The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1904-05-12
CITY COURT OF HONOR
Plans For Grouping of Public
Buildings In Cleveland.
HARMONIOUS DESIGN OF BEAUTY

Federal Structures, City Hall, Rail-
road Station and Other Buildings
Will Be Included In the Vista.
Cost OF the Whole Project Estimat-
ed at $2O,OOO,OOO.
Cleveland, o., will soon have it's pub
lie buildings grouped in manner
unique in the history of American mu-
inequalities, says a dispatch from that
city. All the federal, county and city
buildings, with the union depot, are
to be grouped about one court Of
honor, or mall, so arranged as to make
the whole plan a harmonious scheme
Of beauty.
Cleveland has grown so rapidly In
the last twenty years that practically
all the pubic buildings became in
adequate to the city's needs at about
the same time. This suggested the
idea Of getting the necessary new
buildings in one locality. The legis-
lature authorized the governor to ap-
point commission to investigate the
feasibility of the plan. The commits
sion consisted of three noted architects
Of the country, including men who had
designed buildings at the worlds fair
in Chicago and also at the Buffalo eX-
position.
The commission found local condi-
tons peculiarly suited to it's purpose.
In the heart of the business section
about three blocks from the lake is a
public square, The land between this
square and the lake, while valuable,
contained old buildings. SO it would
be comparatively easy matter for the
city to buy or obtain by condemna-
necessary.
In a general way the plan contem-
plates a court of honor extending from
the heart Of the city to the lake, with
monumental buildings symmetrically
balancing each other at either end and
the connecting mall given over to an
elaborate system Of parkings.
Upon reaching Cleveland the traveller
will alight at the union depot and by
stairways ascending from the tracks
below will reach the level Of the
street. Stepping out Of the vestibule
Of the city, the first impression will be
a striking one. Directly In front Of
the union depot will be an open square.
A fountain, standing in the middle
Of the square and costing about $780,
900, is striking feature of this, the
lower, end Of the mall. To its right
and left on an axis parallel with the
lake and extending couple of blocks
in each direction will be two parks.
A large part of the one to the right
will be given over to the county build
ing, balanced on the left by the city
hall, magnificent structures similar in
size and architecture.
To the north of these buildings, run
ming aast and west from the Union
depot and skirting the brow of the
hill above the lake, will be an espla-
made lined by triple row Of evergreen
trees. These trees will serve the double
purpose Of forming beautiful terrace
and screening the railroad tracks and
the smoke of the trains from the
parks.
front, will form an axis for the court
Of honor, which from the Union depot
will run south for several blocks to the
heart Of the city. Looking up the
mall from the fountain will be a beau
t1ful vista. On either side next the
buildings which line it will be a road
way for heavy traffic, while inside
these will be carriage drives, lined by
double rows of formal clipped trees,
planted equidistant from each other
and extending the length of the mall
Inside the carriage drives and between
the trees on each side will be side
walks. The land between, studded here
and there with large individual trees.
will form a park where children can
play and their elders rest in the shade
The middle Of this park, running from
one end Of the mall to the other, will
be depressed, thus forming a sunken
garden where statues, flower beds,
fountains and other accessories will be
introduced in such way as to give it
pleasing effect.
At the southern end the mall ends in
an open square, with fountain in the
center The public library and the
postoffice, standing on the east ana
west corners of this square, balancing
each other, will complete the picture,
AS the beauty of a design Of this
kind rests largely in uniformity OF
style, the architecture of the buildin---
of the group will be Of the same style
To prevent the possibility of any IN
slightly building being erected aloD
the parts of the mall not now needle
for public use the city has acquire
control of adjacent lands, and is thu.
in a position to dictate tue style CT ~
structures built thereon. Eventuai-
| 1t is the intention to use part of ID,
land for an art gallery ana en- aud
rum, two buildings which have Iar
| been needed in Cleveland.
The cost of the buildings, MALI foul
! tains and other accessories is ess
mated at about $20,0UO.000. q figuF