West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1909-10-07
TOWN MAKING ADVICE
How Foreign Cities Promote
Safety and Convenience.
AVOID PARALLEL STREETS.

The "Wheel Spoke" System Of Laylna
Out Thorouahfares, However, ls Not
Being Adopted--How tho German
City Of Stuttgart Ia Laid Out.
City building I'm accordance with
practical principles Is being reduced TO
science In Germany. Today scores
OF cities In tho empire arc studying.
planning and adjusting old TO new con.
ditlons, with tho result that ugliness is
being replaced by beauty and the
health, convenience and safety OF the
people very much enhanced.
ono iden is TO got away from parallel
lines. No street from end to end, if
it Is OF any considerable length, is of
tho Bamo width throughout Then two
streets, though close together, may not
exactly parallel each other. They twist
md turn where the "meandering" will
be tho most effective from every point
OF Wow. with short cuts whero they
aro needed for traffic or other pur-
poses and pleasing vistas where the
grouping of tho buildings already erect
cd and the others contemplated has
been planned for.
None OF the cities now being beautI-
fed inclines TO the "wheel spoke" sys-
tenn. such as IL seen In Versailles.
Washington and Detroit. Very seldom
does tho con1guration OF the land lend
itself 10 this idea, even IL what is al
ready I'm existence I'm the way of Inn
provements could be utilized. It is
tho plan not TO ruthlessly tear down
old landmarks. but rather TO build
around them or up TO them and to
make the most OF hem. 1t is n com
blnntlon OF utility, beauty and plctur-
esqueness, with systematic rules ig-
nored and nm eye always kept on
traffic requirements, local preJudices.
trade, healthful habitations and atmos-
pheric conditions.
Stuttgart, the capital OF Wurttemberg.
IS an example OF this methodical and
scientific German planning. Tho city
Is located I'm n narrow valley, and tho
hills on either side are covered with
vineyards. First n resident architect
spent five years I'm closely studying the
available area, tho character of the
buildings already erected, the direction
tho probable expansion OF the city
would naturally take and the necessi-
ties OF the residents. Then the plan
was subjected to all sorts of criticism.
There was n detailed explanation by
the architect; the mayor, himself a
scientist, reviewed IL; criticisms were
made from the social economic view
point; learned men in hyglenics studied
1t, and others trained In their several
professions reviewed It. Adopted after
n searching examination, rejuyenated
Stuttgart viii be a city where the very
best results will be attained for It's
particular environment.
What has been going on I'm Stuttgart
has been progressing I'm many other
German cities. not TO quite so elabo-
rate an extent perhaps, but sufficiently
| so 10 relieve coDgested ccnters, extir-
patio slum districts and to create
healthful conditions where heretofore
| lurled disease and death.
| In Germany, as elsewhere, extraordi-
| nary expansions OF urban municipali-
ties have led 60 land speculation, and
many who were only in moderate cir
| cumstances have become rich. Syl-
vester Baxter in his article I'm the At
lantic on tho German way OF making
better cities says that "in ono OF the
Berlin suburban towns alone there are
as many as forty peasant millionaires'
men who n few years ago were peas
ant proprictors and are now made rich
by the values the growth OF the great
capital has given TO their land"
Others have been made rich by the
fact that the improvements effected
through planning for more beautiful
cities have taken I'm parts OF their hold
ings, leaving them with valuable real
estate from no efforts OF their own.
Tho budget now under discussion I'm
the relchstag is taking cognizance OF
these values. and &c Is proposed, as it is
| in England, to take for taxes n certain
| percentage OF this annual increase.
| Some OF the cities when making these
improvements condemn tho land out
/ right, holding the fee title OF what re-
! mains for rental purposes and thus
/ themselves getting the benefit OF tho
| increased land values.