The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1910-02-21
CITY PLAN EXPERT
WAR N s AGAINST
WATER POLLUTION
D. H. Burnham, Famous Architect,
Here To Consult With Local Com
mission, Says Sewage Shouldn't
Be Dumped Into River.
Looks Over City, Gathers Much
Data and Will Outline Plan
For Detroit.

Daniel H. Burnham, OF Chicago, the
greatest expert on city plans and city
building in America. was IN Detroit.
Saturday. 10 consult with the new De
troit city plan and improvement com
mission regarding city plan for De
troit.
He went with Commissioner r. (.
Baldwin and Charles Moore 10 the Of
fee OF Park Commissioned Huribul.
Saturday morning. ana spent more
than an hour in looking over Dlps
furnished by City Engineer McCor-
mick Public Works Commissioner
Haarer, Park Secretary Busch AMI
one or two other city officials We're
present at the conference.
Burnham is the genius who was
given charge Of the plan Tor the re-
building OF San Francisco. He de-
signed the Washington plan which the
late Senator Mcmillan succeeded in
having adopted by congress. His ideas
are dominant in the remarkable set
of plans made for the future develop
ment OF Chicago and he was head OF
the commission which drew up the
"Group plan" OF Cleveland The gov
eminent sent him 10 Manila TO lay
out city plan for that eastern capt
tsl
In securing the advice OF Architect
Burnham. therefore. the city plan
md Improvement commission has got
In touch with the biggest man in the
work Of municipal Improvement on
this continent. AS the funds OF the
4 Detroit commission are quite insuttici
ent TO hire Architect Burnham, his
part will be simply that of an ad-
! visor
Looking over the maps OF Detroit.
Burnhams attitude was that OF
physician examining a patient In
deed. his title might well be doctor
OF cities" for he has in the cases
named and many others. studied the
defects OF American cities and pre-
scribed the remedies. His plans will
take a generation or two 20 work out
In some OF the cities mentioned. He
has one monument in Detroit in the
shape of the Ford building which was
designed by the firm OF which he is
the head.
lyon have a very good beginning
here in Detroit" said Burnham, point
ing cut the advantages OF the river,
the wide avenues and the radical
thoroughfares leading from the cen
ter OF the city.
..In adopting plans for the future
development OF the city. you can
either go 10 the length Of providing
a comprehensive plan in detail that
Will take fifty or hundred years 10
work out, or you can draw up one
that will provide for the more pres
sing needs and be satisfied with that.
.The streets and parks are the
skeleton, the bones, OF a city. All
else depends on them but they are
modified by other conditions also one
function of the streets Is TO reach the
parks, and. likewise, II would be un-
wise to locate a park where II could
not be conveniently reached by a
main street Conditions as TO trans
portation. density OF population and
future development OF the city must
he taken into account All the rae
tors combine in shaping your hnal
plan.
aIt may be decided. az first, that
mark is required in such loca-
ton. But study OF all conditions may
show that the park or chain Of parks
should be located somewhere else
1t takes years 10 educate pubic
sentiment to the point whore the ma
iority of the people comprehend the
plan and take pride in IL so that they
will assist in working II out
"The new plan for San Francisco
will take a hundred years TO work
out. That is not such great space
in the life OF a city. At first the peo-
ple there were astounded at the plan.
They thought We we're trying 10 do
too much. But gradually they reahz-
ed that this was a complete whole
that would take generations 10 carry
out in full. Now they are proud OF
ii and are adapting their city 70 r
al see that you empty your sewage
into your river. That is wrong. The
lakes are the most beneficent thing
the Creator as given 70 America. They
are bound 70 be surrounded by great
population. There should be laws toI
prevent their pollution by sewage. No