The Detroit times., 1909-01-25
CITY BOOSTED AND.
KNOCKED IN
MAGAZINE
J. HORACE MCFARLAND, IN OUT
LOOK, TELLS OF DETRoiT's
eLoRlEs AND SHORTCOMINGS,
BUT PRAISE PREDoMINATEs.

]. Horace Mcfarland, president of
the American civic association. is the
author OF an article on Detroit, In the
February number OF the Outlook,
which Is interesting as written from
a viewpoint considerably different from
that OF the usual tourist or writer or
travel. 1t is one OF a series OF such
comparative inquiries into the merits
and dement's OF the larger American
cities. and Detroit comes out we'll in
the critica! Test
The motto OF the Board OF Com
merce, "In Detroit life is worth lly-
ing. has been chosen as a title and
the writer although discovering many
shortcomings common to American
cities, and other cases In which The
city of Cadillac mas not fulfilled its
promise Of possibilities, decides thar
the title is well-chosen as covering the
life OF residents of this city.
He finds that the people OF mod
crate means In Detroit are better
housed. live mere comfortably and on
better paved and shaded streets than
the majority of people in other cities.
and that river and parks give greatel
than usual chance for recreation at
small expense. TO find the cheaper
labor In such average comfort as IN
Detroit is a surprise he says.
Mr.. Mcfarland rather deplores the
lack Of foresight which caused the
earlier Detroiters 10 fail to carry out
the original street plan and the lat
or generations 10 scatter public build
ines. Instead of grouping them In
harmonious and stately beauty. Belle
Isle comes in for praise OF its oppor-
tuni,ies for popular pleasure, although
the unsightly nature OF its approach
from landward is criticized.
The Grand boulevard is also COM
mented upon as having no equal In
America In its plan, although poorly
kept in places now. More parks be-
tween Jeffersor-Gve. and the river are
suggested.
"'To see how the people enjoy the
varied delights and the ever changing
views here. is To begin having con-
! ception of value to humanity In pub
lic areas such as cannot be expressed
| I'm terms or dollars he says or Belle
| Isle.
Detroit does not come up to the mod
ern requirement of an acre Of rark
, area for every hundred of population,
he asserts, the proportion being one
acre 10 every 500 people, and he sug-
Gests that smaller parks would be
blessing to the city. He advocates
that Detroit adopt "A city plan sucn
as that OF Washington, and that the
spaces abou the Campus Martins, Cad
illac-sq. and the Grand Circus park he
, Auiltup in manner commensurate
with their natural advantages 10 the
city.
Tie great manufacturing industries.
esDecially the automobile and chemical
manufacturing industries. are sketches.
and the favorable mention mention is
made that In this city at least, manu-
lecturers appreciate the value OF beau
tful buildings Poisoning of the ar
Of the city with coal smoke Is feplorei
and this + one black mark upon the
city's effectiveness.
Among the semi-public institutions
OF the city. the new Y. NJ. c. A. build
ing. with its great technical training
schools, and the McGregor mission
come In for especial praise. The Mus
cum OF Art IS also described as hav-
ing great beneficial influence.
In conclusion, Mr.. Mcfarland SAYS:
Not yet settled into shape. with NUM-
cipal needs quite obvious, this city is
yet one Of inspiring achievement and
OF tremendous hopefulness. With
such men-a glory indeed To any city
and with fayoring present and pros
pectively better conditions | think
there is justification for the claim that
In Detroit life Is worth living.
Busincss-IIke Printing. No fuss and
no feathers. The plain, neat Kind. that
/ looks right Times Printing Co. Is