Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-09-25
Features Of MI, Burnham's Plan.

San Francisco has location and a topog-
raphy that is exceedingly pleasing to an
artist. The city is bounded on one side by
an ocean and on the other by bay. and Is
broken up into hills and valleys, offering
fascinating field for the display of taste and
constructive genius. Mr.. Burnham's plan is
full of novel themes and ideas, as well as
features that have evidently been suggested
from studies of Rome. Naples and other
cities which sit among the hills. 1t Is not
to be carried out all at once. 1T will take
more years than we will live; 1t will take
more millions than we can grasp said Mr..
Burnham to the committee, but 1t Is to be a
permanent guide for all future public and
private improvements and If 1t Is accepted
by the municipality. as it probably will be,
the location of future municipal and county
buildings, schoolhouses, fountains, statues
the opening of new streets and parks, etc,
will be governed by it.
The chief features In the plan are:
l. The Civic Center. group of public
plaZaS, or open squares, of which the pres
ent city hall will be the center, surrounded
by all federal, county, state and municipal
public buildings to be erected in the future
From this hub wide avenues will radiate
to all parts of the city.
2 An outer boulevard or boundary, like
the tire of wheel of which the radiating
avenues are the spokes. 1t will follow the
coast line Of the peninsula occupied ySan
Ere ncisco and VIII be about thirty miles
long, connecting docks, ferries. parks and
railway stations with the Presidio-the gov
erllment military reservation and fortifica-
tons Several vacant areas along the way
will be purchased for parks and play
grounds.
g. This outer boulevard will terminate by
a connection with an inner boulevard which
will encircle the hills in the new part of
the city; the hills to be terraced and por-
tIcns of them utilized for parks and planted
with trees, shrubbery and flowers. San
Francisco has more hills than Rome and
only two or three of them are built over
"a haI of a tiof1- have
considered of little value and as obstacles
to the progress of the city. Mr.. Burnham's
plan utilizes them as the chief features of
adornment, reserving about one-half of the
surface for parks and driveways, and as
signing the other half for fine villas and
residences.
8 1t is proposed to make the ferry houses
Ornamental and extend them without Inter-
ference with the coast driveway. The dock
system is to be concentrated into two divi-
sicns, one for foreign and one for the coast
trade, and the railway connections are to
be arranged SO that they shall not interfere
with the beauty of the city. There is to
be harbor for yachts and other pleasure
boats, enclosed by piers, that may be oc-
cupied by pavilions, restaurants and other
resorts, and two enormous fresh-air piers
are to be extended into the bay.
Sites will be reserved and plans fur
niShed for arches, monuments statues
ferlng temptation for public spirited cit
liens to erect memorials in their own
horror
z. An open-afr amphitheater for conven-
tions concerts and exhibitions which in
this climate may be used three hundred
days of the year.
g. An auditorium seating 1900 people. for
conventions exhibitions, fairs, public balls,
etc. to be centrally located and entirely
fiji eproof.
g. A grand opera house of monumental
proportions. with college of music con-
nected with 1t and office building of a
Gin cuff rtn Alan
investment.
10. A museum of art and natural his
tory.
Location of the Building.
1t is proposed to place all these buildings
at the civic center except the open amphi-
theater, which will be in one of the outside
parks. &C Is expected that they will he