The Montgomery advertiser., 1909-04-28
A CRY BEAUTIFUL
b. Fssdsu;c ]. El.sLia.

them. have digresssd In varying IA
grees from original plans. Detroit,s
plan IL copied from washington. a.
Francisco. missing great opportunity
for making OF itself the model CITY Of
the world, Is rebuilding from It's dis
aster on pretty lines. but not unlike
the old ones. y ~
New York. seeing q relief Of con-
gested population with the completion
OF each new bridge. has had plans
drawn for park about the water
frnots. Chicago expects to restore
many OF the good features Of the CO.
lumbar Exposition In new park sys-
ten and Boston. with the highest per
capita expenditure on parks OF any
city In the United States. and with the
nrst womenss civic Improvement So
cietfes, is redeeming land and building
more parks. Kansas City had one OF
the hardest fights for improvement.
being handicapped by its charter
When all the other big cities were
pointing with pride to their new build
ings. their parks and their systems of
beautification, Kansas City took an
inventory and found that 1t had not
one acre of park land. The charter
was revised, land condemned and
bought. and after twelve. years' work
II showed over 1000 acres of park to
Its credit. The preservation of part
or the famous old Sante Fe Trail came
IN the way of Its driveway making.
Cleveland. with monumental munich
pal and Federal buildings, and its
giant railway station, improved itself
on plan that cost from s2o.00o.0e
to tSV.O00.0oo. Providence, Harrisburg.
Phfladelphia, Hartford. st. Louis and
springfield have long since wheeled
10 Ina with the procession of citias
neauufui and there IL daily record OF
other cities planning and Questioning
ana iegislating with the aim OF civic
Improvement along all lines well in
view. The little town OF Gary. In
diana. which prophesy says VIII one
day rival Chicago. was all planned on
paper before q stone was laid, and its
potential beauty Is already apparent
Aside from the artistic and sanitary
uplift that comes TO city from the
erection of public buildings. the crea-
tion OF parks and Backgrounds and the
opening OF long avenues with q COM
plement Of trees and flowers. there IL
the economic and moral value that IL
often overlooked. Paris, for example.
has spent over s25o.0D0,00O under the
Hausmann plans. and IL spending as
much more. It is said that with such
focal points as the Arch OF Triumph.
the Place OF the Nations. the Bastile.
etc. the resemblance TO EEnfant.a
plan of Washington is clearly seen. III.
creased beauty means increased at
Effectiveness to tourists, and It Is said
that the expenses, past and prospect
I've. Of regenerating Paris have already
been more than paid by Increased
tourist travel It lies in the power Of
every Ameriacn city OF ambition and
energy 70 reap like financial harvest
In the coming years II 1t only lives up
to Its chances
The moral effect OF civic improve
ment Is said to be one OF the biggest
arguments in favor of city beautffyinr.
When shaftesbury street was cut
through the London Sums some years
ago. bringing light. health and beauty
into some OF the most degraded CEN
tiers. the decrease In crime was not
only notable. but marvellous. Crime
cannot live among beautiful things.
nor can II flourish long in Gods out
of-doors, so every new civic bulidinr.
every new statue. every Additional
foot Of park or. playground means a
Dig gain for the health and morality
of that municipality.
Copyright. 1909. by Frederic J. Has
hn.)
Tomerrow--The Tide OF Tourists.