The Washington times., 1905-09-30
The Example of Cleveland.

ne Example or cleveland.
While architects, business men,
and few Congressman have been
working like beavers toward the
Capital Beautiful, a city which is
both unsupported by the National
Legislature and Independent of il
has been making practical progress
toward a civic adornment almost as
pretentious and quite as beautiful
Cleveland, Ohio, is the city, and the
scheme of grouped public buildings
to which it has subscribed is at once
encouraging and disheartening &c
Washington. 1t will pay us to look
into it little.
Cleveland, like Washington, had
grade crossings to abolish and a
union railway station to build. Like
Washington 1t faced a. need for many
public Offices. Like Washington. its
parks were disconnected and requir-
ed both extending and grouping.
Like Washington, the most advan-
tageous site for the location OF its
new buildings and creation of a new
park was section of the city which
reflected discredit upon the whole
community. Unlike Washington. il
lacked aid from Congress, interfer-
ence from Congress, and a good
original street, plan.
In that situation it went ahead
The best architects and engineers
were employed. Competitive plans
were obtained. An award was made.
Then, with the cooperation of the
State, the following expenditures
were undertaken:
Land for city hall.... seSs oAs
Land for county building.. 917- -17g
CONSTRUCTION of city hail..--. $500 900
Sonstructlon of county build
ings ---:-----...-..,... $500. 900
Sconstructlon or library buil,iing LOCO, 600
Cost of land for widening Wood
street ,,.-..;-.-..-...,..-:..-l 2,475.Ooo
Cost of land required for CON
troll, which may be resolG by
the city with restrictions in
deed 2.s75. 900
Iosl OF man and esplanade-.... $50, $50
1853 1O5
Going into the details of the
scheme represented in these items
would require too much space, but
there are several featuresiof it which
have special interest for Washing
ton. First, Wood strera is to be
made into a court of honor, the
ground adjoining it is to be bought
by the city and resold under such
restrictions as viii insure an appro
PIRATE border of dignified, harmon
1ous stores. Second, the whole city
is interested, and the whole city. be-
ing given the chance to express it's
interest, has voted to undertake the
expense. Third, no effort was made
to save money by usirtg builders
blueprints in lieu of architects
plans. Fourth. work was begun
without delay.
There is hope for washington in
all this. 1t may easily be that the
energetic lead Of this city, together
with the progress Of Boston, Buffalo.
st. Louis, San Francisc o, and Chi
cago, may persuade tae practical
politicians of Congress that what is
contemplated for the N.tionaI Capi-
tai is not exactly Revolutionary.
Above everything it may justify in
the minds OF these same members
the adoption Of q cent raj, careful.
artistic, and noble design.
But there IS discourag euent in #
also-in the thought that Cleveland.
relying upon its own re sources. can
work rapidly. while washington
must wait and wait; III at only the !
voters and taxpayers o.. Cleveland
had voice in determinin;t its adorn- |
ment, while the whole country has
voice in determining ther of Wash |
ington, save the taxpayer s Of Wash /
ington alone; and that II ds vast sum
OF sl4,000,o0o taken from, the people /
of Cleveland is theirs Z D spend on 1
their own city. not an, allowance /
made in a spirit of &C udescension
and exposed as a target to be shot
at by backwoods econ oInists and /
practical politicians.