Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1905-06-17
REMODELING 4 TOWN
TAE PLAN OF PROFESSOR GEDDES
FOR ANCIENT DUNFERMLINE.

Unique Experiment That May BE
Made In This Country-A scheme
by Which Picturesque Antiquity Is
Preserved.
Although the major part of 1t is de
voted to showing how the ancient
Scotch burg of Dunfcrmlinc may be
oeautitied and rendered a center of cul
ture and progress by the aid of An
drew CGrncgi"'S generous donation to
his native town, Professor Patrick Gcd-
kes report ON city development, just
issued, possesses far more than local
interest, says the Washington Post, AS
Mr.. Carnegie explained in placing the
money at the disposal of the Duufcrm-
line trustees, his purpose was an eX-
perimental and general one. The
problem you have to solve" hc said,
lis. What can he done in towns for the
benefit Of the masses by money in the
hands of the most public spirited cit-
ZenS!' 1t is an undertaking which APP
pealS strongly to those patriotic stu
dents of American towns who are Striv-
ing to prevent the sacrifice of so much
that makes life worth living to com
mcrCialiSm \ builder, an antiquary,
garden maker and botaniSt, man
who has travelled far and observed
much both in the old world and in the
new and leader in the science of so
cial civicS, Professor Gcddes is we'll
qualified for the work.
The world,' he says, "is now prob
ably entering upon Il new era of civil
development, one i'll which progress IS
no longer described as in mere guam
tity of wealth and increase of popula-
tion, but is seen to depend on the quail
ity of these. The last generation has
had to carry out great works Of prime
necessity, as of water supply, Sanita-
tlon and the like. Elementary educa-
ton, too, has begun, so that to some,
even the pioneers of their day, our city
development may seem we'll nigh com
plete. But Il new phase of town de-
velopment has become urgent-that OF
insuring healthier conditions, of pro
viding happier and nObler ones"
He takes a bold stand against those
who urge that to bcautify an existing
town one must first destroy much of
1t. INSTEAD of that merely antiquarian
respect of the Scanty surYivalS of the
past which Is too often confined to the
particular century or period which hap
pens to seem romantic to us, would re
speCt and preserve examples of the hon.
est and characteristic work of each and
every period, whether from our present
point of view (also passing Onel it
seems to be beautiful or not, for even
If not available in its present form for
immediate use | have once and again
found buildings too hastily dCspaired
OF by others to be capable of cleansing
and repair or of alteration and inCor-
pOration with such new buildings as
may be required-in short, of renewed
usefulness and even beauty"
He attributes his success in various
works of Improvement which have
been carried out In Edinburgh under
his supervision in the last eighteen
years to the application of this princi-
pie.
"Old buildings" he writes, first ad-
mired in picturesque dilapidation by
the tourist or antiquary, then ruthlessly
condemned as out of date by the utili-
tartan or unwholesOme by the town
councillor, We're often found capable of
handling from point which harmo-
nlzed the partial truth of all these stand
points. Starting with the hyglenist, un-
cleanness has first to be got rid of, yet
this not unnecessarily by destruction.
Decaylng matter and smells, the germs
which produce these, are not in the
stones of the buildings. but are in the
organic dirt superficial to these
Cleanse and disinfect in this way, and
the old building may then be whole
somer than the average nineteenth cen