The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1903-05-28
CIVIC BEAUTY PAYS
1T is THE ATTRACTIVE TOWN THAT
GROWS RAPIDLY.

The Value OF Spacious and Well I'M
proved Public PSrI1s-They Beau
tify the Town and Enhance Real
Estate Values.
In seeking a change of residence or
to locate a business the capitalist and
moneyed home seeker will choose the
attractive town every time, and the
ragged, unsightly, parkless town will
be passed by. The man who wants to
sell his place cleans it up and puts it
in the best possible condition. The ho-
tel that secures the best custom, the
store that sells the most goods and at
the best profit are those that are neat,
clean, handsome, attractive. Just so
with a town The town that most at
tracts and interests visitors and invest
ors is not the one that does the most
business, but the one that presents a
fine, modern appearance, that has well
paved streets, neat and clean side
walks good business blocks, attractive
driveways, and not least, If last, spa
cious and we'll improved parks.
Probably not one of the towns and
cities that did not take kindly to the
creation of public parks when the agl-
tation was at it's height, but finally &C
cepted the idea, would, if it We're pos
sible, part with it's parks for twice
their total cost It has been found in
some Of the towns that the parks have
earned money for the taxpayers, and
from a financial point of view are good
investments, writes Nj. O. Stone in the
Review of Reviews.
Attractive parks now occupy large
areas that for years were distractions
to the extension and material prosper
ity OF many towns and cities, and as
these Iunsightly and waste places were
gradually improved and beautifed the
value Of land in those neighborhoods
soon began to rise. officials represent
ing parks in fifty towns and cities state
that real estate near their park terri
tory has increased in valuation greatly
beyond the average increase in other
parts of their cities.
Ten years ago the board Of park
commissioners of Boston reported that
the increase in the value Of lands near
the Back Bay system had been over
300 per cent. During the same time
the value Of lands in the rest of the
city had increased in value but 10 per
cent Land values have also risen
enormously near Central and other
New York parks, and everywhere,
though perhaps not to such an extent
as in Boston and New York, apprecia-
ton in the value of real estate near
parks has steadily increased and must
continue to do so sas parks are devel-
Oped and grow more beautiful Many
park systems are but partially inn
proved, and some years may be neces-
sary to show their value In this direc-
tiCn. The Improvement and beaurify
ms of any section of town or city by
the erection Of handsome buildings, es-
pecially when surrounded by beautiful
grounds, Immediately cause surround
ing property to become more valuable.
and attractive public parks in a still
greater degree have the same effect.
The phenomenal growth of our towns
and cities during the last ten years
should arouse us to the necessity of Sc
curing land for park purposes before
the most desirable tracts are taken for
residential and manufacturing pur-
poses. There is little reason to fear
that rapidly growing towns and cities
will obtain more park lands than will
be required, and the danger of delay
in buying is illustrated in many cities
which find, when they are forced to
consider the question of providing pub
lie parks, that the cost of procuring
suitable land has increased enormous
ly. In some cases the most desirable
tracts that could have been bought at
reasonable figures a few years ago
cannot now be secured at prices that
will permit of their acquisition for
park purposes.
There are in many towns and cities
large open spaces which should be TAX
en- at once for park purposes and for
great Fairgrounds.