The daily palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1904-1905, 1904-02-29

any building or improvements are
made along it, taking into considera-
ton all probabilities of the future as
to requirements, changes and effects
likely to be made on the property.
These are very serious questions, but
one thing we all agree on, that
grade should be established once for
all time if possible. People get so
weary of seeing the engineer tramp
ing up and down the street, with
his bazarine on his back, giving
this day our daily grade
An ideal plan for street will
be something like this, nice, walk
say six feet wide, lawn plat six to
ten feet wide with grass base and
flower beds In artistic designs be-
tween the trees; cement curb and
gutter and good metal road to meet
the requirements of the traffic. Poles
Of every kind should be avoided as
far as possible, and where not avoid
able the number should be reduced
to minimum. They should be paint
ed as near the color Of the foliage as
possible and kept in good repair.
I have this to say for Richmond
and I am sure the Tourist Club will
corroborate me, that in a trip of
over 5000 miles through Cuba, Mexi
co and part of the United States, /
saw no better city than Richmond.
While many had advantages we have
not they had environments too that
we would not appreciate. All that
they have that is desirable in sense
that it is possible with the people to
provide, we can have, and many
things we have that nature has pro-
vided, they can not have, but we en-
JOY. While their climate is an ideal
one, ours is not so bad, but our peo-
pie and their ways are nearer the
ideal. In order to appreciate our
city we must visit others, for by com
parison only can we be justly meas
ured 1t does not make a just people
vain to tell them of their good pos
sessions, but encourages them to fur
ther endeavor to have more and bet
ter things and surroundings, and /
am one who believes in telling them
these truths. SO I say to our people
nature has provided amply for your
needs and pleasures, take advantage
of this most desirable environment;
strive to make Richmond larger and
more beautiful. Your advantages for
a manufacturing city have increased
ten fold the last three years, and as
for a residence city our advantages
aren OF surpassed by any The two
districts are remote, therefore both
can enjoy its advantages without en-
croaching upon the others rights.
This advantage is rarely met with.
It would be well to consider the ques-
tion of a more permanent roadway
for some of our most travelled
streets.
Beauty in bridge design presents
a knotty problem. When the length
height and carrying capacity are
taxed to any extent the stresses lie
along such hard, cold, straight lines,
that it is very difficult to add beauty
without increasing materially the
dead load, and thereby the cost In
most bridges beauty means addi-
tional dead weight; additional dead
weight means more metal, more metal
calls for the almighty dollar we
Americans love so dearly; the god
upon whose altars beauty is often
offered as sacrifice Now what is
the Civic Improvement League going
10 do first, | am asked. Let me say,
they are going to map out their work.
They are going to have surveys and
plats made of all parks and proposed
parks. They are going to assist in
building a pavilion in the Glen, and
do it right away. This will cost
10000, yes, perhaps $4,000. It
will be work of art and beauty as
well as utility. 1t will be built by
August 1, and will be an advertising
medium for Richmond to an extent
OF twice its original cost. as all good |
are. Pericles in a sin
gle generation made Athens the won
der of the world by simply turning
the funds collected for war into art
and beauty. OF course we have no
war fund TO draw upon for we are
Quakers and do not believe in waste
and destruction and consequently we
have bank accounts, and when the
people of Richmond want thing /