The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1903-05-08
MANKAro FREE PRESS.
needed for beautifying the city.

Ano io0 approved plan ioI streeC LII
provement is narrow driveways and wide
boulevards. This has been found to be
cheaper for the property owners, causing
less dust and heat, and less expense to
keep clean. The old idea was that resi-
dence section consisted of houses along
road. The modern theory is that of
houses in park The wide, well kept
boulevards gives parklike effect that is
the chief beauty of city of this size.
The trees on boulevard should not be
too near together, forty feet now being
the most approved distance by park
boards of cities Elm and aples are
generally planted, and sometimes quick
er growing trees are planted between with
the idea of cutting them out later. All
unnecessary trees should be eliminated.
Foliage in connection with buildings
softens the outlines Residents do not
do enough with vines and shrubbery
about their homes
The waste ground about city should
be improved. Mankato was laid out with
a number of squares that the city owned.
but it let these 90, which was most
shameful thing The people here owe it
to themselves to punish themselves by
buying back these squares, to be lmprov-
ed for park purposes. The improvement
i league of Saltwater made pretty park
out of an old hay market there. If the
Germans of Mankato get interested they
will prove one of the strongest elements
in identifying the city, as they are
naturally inclined that way.
Where there is room to do otherwise
trees should not be planted in straight
rows, but more as nature would place
them. On one of the Mankato school
grounds the trees are planted in three
straight rows, which is contrary to the
best ideas now Curved outlines should
be secured where there is room.
Paving is matter for experts, but as
! the people have to pay the bills they
should investigate the subject. In Europe
wooden block pavement is Used, treat
ed by patent process which makes them
practically indestructable for long
period of years. They cause TO dust, are
noiseless, are better for horses feet ano
are cheaper Six blocks were put dowr
a year ago at Portland, Oregon. Man
kato has made good beginning, but viii
have to do more paving in short time
and should inquire into the matter.
Mrs. Hamlin took up the questions
of garbage collection, anticipating ordi
nance, the smoke nuisance, play grounds
for children, etc. She urged that thu
city procure title to the river bank anc
other places that can be improved in thu
future. The important thing now is t.
get the land \ safe swimming plac,
should be provided for the children, neat
and carefully controlled by a competen
man. Manual training was also favored
in order to preserve arts that were for
merly taught in the home. 1t gives al
opportunity for the normal activity o
the child. The school grounds should b.
improved, leaving plenty of play ground
but with an aesthetic feature.
Mrs. Hamlin said that it would pa,
the city to hire an expert to lay on
a general plan of improvement, to b.
worked toward, so that the most can b
had from municipal expenditures in tn
way of buildings, parks systems, etc
Beauty in a city is a commercial asset
for it attracts people who are lookin:
for homes.