The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1907-06-17
Trees on the Avenue.

Editor The Washington Herald:
It has occurred 20 me that more might
be said in our newspapers than has been
said in the way OF sustaining the Com
missioners in their decision with refer
ence TO allowing trees 20 remain on Penn
sylvaria avenue. OF course everybody
knows that, according TO ordinary Ameri-
can opinion, trees are an obstruction 10 a
business thorCUghfare But why need
they be? The business boulevards Of
Paris are ali lined with them. So too
are all the newly constructed and. there
fore. sufficiently wide. business streets OF
London. The same IS true throughout
Germany. Moreover few. if any. of these
streets are as wide as our Avenue, and on
none of them if without trees, would ono
be exposed TO fercer rays Of sunshine. At
first thought it certainly does seem as if
those who are opposing the use of trees
were putting their own personal prefer
ences and interests above the comfort
and health Of the thousands who, through
the long Washington summer, are obliged
10 tramp up and down that avenue.
Let us take up some Of their reasons
for Directing to the trees. The most i'm
portant one, probably, though il is not al
ways put forward as such. is the desire
OF some % use the space under the side
walks for vaults. To this there are two
answers. First the sidewalk IS very
wide. and q reasonable man should be
satisfied with apUropriating half its width.
Second, the street is very wide and moth
ing that traffic needs would be lost were
six or ten feet outside the present curb
stones devoted TO grass and trees. The
other main objection to having trees on
the Avenue IS that they would hide the
signs. The answers 20 this are that. first,
the trees would not hide these in winter.
when il is most important 90 have them
seen, second, trees properly planted and
cared for would make the sidewalk popu-
lar I'm summer. and. by bringing Gus
toners 20 the doors Of stores, do more TO
sell goods than any number of signs at
tracing from q distance Who that has
been I'm Europe does not recall the crowds
perpetuallv walking, sitting, eating, and
drinking under the trees on the sidewalks
Of the great bOulevaTds? Again. the trees
themselves could be so selected and trim
med that. while broad enough 10 afford
ample shade. they would not be high
enough 20 interfere with q view Of a
building above its second story, whether
seen from the middle Of the street or
from across Il. Many second-stOry win
d0ws I'm Europe have an absolutely I'M
Obstructed horizontal outlook though the
sidewalks below are covered with the
densest sort Of shade
fear that. with reference to this mat
ter as with reference TO the higgledy-
p.ggledy, upstart style Of our architecture
and the continued pelting and choking Of
the beauties CT Rock Creek with tin cans
and other debris many OF cur citizens
have not yet risen to the possibilities OF
Washington. These lie, even CONNER
cialiv considered in one direction only
in that which tends to make OURS a model
city. Oh. for another Shepherd 10 lead
to-day, our present unwilling sheep 10
pasture,
Even as things are, think how many
visitors and new residents come here
every year. Yet no stranger Of any
taste, unless an invalid unable to turn
his head, can even now take IN the most
ordinary view-say like that from Ia
f8yette SQuare-without a distinct es-
thetic shock. Behind him are structures
veneercd on one side with stone, but Wis
ibie on all sides as piles Of cheap brick,
the most conspicuous feature Of which,
lifted on high and houored as If a dome.
IS what seems 10 be an apOtheosis OF the
most ordinary kind OF an clubhouse
Pennsylvania avenue. too. is probably
the most ugly important street in the
world. A few Of its repellant features
are hidden in summer by trees. The
proposition TO remove these strikes one
exactly as might nm advertisement to the
effect that the living skeleton Of some
museum was about TO exhibit himself
without that which hitherto had clothed
O part, at least. Of his deformity.
GEORGE LANSING RAYMOND.
1919 street northwest Washington. D. C.