The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1909-04-25
Expect That Some Day People
OF the City WIN Awake to
The Natural Beauty Of the
River Front.
IMPROVEMENT WILL
EvENTuAlfr Be MADE
Objection Raised to Practice
OF Some People Removing
Trees and Shrubs From the
Bottoms.
(Earlham Press club.)

That the aim of those interested in
and extended improvement, was denied
by Prof. Heironimus yesterday after
noon.
I'VE cannot hope for beautiful parks
and boulevards at. once,'' said the pro-
fessor, but what the city can, and
ought to do. is to prevent the cutting
of the shrubs and trees in their nat
ural growth. Why. just the other day,
a man who owns little corner along
the west bank of the river, north of the
Main street bridge, went down and
dug up some fine young trees to trans
plant in his own yard; but he got on
of his private lot, and was digging
shrubs of of land belonging to the
city. Now. what if every fellow VINO
wishes to improve his back yard, goes
down to the river and carries OF some
of the fine young trees that are grow
ing there? Soon there will be nothing
there but a rain-washed, rocky ter
race-an eye-sore to everybody that
crosses either one of the two bridges.
Bank Formerly Bare.
An old man. employed at the piano
factory, when approached on the SUBJ
ject by Prof. Heironimus, the other
day. said he could remember when the
i~eSt bank @Uf the fivora betNAens the
two bridges, was as bare as 1t now is
north Of the Doran bridge. He said
that at that time such q bare bank
was unsightly enough. but was less
noticeable because of the position of
the old National bridge. The old man
is only laborer at the factory. bur
is heartily willing to aid in preserv-
ing the natural beauty of the river
banks
In speaking further of the matter,
Prof. Heironimus said that river the
size of Whitewater was the most suit
able place that city could have to
begin to beautify. But in almost every
city the citizens turn their backs up
on the rivers. considering them a nui-
sance. The citizens go to the outskirts
to build their homes and the city itself
seeks sites away from the river to
build its parks. Instead of facing
houses toward the river. little shacks
are backed up against it. and all re-
fuse is dumped down it's banks.
Perhaps no other portion Of any
street is used more every day than is
that part of Main street occupied by
the bridge. Hundreds of Sunday after.
noon strollers cross 1t every Sunday.
Many a stranger. seeing our river for
the first time, remarks upon the ex.
ceptional opportunity offered for bou-
levard along its west bank.
If the trees and shrubs can be pre-
served for the present, the West Siders
hope to arouse interest enough in the
matter to get the city to take up the
actual work of making a river front
park or boulevard. According to NJ.
Lon Gardner, chairman of the com.
mittee appointed to push the project
the intention is first to build the park
between the Doran and Main street
bridges, and then to extend it to the
proposed South Side bridge. AS soon
as the city or private citizens can be
induced to contribute materially to the
project. the river bank can be made
into one Of the most beautiful parks in
Indiana, according to the promoters OF
the idea. and their only hope. they say
is to keep up the interest by showing
the public the exceptional possibilities
of the site.