Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-10-12
ZH'Cp0ZLOGE M1CAz 80.
ssss MEd0 arr 81
OF CITIES
BEAUTY PLANS OF BOSTON, ST.
PAUL AND ST. LOUIS.
rom tns Architectural Record,

From tire Architectural Record.
Three OF the most handsomely pub
lished and elaborate reports on city beau
| tif1cation that have yet been printed APP
peared almost simultaneously In the
month of February, from three far-sepa-
rated cities. The cities were ST. Paul.
whence came the report Of the capitol
approaches commission st. Louis whence
| came the reports of the several commit
! tees appointed by the executive board of
the Civic League to draft a city plan"
! and Boston, from which was issued with
I the financial cooperation of seven other
organizations, the report Of the commit
tee on municipal improvements of the
Boston Society of Architects.
Though in a general way the reports
deal with single subject locally applied.
| It IL we'll to note their distinctions. Their
geographical distribution-from the ex-
treme east, the great northwest and the
great southwest-is significant The dis
tinct source that was the origin OF each
may also be observed. In Boston the re-
port was made by a society of profess
sional men. conscious Of the civic respon-
sibility imposed by their special knowl-
edge and cultivated ideals. In st. Paul
1t came from a commission owing its ex
istence and drawing it's inspiration, as
well as its expectation of popular sup
port, from the enthusiasm aroused by
the beauty Of the new capitol. In St.
Louis it was prepared by civic improve
ment enthusiasts, there banded into
large and influential society that Is ably
conducted. The manner of presenting
the reports was of not less Interesting
variation. ST. Paul presented the matter
as an official report to the city council
| from regularly appointed commission;
| st. Louis presented it with a hurrah, at
a big city-plan dinner where the hand
! <Jt-N.
venir: Boston issued 1t at the joint ex-
pense, significantly. of these organic atoms:
| The Society OF Architects. the chamber
| of commerce, the real estate exchange,
| the Metropolitan Improvement League.
the stock exchange. the Merchants AS
ISOLATION. the board Of fire underwriters
and the Master Builders Association.
Suggestions Not Endorsed.
But in the eastern city the report bore
on the title page the statement:
THE suggestions offered herein are not
Endorsed. approved or urged by the Bos-
ton Society of Architects. or by any of
the other organizations who have Joined
in the expense of publishing this pamph-
let 1t is printed as an interesting study
OF subjects of public concern and in the
hope that it may lead TO fuller investiga-
ton by competent authorities into the
subject of the municipal development of
Boston
The difference that charaeterizes the re-
ports as a whole suggest, in a general
way. the complete independence of each
other with which they were prepared;
their individualiSy-which Is a quality
that reports on city identifying must al
ways have, to be worth anything locally
and that each is sui generis. and there
| fore fitted to it's environment. These are
| important considerations that emphasize
! rather than detract from the underlying
striking fact of the general unity of SUBJ
ject of these three reports. simultaneously
| issued from widely separated cities--each
a magnificent ambition, felt with
strength and confidence that did not hest
tate at costly presentation.