The Washington times., 1906-01-28

nliment. for I'm combining the two
schemes we not only have the beauty
and symmetry Of the French city, but
We at the same time have the great
commercial advantages OF the model
city of the ancienfs. Babylon, from
which Philadelphia was planned.
BY examining the plans of the many
cities OF Europe and those Of the earlier
ages. L'Enfant secured the versa tiliJy
and artistic design OF the former. as
well as the practical and homogeneous
design of the latter. Here we find the
Ut litarians' and the artists schemes
combined.
Another critic once declared that
Washington had too many streets. and
hat they merely cut the city into a
crazy quilt design. Such criticism has
Io weight when the era for expansion
in every DIRECTION is unlimitad- In Il
case such as that OF Washington. the
greater number of streets the better
There are certain cities. however, in
which. by virtue Of rivers and other ply
sical surroundings, the loss of area in
numerous streets would be a serious
fault.
A General Development.
Thus far the line OF greatest COM
mercial development has been in North
west Washington. but the Washington
Of the future will extend in all di-
rections. Already the truth of this
statement is being borne out by the
various building enterprises in the
Southeast. Southwest, and Northeast.
The residents and merchants in these
sections are just awakening 10 the
fact that they are integral and i'm
portant parts OF the Capital City.
For a number OF years these sections
were looked upon askance by the more
prosperous merchants and residents of
the Northwest Today the business men
of the three less thickly seUtled sections
are coming forward and making them
selves known through the advertising
columns OF the newspapers. They have
awakened from the lethargy that has
seemed 10 master them for nearly CEN
tury. Southeast Washington now boasts
several department stores, bakeries, bot
Ting factories, and other important in
dustries, while the erection OF the Bal
timore and Ohio terminals IN Northeast
Washington have infused new life
there. 1t is a coming residential sec
tion, which will mean. of course. the
growth of large supply houses in that
section. Southwest Washington, with
it's water frontage and shipping inter-
ests will forge ahead as the general
prosperity of the city increases.
The City Beautiful Cult.
Several years ago there sprang up in
AmeTiea. what became known as the
City Beautiful Cult" The idea was
taken up by various magazines through
out the country and became the topic
OF discussion in not a few city councils
all over the United States. The cult
eventually became much more than a
fad. Today there are several large mu-
inequalities spending hundreds of thou
sands annually in the development Of
the Citv Beautiful idea, and those who
have given- thought TO the matter are
q unit in the opinion that the money is
well spent.
The two salient features of the City
Beautiful creed are the improvement
and general extension of the public
Tarks system that has been so seriously
Neglected in the majority OF the Amer
can cities and the erection Of artistic
pubic buildings in accordance with
well regulated scheme of engineering
and architecture, and not after haphaz-
erd manner that has usually been pur-
sued in such cases, erecting temples of
Justice and municipal buildings wherever
3 site might be secured at the lowest
figure
The first feature is the one on which
most stress is laid, and very rightly so.
for in the rapid development that is
caaracterizing every section of the
country it behooves the citizens 20 set
aside certain public squares and parks
while they can obtain the land at nomi-
nal prices. rathersthan wait n few years.
when perhaps great office buildings