Evening journal., 1902-04-29
LETTERS FROM The PEOPLE
For a City Beautiful

10 the EuluOf OF the Evening journal.
Sir: An article which appeared re-
Gently in our daily papers outlining a
plan for beautifying THAT section of the
city north of Ninth street to the Bran
dywine, between Market and West
street, was entitled to more than The
passing attention which, apparently, it
received. Briefly reviewed the writer
advocates the widening of Tenth street
from Market to Tatnall, the conversion
into a public plaza of the block
bounded by Ninth, Tenth, Shipley and
Orange streets, and the construction of
an avenue as an entrace to Brandy
wine Park by the widening of Orange
street from Ninth to Twelfth, and the
location of a new road running dag
onally from Twelfth and Orange to
Fourteenth and West streets.
To many of our citizens the plan
has appeared visionary; it has appeal
ed to some as wise and feasible; to a
large-a very large-majOrity how
ever it has not appealed at all. That
is they have not read it, or certainly
have not digested It, giving it no con-
sideration whatever, and it is for this
vast majority that the few must think
and act in all matters pertaining to
the betterment of our civic conditions
The Importance of widening Tenth
street has been so long self-evident
that any arguments in its favor seem
uncalled for. Had this question been
settled years ago. as it should have
been. previous to the erection of Eden
Hall and the Equitable Building. the
more desirable project would appear
to have been the extension of Della
ware avenue in n straight line to Mar
ket street. and the acquisition by the
city of all the territory between said
extension and Tenth street, with a
view to Teserving the Market street
end as a site for a City Hall, and the
remaining portions retained as a small
park Under existing circumstances.
however, that is impracticable, but the
adoption of the suggested plan to
widen Tenth street, not merely to cor
respond with the present width OF
Delaware avenue, but to convert it into
broad avenue with parking in the
centre, will fulfill the desired condi-
tions equally as well, and should be
carried out before tine erection of some
new building interferes, and makes
the project too costly to the city.
The necessity for viewing all such
broad improvements from the sOrdid
standpoint of dollars and cents and its
effect ON the revenues of the mu-
lnicipality detracts, to a large extent
from the moral or ethical conditions
which the contemplation of the pres.
pective beautifying should inspire. For
tunately, economic consideration.
would not be antagonistic to Ia,
aesthetic in the present instance. al
every recorded precedent has establish
ed the facts beyond the realm of cavil
that improvements of this nature en-
lhance the value of adjoining proper
ties, and stimulate individual better
ments to such an extent that the in
creased revenues resultant therefron
more than repay the municipality 70
its original expenditure. Without go
ing into the question to the extent o
lquoting present and prospective as
sessment figures, it would seem thor
oughly safe and conservative to prOph
esy that within less than a decade. on
city would be decidedly benefited, Fl
nancially. by these suggested improve
ments, while the more impOrtan
though the less readily measured benC
fits derived from the inevitable uphfi
ing of the morale of the communit,
the impetus TO civic pride and its eI
feet as a medium for calling forth ia
I vorable comment would be incalculabl
! and in the same measure that it woul
stimulate our own people, so woul
it attract strangers.
;, Civic Committee.