Evening star., 1909-06-26

a the property acquired. ana
AAx used in part, for the filtra-
w tion beds in this city should
be made into a pubic park
and named after the late Senator McMl-
Ian of Michigan the people of Detroit de-
clared their intention of erecting therein
a fitting memorial to this distinguished
representative of their state. 1t was
Senator Mcmillan, it will be remembered,
who was chiefly instrumental in securing
the appointment of the Burnham park
commission. and the plan for the future
development Of Washington. which. though
still unauthorized by Congress. has given
impetus and direction to city building IN
all parts of the United States. To have
Washington become the most beauti1ul
city in the world was undoubtedly MS
greatest wish. In selecting the form OF
memorial, therefore. the committee III
charge has borne this in mind. and has
decided upon a fountain which will serve
not only as a memorial. but as a FACTOR
in beautifying the city, and set an ex-
ample which ii might be well for others
10 Follow This decision was not reached
without consideration nor the advice OF
experts. Mr.. Saint-Gaudens, shortly oe-
fore his death, and MIR. FREDERICK Law
Olmsted the eminent landscape architect,
more recently were called into consulta-
ton and more than one member or the
committee has journeyed TO washington
to look over the proposed park \ gate
Wav and portrait statue were Doth con-
sdered but discarded as inappropriate
The design accepted is by Herbert Adams
sculptor. and Charles A. Platt architect
of New York. men of high standing ana
wide reputation. When completed the
fountain will cost, exclusive OF founda-
tions SoI.OOO. The basin will be eighteen
feet in diameter There is to be pave
ment round about it with seats. ana II
will he given appropriate landscape sci
ting. The water supply is to De anunuasl,. sn,.
and this is very important feature. TOT
il is the one in ornamental work OF THIS
kind which is most frequently dlsre-
garded. The two handsomest FOUNTAINS
in this city are unquestionahiy those III
the White House grounds. which have no
sclllptural adjournment, but depend Tor
effect solely upon the beauty of the water
jet Possibilities of this kind seem 10
have been better understood by the
French than by other nations. certainly
than by our own. and here it is that 1t
would be we'll to take leaf from their
book. The fountains at Nersailies and IN
Paris are magnificent as works OF arr
hut at the same time primarily beautiful
as fountains Fountains are what we
need i'm this city. much more than bronze
effisies and marble tombstones owing
to our comparatively mild winters. they
can here play for seven or eight montns
or the year. anu touiu no
in this instance of the Mcmillan fountain,
SO they would be ornamental when m
active. Several of the city's small parks
are yet unadorned. and the land adjacent
to the Speedway offers inviting oppor-
t,Inity for such display. At the present
season such suggestion comes with spe-
cial force and real indebtedness must pc
acknowledged to the people of Detroit
who. by-the-way. may boast the posses
sion Of one of the most beautiful pleasure
,>o rl.S in tho UOrld-"Bclle Isle.
n immediate result of the proposed
"A abolition of the tariff on works of art
is foreshadowed in a dispatch from Lon
don to the New York Herald. which is
worth reprnting. 1t reads as follows:
Though the famous Holbein Duchess of
Milan was saved for the nation at the