Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-09-25
Civic Beauty.

The future development of Washington is
| entertainnglyd discussed by Glenn Brown,
secretary of the American Institute of
Architects, in the current number Of Apple
| tons Magazine. He thinks that whatever
has to do with the national capitai should
Immediately fix the attention of the country
at large. but that the enthusiasm produced
throughout the country by the park COM
missions report on the future of Washing
ton has shown in new way the interest of
the people in their capital and their desire
that it shall be the most beautiful city in
the world.
Mr.. Brown reviews the history and the
report of the park commission and says
that fully S25,OoO.OO0 worth of work is now
In progress in Washington in accordance
with the designs of that commission. In
his comment on the commission Mr.. Brown
says this of Washington:
THE topography of the city and it's sur
roundings was quickly appreciated by the
commission the wealth and magnificent
possibilities of Its future development were
unfoided. The city; encircied by two beau
tiful rivers. nestled in an amphitheater of
hills: nothing could be more inviting to an
artistic mind. The commission was
prised to find how broadly and thoroughly
Washington and L 'Enfant had grasped the
subject, and after careful study thought it
best to adopt the broad principles of the
original plan. At the same time ample prob
lens remained for original solution
In this article on Washington is brought
out the facts that in the early colonial Pc
riod there was appreciation of and demand
for beauty in the plans of cities, that there
then followed a long period OF Indifference
to civic beauty. and that in very recent
years city dwel!ers have again begun to Gull
tivate the taste of handsome surroundings.
Civic beauty was live idea with the early
American cooniais. Annapolis was planned
on lines suggested by Sir Christopher
Wrens design for the rebuilding of Lon
don after the fire of 1885 Williamsburg
was laid out with central street 200 feet
wide, with the Capitol at one end. William
and Mary College at the other and the
governors palace and public square in the
center of the city. New Orleans
planned with an eye to beauty by Bienville
and Buffalo was given the scheme Of
radial streets by LEnfant. The desire of
George Washington and Thomas Jefferson
ard other s, eat Americans of their time
that Washing ION city should be the beauty
city of the whole world is well understood.
Cities In the United States that are now
agitating for or putting into execution
beauty schemes are Cleveland. Buffalo. New
York Philadelphia, st. Louis. New ORGANS,
Hartford. New Haven, Seattle, San Fran
CISCO Los Angeles, St. Paul, Baltimore,
Denver. Chicago and Cincinnati.
Paris has spent $3.50 900 600 on the Hauss-
mann plans, and now has d project calling
for the expenditure of 1926. 00o,000 for civic
Identification. London is almost making IT.
self over in Strengthening and widening old
streets. cutting through new ones and ex-
| tending parks. Rome. Berlin and Vienna.
johannesburg in Africa and several cities
in Australia are spending money freely that
they may be beautiful.