New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-10-04

The Architectural League Of America VIII
bo1s us annual convention IN St Louis on
October . and 6. The main address before the
convention will be delivered BY its president
Frederick Styrletz Lamb, g prominent artist O.
New-Yorlz. the former secretary Of the New
York Municipal Art Society.
M. Lamb will speak on the Dresden MI
-licipal Exhibition. which was opened early
this spring and has been running during the
summer months. He has Just returned from
Germany. where he made a careful study OF
the exhibition and European municipal affairs
IN general.
America has many things TO learn from Ger
many in the matter Of municipal affairs said
Mr.. Lamb in q recent interview with a Tribune
reporter
The exhibits which perhaps more than any
other appealed 10 Americans were those relating
TO expansion Of cities. transportation, street
paving and corporate care OF art The German
city is handicapped IN many ways unknown 10
the American town Relics Of medi9valisIn
like moats and walls; ancient pretudices and
customs make the growth OF German city
peculiarly difficult problem to handle, and yet
in the face Of these difficulties, Germany has
solved many Of her municipal problems in a
most satisfactory way.
In the matter Of transportation. the United
States is far behind German methods. Govern
uent control Of railroads there makes It pos
sibe 10 obviate the evils Of paraIeling elevated
trolley and underground lines. Terminals and
stations also are made works OF art. instead OF
the Unsightly encumbrances inflicted on the
American city by private management
The plan generally pursued In the larger cities
Is thIt OF radiating roads from a common centre
REORGANIZATION is secured by circular. or
belt lines, connecting stations on the main lines
They are ordinarily trolley lines and differ little
from American systems except IN their general
att-activeness Of street fixtures, etc.
a study Of paving IN German cities gives one
an excellent opportunity not only for compaTi-
son. but q noting the most recent Innovations.
As YET no one material seems 20 have demon
strated marked superiority. The Belgian block.
either Of granite, sandstone, basalt or other
stone, as locality may make most economical, is
stil a favorite and extensively used, although
the wooden block has many advocates. Cement
paving, combination blocks OF Stag and COM
posite blocks are also in use The secret OF
success IL every instance however. seems to de-
pend upon the foundations rather than upon the
material used on the surface The most sue
cessful streets all have q concrete foundation
Of most permanent character. and It is therefore
ir1rnaterial whether wood, brick or asphalt is
used as the final layer. One advantage, how
ever. in the use Of the composite block is the
possibility Of varying the color. which IN large
SQUARES and open plazas is a distinct gain II
is interesting to note that this use Of different
colors in pavements is traceable to Roman infiu-
e,oa and that to-day the same tones are used
az r-e-e employed by the Romans thousands OF
years ago.
But # IS in the corporate care OF art that
America needs 70 study German methods. In
every turn IN the empire there is evidenced
wonderful pride in public art. Their pubic
buildings. parks ana railroad stations. even are
---5a n stand for something artistic as well as
useful"
But is this not to be expected IN a country as
I'D a Germany" he was asked There the
problems Of a newer country, where the ci'lS'
are growing. are no longer troublesome
That IS where &c need enlightenment again
he responded The cities in Germany N ul0
las- twenty, years have experienced growth as
1T se a,.-,rhf-g YOU can point to in America
E7,~-re--,7ora there they have had great many
,r,s-s-rae - confront IN the way Of old estao-
,fsbas customs and relics Of medisavalisT1l as
for instance. the old city walls, etc ne 'iea'
mont Of these latter makes an interesting s'uoy'
.,o-a Of the surprising things 10 an American
who studies the cities OF country Ike Ger
many is the fact that he hnds our lnuii'0ioN'
r-ohle-7s are also theirs We are lnCIAeu -
- e GERMANY as OLD and therefore settled
e
-, -lar they are still engaged with the prop
80 incident 10 Their rapid growth i Is there
60 eo-,evgllat surprising 10 learn that clUes Ia
Cz.-,oanv are growing with q rapidly equai 10
% American cities, and it becomes interest
- - md, how they Of the older country cope
~, che rroblens that we have been iholiheu u
mink we're peculiarly ours
..ro Americans. possibly. the most interes'lAe
- ,-,s-~-,ctive exhibits IN the recent III eSUe'i
~-....,rs1 exhibition was that Of city plans
- -soa,t developments and Improvements
= a.. s-raneenent Of city parks streets elO-
,--.-,-..el-, there were few compaIa
-,,,z,nr cities as they existed at an Garner
-. ,bou- 1870 as they exist to-day anu a
80 IRE projected for the future Ihey sHo"
~. +p.ee German cities have been CROWNS lo'
~ ,i+b a raDidity equal 10 our own 49,
br- ,lat too. in the face OF many ~
no. e,te,tr- i'm our country. Whlie We 0o'i
,Isiv Of The difficulties confronting Us We -
70, realize those confronting the oldeT ci'ie9'
win t4ir medieval inheritances ana the Pl15u-
dices Of esteb lished customs Great pi"lSe -
therefore due them for what mas OeeI aTOO'
plshed.
An plans for expansion e1hipiled a' 'H7
Dresden exhibition showed most clearly that
none Of the city governments were prepared LOT
the recent enormous and inexpucaoie CROWN
AL plans existing in 1870 were far inadequate
70 the demands OF recent times Many GIes al