West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1909-10-14
DEAUT|FY|NG A CITY.
Marked Improvement In Civic
Conditions Throughout Country.
WHAT CLEVELAND HAS DONE.
Tho Ohio City Spent S2o,ooo.ooo 20 $780,
100000 TO Tear Down solidIy Built
Blocks Of Structures to Create Open
Mall For Public Bulldogs, Etc.


100000 20 Tear Down SolidIy Built
Blocks Of Structures to Create Open
Mall For Public Bulldogs, Etc.
Tho most important evidence OF tho
new spirit or progress abroad I'm the
land Is manifest I'm what Is called city
planning. Tho impetus to civic beauty
innugurated by Daniel Burnham I'm tho
white wonder OF the Columbian cxposi-
tion awakened the world as mover be-
fore TO the possibilities I'm the new nrt
or applying expert, comprehensive
plans for handling congestion OF pop
ulauon. manifold business require
ments, tremendous traffic, hygienic and
sanitary problems, with the highest
possibilities of architectural and land
scnpe beauty.
AS result ono city after another
mas hrst investigated, then studied and
later applied somo systematic planning
In comprehensive way TO recnst or
recreato the ugllness OF the average
American city into something at onco
more beautiful and healthful as n home
center and OF easier access CONNER
cially and industrially.
While decade ago only four Amer.
lean cities claimed to havo beon built
after any definite plan, today more
than seventy American cities arc fol-
lowing elaborate plans usually worked
out 10y national experts and over 1,20O
cities ore following plans more or less
comprehensive for tho betterment OF
surrounding conditions. AZ n nation
the tendency is for population TO
crowd into urban centers rather than
TO build up increased number OF small
villages and towns. Population by i'm
migration alone Is nearly 100000 an
nuaiiy, which with increase from na-
uonal sources will give us 100000 600
more people In tho United States IN the
next nifty years.
These people will largely live In
cities. Many OF them will drift TO the
middle west the great food producing
belt or the nation; hence tho cities of
the present cannot serve tho require
ments OF such n future. Tho narrow
streets and solidly built up areas can
not meet the demands OF the Increased
traffic nor BEAUTIFULLY care for human
interests confined I'm such congested
districts. Recognizing all this. wise
leaders are taking time by tho fore
lock" and providing for what is surely
TO come
Cleveland, o.. has turned out mnny
blocks of solidly built up business
structures TO make an open civic CEN
ter n magnificent mall, about which
are grouped tho public buildings and
the great railway terminals. at an ex-
pense OF $20000O00 TO $30.0O0,O00.
Conservative old Boston IS cutting
streets and boulevards through her
business centers as ruthlessly and as
wisely ns ever Uausmann did when
his magnificent avenues replaced the
squnlid byways OF the slums of Paris.
Boston Is not only building splendid
public structures. but building islands
IN old Charles river on which 10 place
them.
The Harrisburg successes have made
Pennsylvnnia's capital famous. Den.
yer and 81. Paul are each following
expert plans calling for the opening OF
n civic center many blocks I'm extent,
leading up 10 their respective capitols.
kansns City has developed a bouIe.
vnrd system second TO none, while Los
Angeles has begun n wonderful reor-
gaDizauon OF her resources from plans
prepared by Charles Milford Robinson,
that masterly civic art expert, whose
published works on civic Improvement
nre the text books OF tho profession.
New York city and Chicago have be-
gun gigantic schemes whose magnitude
both financially ana for results TO bo
accomplished stagger the conservative
minds OF students just beginning TO
see the trend OF all this movement.