New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1902-09-14
BEAUTIFYING A CITY.
WHAT THE MUNICIPAL. ART SOCIETY
HAS BEEN ABLE TO DO FOR
CINCINNATI

CINCINNATI
Cincinnati. Sept 1o-The recent movements
Tor municipal betternent in America have gen
erally started in the we'll established cities of
the Eastern States, for while the Western cities
Were engrossed in efforts for material gain there
not much opportunity to beautify the sur
roUrdings or interiors Of public buildings. The
opportunity to apply aesthetic principles TO the
newer cities while they were building received
stimulus years ago, but the smoke OF
busy factories seemed to smother the enthusi-
am even as it had enveloped the art treasures
II mselyes. The setback of the smoke nuisance,
l. viewer, has proved only a temporary check
where the supporter of ideals has continued
steadfast with his agitation in spite of dis
heartening obstacles.
There is hardly an enterprising city in the
Middle West where expects to find less of
the application of beauty to civic growth than in
Cincinnati The contour of her native hills has
lost much OF its grace through the grading of
The city lots the atmosphere that once revealed
the Kentucky valleys to the south is obscured
by smoke, and even the river winding its way
to the Mississippi, which the French pioneers
greatly admired, is defiled by the waste from
the city. In few other cities is the sun so
otscured by the floating SCOT which coats the
breathing organs with black film Cleveland
casonaIly drive away the smoke, but Cincinnati
rarely finds relief.
1t is surprising, therefore, to find here the
home of organizations which have succe eded
so much better than others west of NewYork
in their efforts to beautify the structures
and to suppress the ugly features that existed
In fact, no other such organization, devoted
simply to art, has had Letter record of
achievement in the West than the Municipal
Art Society Of Cincinnati.
Arrayed against discouraging conditions eie-
ments are actively at work seeking to cleanse
and beautify the city of Cincinnati. Through
the enterprise of the Chamber Of Commerce the
Municipal Art society was started, whose work
was inspired by the influence of the New-York
organization Every Saturday, also, members
of optmist club lunch together while thew
discuss questions that deal with the improve
ment of their surroundings Both these Or
CARNATIONS have taken positive action at times
but each is continually conducting healthy
ROTATION that has its educational value. The
}rt museum, parks, appropriate chitecture
Glshguring signs obtrusiVe billboards and the
suppression or tie smoke nusance-these are
subjects that occupy the attention of both or
CARNATIONS Their members have been fort
innate in securing. first, the confidence and next
the cooperation, of city officials, until their
pleSliSe mas peen eSta bShed so that their
judgment is accepted to-day as the standard on
art subjects. One of the discouraging features
o. an art society is often its failure to win the
approval of city administrations
The Municipal Art Society of Cincinnati
which from the first has required that the
Mayor be one of the trustees has co firmly,
established Itself that most matters dealing
with municipal art now referred to il Tts
members consider themselves simply workers
who offer their services when needed and de-
mand that questions of decoration be referred
to specialists. The society was organized in tho
spring or 1884, following an address before the
chamber or Commerce by a member of the
Municipal Art Society OF New-Yorh s,ity The
constitution states that its object is ito pro
vide appropriate scuptural pictorial or other
decorations Tor the public buildings and parks
In the city of Cincinnati and otherwise tn en-
courage high artistic Standards" AS one pro-
vision forbids debt or other obligation exceeding
the assets OF the society IT was some time be-
fore the ganization felt financially able to
undertake measures for public Improvement
One OF the first Cincinnati men to recognize
the purposes Of the organization was Lars An
derson. who had been attracted by the orna-