New-York tribune., 1901-05-22
MORE STREET SIGN SUGGESTIONS.

We have already commended the general
attitude of the Municipal Art Society toward
the street sign question in urging the prompt
erection of signs as tasteful in design as is COM
patible with usefulness and reasonable economy,
and in offering its cooperation with the munici-
Ial authorities TO that end. Examination of the
full text of its utterance upon the subject
discloses much that is admirable in purport
together with some things which must be
regarded as open TO question.
The society recognizes the desirability of
keeping the streets as clear of posts and other
Instructions possible. and properly depores
the too great profusion of advertising signs.
But it also recognizes the necessity of having a
certain number of posts along the curb TO sup
port electric or other lamps, fire alarm boxes
and hydrants to which it might we'll have
added letter boxes; and 1t properly suggests that
these uses should be combined, so far as pos
sble, in single series of posts. And yet in an
inexplicable non seQutur, il urges the placing
Of the street signs not on corner posts but upon
the corners of buildings and upon temporary
posts wherever corner lots are vacant Ger
tainly If posts are needed for fire alarms, letter
boxes, etc, the best places for them are at
street corners. and being there they would be
in the best possible places for street signs.
There remains. moreover. the strongest doubt
whether signs on buildings would be legible mt
all times unless made of so great size as TO
violate the artistic principles to which this
excellent society is devoted.
Again, the society properly insists that for the
use of pedestrians the signs must be placed
parallel with the streets they indicate. That is
quite true. But what are we to say of the
additional statement that for streetcar passen-
gers there must be n special set Of signs. on
YNO1aS or flo ctr oV,.yIn Of A.
degrees TO the streets which they indicator We
are inclined 10 think that such signs would not
only be superfluous, but also would actually
serve to confuse the public We believe that
signs on corner lamppOsts. parallel with and at
right angles TO the streets would be far prefer
able for car passengers as we'll AS for pedes-
trans, especially If two other conditions We're
adopted. One is The Trbune's suggestion that
the names of both the intersecting streets he
placed upon each face OF the lantern. the parnl-
lei street above In large letters and the cross
street below in smaller letters and with point
ing index hand. The other is that streetcars be
provided with cross instead Of longitudinal
seats that all passengers will face forward
instead Of riding sidcwise. II is twisting around
to squint over the shoulder that makes signs
hard TO read from n car
The question Of uniformity Is disposed OF by
the society in the recommendation that the
signs shall be uniform. or nj least limited 10 Il
few designs warranted by the different charac-
tiers of different parts of the city Then, when
the character OF the street changes. must the
signs be changed? We are inclined to prefer
the plan of just one style for all parts of the
city Universal unlformity-that is the rule to
which there should he no exception.