The Wenatchee daily world. [volume] (Wenatchee, Wash.) 1905-1971, 1906-08-04

Retirement of towns is greatly adj
Neut associations which have been cs-
tablisheu III maLy towns and villages
I'll Tie l.ii,,dle Wet. Their purpose is to
so influence the People of a town that
they will insist upon good pavements.
clean streets, beautifully planted lawns,
care of back yards. the planting of
shade trees, flowers and parks, i'm
provement of streams, bridges, water
supply and, in fact, everything which
will make an ugly town beautiful or
tend to further improve fine town
thus adding to the comfort and happi'
ness of its people.
Louis FL. Gibson, an architect of
Indianapolis, who has not only an eye
for architectural beauty, but has made
a study of this movement and has
done good deal of work in connection
with it, makes the following practical
suggestions for identifying towns:
Civic improvement is utilitarian first
and artistic afterward. There is little
of art for arts sake in city building.
Dur first step after mere utility Is
cleanliness, then more utility and then
art.
Under our form of government we
cannot make city or town beautiful
by legislation. No one can issue an
edict and proclaim that we shall have
elevated tracks The will of all indi-
vidual or of legislative body cannot
rid us Of the smoke nuisance, even if it
be such a simple engineering problem.
The personality of mayor of city
or town counts for little without active
public support and sympathy. We can
not act within the rigid confines of the
law, but will. be forced to follow the
influence Of the most strongly express
ed public sentiment.
Active public interest in municipal
affairs means the expression of IA high
public conscience. A public sentiment
IN favor of a more beautiful city OF
town means more beautiful city or
town. Tbe moral assertiveness Of a
community must be back of all legisla-
ton in order to make it effective
luTOuSu ally cAcCutlNc.
Public interest born of public knowl-
edge of the healthful and normal be-
ginnings Is all that Is necessary for the
proper development of successful
park system. Inherently there is no
work less encouraging than that Of
department of public parks. Necessa-
rily their work is slow. it is never fin
ished. No park ever was finished. At
the same time it is absolutely depend
ent upon the encOura cement and sup
port which comes directly from the
people.
Many Of us have lost great oppor
tunity in the neglect of our yards and
particularly our back yards. in which
we might have beautiful gardens. Who
Is it that may not buy seeds: Who is it
that may not grow marigolds. nastur-
tiums, verbenaS, mignOnette, moor
flowers. bachelor buttons and many
others that it il delight to think of;
The cost Of these flowers counts fol-
nothing The price of theater tickets.
beefsteak or few street car rides and
one may have the joy Of flowers from
the seed or from slips for whole year
Who will estimate the material or
commercial value of civic art? Who
will estimate definitely the value which
comes to surrounding property from 4
well kept park? A property owner in
| vests a few dollars i'm trees to go in
front of his house and in his yard. Lay
ing aside the question of comfort and
beauty that has resulted from this ex-
penditure, who can estimate the mate
rial, the money value which he has
to say that no other legitimate invest
uent will produce the same return in
dollars and cents. to say nothing Of the
aesthetic value. Beautiful bridges. well
kept streets. general cleanliness. all
have material as well as artistic value
The alley fence must go. 1t is utter
~ without excuse. 1t is ugly, 1t serves
NO good purpose, and there is better
and cheaper substitute. l speak Of the
hedge-the hedge for rear division and
alley fences. At our home we have q
hedge fence three years old The rear
part. which is Usage, Is avoided by
boys, dogs and horses. Even the cats
60 around. 1t is infinitely more pro
tective than the old tight board fence
Too much cannot be said for the hedge
for ali back yard fences.
There Is no excuse for uglinesS. The
beautiful house the beautiful surround
ings, need cost no more than the ugly
ones. In no community with which
| am familiar Is the most expensive
house the most artistic. Beauty comes
out of the beautiful mind. the fine spir-
1t, and Is not definitely related to the
saocl othcok Nan Fly all of 11S fail tn