Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1905-09-19
IMPROVING AMERICAN CITIES
RAILROAD DOING MUCH TO HELP
IN THE WOF%.

where Features of Plans of Munich
pal Improvements-MiIIions Spent
on the Project.
TIE present movement for munich
pal Improvement in American cities
has one feature for which the cap
tains of industry are TO be thanked
as much as the reformers and archi-
tects. Great terminal railroad sta
tons that are worthy gateways to
their cities are in course of construc.
ton or projected in all parts of the
country. OF late years the railroads
have shown themselves willing 10 CO
operate with the municipalities by
making the terminals an integral part
of the plans to extend and connect
parks and the grouping OF public and
semi-public buildings.
Cleveland is the city where the
most immediate results along these
lines are looked for, but in Washing
ton, Chicago and Buffalo great ter
mirals S-e beng built or projected
in accordance with a general city plan
of improvement.
Frank Miles Day, chairman of the
committee on municipal improve
ments of the American Institute of
Architects, read a paper before the
City Club recently in which he de-
scribed the progress Of ten cities.
The New York Central and Pennsyl-
vania Railroads are giving this city
two splendid terminals and are sac
rificing much valuable land for plazas
in front of the stations.
"If the railroads are willing to do
this much for the city," said Mr.. Day,
why shouldn't the city do some
thing? There are several blocks near
the Grand Central Station which the
city could acquire at reasonable
cost Not only would the approach
to the station be far more effective,
but the circulation of traffic would
be greatly simplifed."
Mr.. Day does not believe that great
blocks of buildings should be con-
demned to make way for parkways
and plazas merely for aesthetic rea-
sons. If the increase in property
values fails to resdlt from Improve
ments. then the Improvements are
not justified.
Cleveland, the city where the quick
est results are expected, has selected
for improvement a part of the city
which, though near its center, has
no buildings of great value. the land
itself being less costly than that
which surrounds it. The scheme con-
sists of a central mall leading up
from Lake Erie into the city. At the
head of the mall the postoffice is
now being built Balancing it ap-
pears the proposed public library
while at either side, near the foot of
The mall, are shortly to be built the
city hall and county building.
Cleveland has long been notorious
for it's bad stations, but the union
station. which will terminate the mall
at the lake end, will be ample in size
and treatment for the needs of rap
idly growing city of 100000 inhabi-
tants. Access will be had to it from
the higher level of the city through
small park, the trains being at
lower level
Still further lakeward is proposed
landing place for passenger steam
ers. The promoters of the scheme be-
Iieve that the entranceway to the city
will hardly be surpassed for dignity
and beauty anywhere in tie world.
In Washington the big terminal Is
now partly constructed at the point
indicated by the commission of ex-
perts. In some other respects the
carrying out of the commissions
plan is not likely to progress as rap
idly as the Cleveland plan.
The terminal will be union sta
tion about half mile from the Capt.
toll In front of the terminal will be
plaza, 1OOOx5O0 feet, for military
manoeuvres and public celebrations.
The plaza is to be entirely made
ground. In some places earth will be
filed into depth of thirty-five feet.
The station itself is vast building
with imposing entrances. Great park
ways will lead from It to Capitol
Hill
Mr.. Day believes that Washington
may in time be a city of 100000 in
habitants and that the plans for it
are none too comprehensive.
Buffalo, the second largest railroad
centre of the country, has the worst
terminals of any large city. The
streets, however, were laid out on
an excellent plan and lend themselves
well to the improvements, in which a
new station is, of course. an import
ant feature.
Delaware avenue, Genesee street
and other important thoroughfares
converge at Niagara Square. The
square is the apex in triangular plot
of land, the base being the lake front,
selected for improvement
The station will be close to the
lake, and between the station and
Niagara Square park is to be laid
out. Already options have been Sc
cured on 30 per cent Of the property,
and the railroads are willing to go
ahead with their share of the work.
The station will not be terminal,
but a way station through which the
trains can run in either direction
without backing, as they must do in
the present terminals. This feature
of the plan has had great effect in in
fiuencing the railroads in it's favor.
The plans for the new terminal in
Chicago, already city of many and
great railroad stations, propose an ex-
penditure of something like S25, 900,-
0O0.-New York Sun.
Statutes With Dynamite.
Sir Harry Rawson, the popular ad-
.,,;,.o1 voc uplpOTned aS governor Of