Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1906-08-14

NOME, LOT tue Dehuly II UNITY ol NJ
the homes which have been built pre-.
vious serve as n model.
But thrice fortunate are the peopl,
who build a new city, for all the mis-,
takes, all the gratis which other cities
have experienced, can be east aside
and only the best and latest civic i'm.
provements adopted. Within the last
decade there is hardly a municipality
which is not alive to the fact that
there is such a thing as outdoor art,
and which is best expressed in the
parking of the streets, the planting of
shade trees, the grading of streets,
the placing of fountains, the location
of parks, the identifying of school
grounds, or waste spaces, by approved
landscape gardening.
The city is the home of the people,
IL belongs TO everyone. DO we not
purchase il by our laws, and should
we not have a right to ask for the
best We can afford, just as much AS
we do these things in our individual
homes? And so let us understand
that il costs no more to have things
beautiful and artistic than otherwise,
often not so much.
j believe the first thing in building
a city that there should be %organiza-
ton known as a COMMITTEE on street
decoration and civic improvement,
and such a committee should be COM
posed from the best and most substan-
tial members of a community, busi-
ness men, architects, artists, paint
ers, professional men, in fact every
one who is highly interested in the
best civic conditions. Such a com
mittee should always act in full har-
mony with city oficio's, and would
create and spread the sentiment for
a more beautiful Tulsa, by agitation,
then undertaking and accomplishing.
One will travel through many n
state and not find a city ms beautiful
ly located as Tulsa, with a natural
drainage unsurpassed, surrounded by
most picturesque hills, skirted on one
side by the Arkansas river, the sub
urbs rich in a forestry of trees, vines
and shrubs. Nature has indeed been
lavish with her gifts, and if we could
only work with nature in preserving
her gifts rather than destroying, it
won ldbe well. | know not by what
rule of grading our streets should be
dismantled of their beauty. SO much
so that some houses are perched IN
midair, while others are consigned to
the depths, only to, be resurrected by
money, patience and lacks. In
many a city far more billy than this
the grading is far less, preserving the
natural beauty of the land. Then the
destruction of the trees, trees which
have been half u century reaching
their present growth, are felled and
removed with no regard for the city
or for owners of adjacent property,
with no care for the inherent worth
o., The greater civic conditions which
REQUIRE trees for shade, for artistic
beauty, and for the shelter of Our
song birds; trees which in an eastern
city would be considered ms valuable
to n community as a gold nine, and
which are cared for by the municipal
it, so tenderly that life, beauty and
utility may be prolonged.
If we had q committee on civic I'M
'provement, no shade tree would be
removed, regardless of the wants OF
the people or rights of property OWN
ers. To my mind, Cheyenne avenue
was damaged more than five thou
sand dollars last year by the removal
of those grand old oaks which had
stood half n century or more. Then,
too. n civic committee, while preserv-
ing our natural trees, would act rs an
advisory board in the planting of
trees. Some years ago the people IN
q city in New York state were con
sidering what shade trees to plant.
There was much thought, argument
and discussion. Finally it was advised
to plant elm trees throughout the city.
Today the limbs arch over the streets,
making a feathery spray of foliage
as only elms can, and this city far
and neal is quoted for its beauty OF
shade trees. Another city near de
cided to plant Eastwood, or American
linden. | visited the city one time
when they were in blossom, and the
grandeur and fragrance of those shade
trees will never be forgotten,
| need not point out the fact that
any street would be far more beauti-
full if trees of one variety only were
planted. | think people would be
clad to do this, but they simply have
not thought of it. Suppose one person
plants maple, another elm or horse
chestnut, another box elder, or Usage
orange. another loeusts or catalypsus;
now each tree is valuable of itself,
bu, a street so planted can never be
artistic. or look as well as where one
kind of tree only is used, and only
certain trees should be allowed on a
street, if people would see II city