The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-09-29
SAYS NICE THINGS
Charles Mulford Robinson, an Ex-
pert on Municipal Beauties,
Compliments Minneapolis.
Minnehaha Boulevard Fills Him
With Delight-He Is the Guest
of Mr.. Loring.

Among the prominent workers for civic
Improvement who spent last week in
the twin cities, perhaps the most author
itative writer on civic improvement and
identifying is Charles Milford Robinson,
author Of 1.-The Improvement Of Towns
and Cities Mr.. and Mrs. Robinson are
the guests of Mr.. and Mrs. c. M. Loring
and under the guidance of their host are
giving the city careful general survey.
To-day Mr.. Robinson praised the beau
ties of the city in. strong terms. me
possibilities Of the new river drive he pro-
nounced superb and the Minnehaha boule-
ward filed him with delight, suggesting
strongly the Fenway, which Is Boston s
pride. Mr. Robinson expressed the keen
est interest in securing from destruction
the fine trees along the north side of the
boulevard whose destruction is possible SO
long as the land remains in private hands.
Portland Avenues Lesson. H..
A civic feature that meets with Mr.
Robinson's especial approval is the excel
lent work done by the Portland Avenue I'm
provernent association in caring for the
street lawns and the sprinkllng Of that
thoroughfare It's beautiful condition ne
REGARDED as an important and enectlve
object lesson Many things he saw and
learned were he said unusual in so new a
CITY. Among these were the park board
careful tree planting along the streets
the artistic planting of shrubbery in nat
ural ARRANGEMENT in Lor1ng park, on
Minnehaha boulevard and elsewhere the
breaking up of the rectangular plan OF
street plating and the effective planting
of the small plats 1.-THE angles Of streets.
CITY lighting by gas Mr.. Robinson thought
much more pleasing than electric nght-
ing.
The general prevalence OF all kinds OF
poles for wiring Mr.. Robinson regarded as
very Objectionable and in advertisements
on poles he had never seen a city so mucn
defaced. The number of unnecessary
and disfiguring fences in Elliott park was
criticised
Recently there have been several COM
missions appointed to make expert reports
on city identifying and to draw up plans
for alterations. Mr.. Robinson was the
first to undertake this work individually.
He was secured this year by the newly
formed Society for Beautifying Buffalo to
make a general report and suggestions
Among the points covered in his report
we're plans for identifying the space In
front of the new union station and for
making kind of model section Of a por-
ton Of Main street. In the requirements
for the latter plan were the barring Of all
advertising except gilt lettering on the
| windows. Requests for other reports OF q
similar nature are coming to Mr.. Robin
son with growing frequency.
+. Civic Art Abroad.
Literary work couples a large part OF
Mr.. Robinson's time and among his recent
productions is a series Of articles or
''Civic Art in England, Belgium and
France" running in Harpers'. Mr.. Robin.
son was sent abroad respectfully for this
work with an artist commissioned to make
| the illustrations. He is also at work on 9
| new book, Modern Civic Art" which will
he fully and handsomely illustrated.
! Two strong points Of Mr.. Robinson!
writings are their common sense prac
! tical character, and their fine literary style
| a combination as attractive as 1t is rare
The librarians of the state of New Yorl
selected it as one of so books chosen from
the five thousand published the year o.
its issue, for the use Of village library
and 1t has been similarly recommended by
other library commissions and book com
mittees. ."