Los Angeles herald., 1909-08-19
BY GEORGE b. HARRISON

BY GEORGE II. HARRISON
IIT Os ANGELES, California, the
City Beautiful" is made the
A title of the printed report of
the municipal art commission. embody-
ing the suggestions for civic improve
ments made by Charles Mulford Rob
inson, and which is being delivered to
subscribers this week. Publication of
the report was made possible entirely
through private enterprise, Initiated
through the efforts OF the municipal
art commission, F. w. Blanchard, John
W. Mitchell, John Parkinson, Mrs. w.
j. Washburn and Mrs. Sumner p.
Hunt. Local business houses and in
dividuals contributed In a way that
made possible the printing of the re-
port.
No comment is made by the commits
sion in presenting the report to the
public, but the recommendations made
by Mr. Robinson are supplemented by
a statement on the county highways
system by f. w. Blanchard, showing
OH cement bridge construction by the
city, prepared by City Engineer Homer
Hamlin, and a review of the Owens
river aqueduct plan and progress by
City Clerk Harry J. Lelande. A scheme
of presentation worthy of the subject
matter is carried through in the print
ing of the report, and it is freely illus
IrateQ. 1t Will DE pldCGu Stlc dt
stores and shops tomorrow.
Expert Submits Plans
The report was made by Mr. Robin
son, who is an eminent landscape en-
gineer of Rochester N. Y, In Novem-
ber, 1907. The municipal art commits
sion succeeded after much effort in Sc
curing an appropriation of $1,000 from
the city. and persuaded Mr.. Robinson
to come to Los Angeles for that
amount. After an extended and ex-
ceedingly thorough examination of civ
ic possibilities he submitted city plan
comprehending suggestions which he
grouped as follows: First, scattered
general notes on what can be done
here and there to better the aspect of
the streets; second, three large i'm
movement schemes for the business
district, these involving considerable
street changes; third. a parkway and
boulevard system, with some park sug-
gestions."
II has been partly dormant, pending
the private movement to make 1t pub
lie through printing. 1t is Character
istic testimony to its Importance that
since the building of harbor has tax
en- a defniteness which changes the
gateway scheme of Los Angeles, ana
that the new hall of records slaps the
court house in the face as to its posi-
ton, to lift from Mr.. Robinson's report
a figure illustrating a complication al
ready existing in developing the ad-
sninistratiVe center. building is
planned on Fifth street which Will
make impossible the connection pro-
posed between the Union station ap-
nroach and the boulevard system start
ing from Central park.
City Has Much to Gain
SCI know of no city in the United
States which has so much to gain by
making itself civically attractive" says
Mr. Robinson. His plans to achieve
tbis nav he grouped under three heads:
First, betterment Immediately prac-
tical without great outlay by the city
or by property owners. In this may De
classified prohibition of gaudy, flashing
electric signs which cheaper the dls-
tinctive system of street lighting; sub
stitution of bronzinP for the viva green
new affecting the electric light stand
ards on the business streets and the
adoption of systematic cleaning of the
standards after the streets are cleaned ;
removed of the drays from the Plaza TO
some less historic stand; general
movement to abolish fences and TO en-
courage open parking; less rupolsh
and weeds and more WILLOWS a!qns tlle
river he'd: consideration of the I'M
nortance of the administrative center
and of an adequate Improvement
scheme for Agricultural park in addl-
zion 10 nlans already adopted; car
line to Elysian park; provision against
overimprovemcnt of Griffith park a
round noint at the crossing of Vermont
a1,anue and Wiltshire boulevard; ade-
o,ate Improvement on right lines OF
pasadena avenue and the Arroyo Seco'
To Be Done Eventually
second. are recommendations which
shoI,ld be carried out in the course Oh
events. and which are possible without
aIahorate outlay, but which should be
Iant in mind. Among these are acquir-
ING street functions such as the juno
+;o, Of Main and Spring streets, and
treating them more effectively for
heautifying the city, particularly with
fountains even as ambitious as the
Fontaine Moliere in Paris; broadening
Main street south of jefferson street;
attractive waiting stations at sunny
corners for street railway passengers;
wider markings on residence streets;
saving so far as it is now possible TO
do the ruination of the hills by ridicu-
lous street gridironing on the part OF
realtv speculators; adoption of union
station plan with a worthy approach;
reservation of historic section by es-
tablishing Fort Fill or Buena Vista
mark. acduirement of the normal school
pronerty: making Elysan park "the
one great peoples park of Los An
pyeIes:" extension of Occidental boule-
ward. -
Third, those recommendations de-
signed to build a city plan-to substi-
tnte cohesiveness and order arrayed
with a sense of Identification worthy
of resort city in place of the present
,i+uation "sprawing, rambling, dis
tainted" OF these there are the eXecu-
lion of the administrative center plan
SO far as interference leaves 1t pos
sible; lowering the grade of the
broadway tunnel; unshacklihg Of Ala
meda street with a recompensing right
of way to the Southern Pacific to and
along the river establishment of a
boulevard system; Improvement Of the
normal school site with public library
art gallery and amphitheater.
Another step toward the city beau
tifI1l" has been accomplished by the
municipal art commission in getting