re
port says in substance:
"a board was appointed which has ex-
pended over 100000 in creating and
maintaining 2.55f acres Of parks. Fifty
per cent Of this expense was borne by the
city of Boston. and the remainder was
apportiOned among thirJy-six surrounding
cities and towns according TO the
benefit derived by each A practical sys-
TEN Of cooperation was instituted and
endorsed by legislation, and this coop
Grafton has been further successfully car
ried out in Boston and its suburbs in an
arrangement Of sewerage and a system Of
water supply.
"A very similar but somewhat more dit
fcuIt plan has been accomplished by the
saving Of the Palisades along the Hudson.
for that required cooperative legislation
IN New York and New Jersey The many
difficulties were overcome. and although
most Of the land is in New Jersey. By far
the greater proportion OF cost has been
borne by New York. because that city IS
the greatest Beneficiary
The report announces that another large
municipal enterprise will be an improved
water supply for New York city.
BIr. Bush-Brown thinks that the work
accomplished at Washington by the Con
vention Of the American Institute Of
Architects, held there last year, Is worthy
OF notice Several men who had given
some attention 10 the subject or munich
pal improvement were asked TO address
the convention on the needs OF the city OF
Washington IN the matter OF grouping
public buildings and monuments The
speakers were &. Howard Walker. of BOS-
ton; Edgar Y. Seeler, Of Philadelphia
Frederic Law Olmsted, IT, OF Boston,
and r. r. Bush Brown. OF New IOrk.
Many valuable Suggestions were made
and a committee appointed 10 draft bill
creating commission 10 devise plan
for general artistic system Of parks and
parkings IN Washington. The bill was
passed and the commissioners were ap-
pointed They are +. II. Durham, OF
Chicago; Charles McKim. OF New York,
are expected 20 report 20 Congress next
winter.
dr. Bush-BrOwn claims that many Of
the improvements which are making
Cleveland model place were suggested
at the first convention Of the Achitectur-
al League Of America held there in 1893
The work OF Chicago in establishing a
park system is reviewed in the report,
and some Of tina. city's difficulties touch
ed upon. Mr. Bush-Brown quotes the 1901
report Of Chicago's special park commits
siDn as follows
Your special park commission recOg-
nizes the fact that a small park and play
ground system which would satisfy the
needs or the whole city cannot be eStaD-
lIshed from the city's resources now avail
able. Fifteen Of these parks. each con-
tanning one or two blocks IN area, are alb
SOlIteiy necessary TO relieve present con-
ditiOus. BY the time they are established
more will be needed in regions which are
growing rapidly IN population Your COM
misSiOners believe that the day Is not FAR
distant when city and country viii be
under one government. Until the way is
paved for such union by constitutional
amendment we believe that the terrific
rldl jurisdiction or the park boards should
be- extended TO take in those parts of the
city which now enjoy the benefit Of the
park system without contributing 20 its
maintenance, and such other territory as
may be deemed desirable by the park
boards and approved by a vote Of the
people Interested. Chicago problem IS
that Of every growing American city.
Air. Rush-Brown's committee endorses
the accomplished work and purposes Of
the Paramount Park Association. OF Phil
adelphia, and II upholds vigorously the
boulevard project recently resurrected by
the Philadelphia Art Federation
The report then sensibly sums up the
question Of municipal Improvement after
this fashion The good looks OF a city
have practical Importance which can be
measured IN dollars and cents.
Does the expenditure for making a city
beautiful pay2 II made Athens the cen
ire Of the worIu in the age Of Pericies
and his Immediate SUCCESSORS Again, the
Romans pillaged the then known world
TO have their city the centre OF inteliectu-
al thought Constantine drew about him
the great intclleCts of his age to accom-
plish the same for Constantinople The
impOverishmeat Of Spain began when she
drove the artistic and scientific MOOrS
from the peninsula
During the Renaissance the free
cities OF italy Wed with each 9th r in
having their civic homes the most beauti-
full.
THE treasures of Italy bring to her an
nuauy an income OF $50 OOO. coo left there
by foreigners attracted almost solely for
the purpose OF studying those art treas
ures. At 4 per cent that is the interest
on capital of S. Do. 900 900. To what eN-
tent would the expenditure Of such a sum
go 70 pay the cost Of the ca-hedrals and
other art treasures OF Italy.
Nature created the art treasures OF
Switzerland and her little p,tuulation of
100000 have spent their energies on good
roads. which make their mountains the
summer homes Of 23n000o. who leave
there annually 0.O0O. COO Napoleon in his
short years OF success accumulated at
Paris all the art treasures he could get
possession Of, and although some Of them
were returned in the peace settlements
that followed Waterloo. enough remain IN
Paris 20 make that city the art centre Of
all civilization
Contributing to this issue was the re-
construction Of the city plans by Baron
Haussman. which makes modern Paris
the most beautiful city In the world
Much Of that street opening was made TO
pay for itself the Government acquiring
the land through which the avenues were
built and reSelling at advanced prices.