The Detroit times., 1910-07-13
Give Their Ideas to Dorothy Dale,
Times Special Writer, Who Is
investigating Their Admins
tration in Milwaukee,
They Want to Make Places Of
Recreation More Attractive
Than Saloons.
BY DOROTHY DALE.

make OF the city overlooking the clear
waters Of Milwaukee bay the garden
city OF the north. And the principal
thing about II would be that everyone
could afford TO live In garden spots.
The dream is based on the funda-
mental position that the Milwaukee
Socialists take and that Mayor Sci
del sums up In his messages to the
council In the words. The workers
OF our city are it's most valuable as
set"
The deficit in the treasury that con.
fronts the new party Is given as the
biggest argument for carrying 1t
through. The Socialists go farther
than Deputy Controller Everts, who Is
not Socialist, and who says that the
present system OF taxation in cities Is
not adequate TO furnish funds for
proper maintenance. They say that
since this is so city funds must be
raised by the cities themselves going
into certain public interest businesses.
The Socialists OF Milwaukee pro-
pose to go into the real estate, street
car, freight and general public utility
businesses.
The dream was explained by
Charles b Whitnall. city treasurer,
and one OF the leading Socialists.
Burbank and Plnchot Combined.
Treasurer Whitnall was for years a
florist and forester. He gave up that
business to do a banking business,
but, although his later career has had
to do with finances. Wisconsin people
speak OF him as a sort OF combination
Burbank and Pinchot, because OF his
love OF trees and flowers.
.You know we Socialists believe
that a city should be planned for the
well-being OF It's people," he says.
Most cities just grow. We believe
that good housing and comfortable
and inexpensive transportation would
make any city good place for any
body to live in.
I'm New York, for instance, they
have spent a great amount of money
for q subway We don't like that.
We believe II Is better to let the peo-
pie ride up In the air and sunshine
and make the freight go down IL any
thing goes down"
The whole plan is based on a law
passed In the last Wisconsin state
legislature granting cities the right
TO buy and sell real estate. The plan
Is for parkway system that shall
penetrate to every part Of Milwaukee
and n plating system that shall fur
nish ideal little homes easily within
the reach OF workingmen.
The parkway plan provides that the
city buy property on certain routes.
two blocks wide. This would include
. Iaww
lists Milwaukee people own to the CEN
ter of the street their property fronts
on.
This street would be widened TO $50
feet from fence to fence. A center
strip 40 feet wide would be parked
with trees Under the trees street
railway tracks would be built, and
there would be no paving between
tracks to save expense. and because
grass is the best known sponge for
dust.
Would Reduce Food Prices.
On either side would be paved thor
oughfares for heavy and for light
traffic, the heavy trafic to be kept
to, the street railway sides. This
would make street car riding like rid
ing In the country.
The street railways are to be for
freight as well as passenger traffic
Spurs into manufacturing and bust
ness places are TO be built, and little
stations will be provided at intervals
Then during the night freight will be
hauled at nominal rates. This would
reduce the price of food, coal, etc,
and at the same time help pay the
running expenses OF the roads.
The property along the parkway and
parallel street Is 10 be sold to resi-
dents.
The plating places are to be bought
along the rivers and in the outskirts
OF the city.
These plats are TO be laid out with
trunk thoroughfares for heavy traffic
Other streets will be made narrower
TO save paving expense This restrict
ing traffic to certain thoroughfares is
calculated TO make for quiet In resi-
dence sections.
In the center OF each plat little
park Is To be laid out. with wading
pools, Fairgrounds and shade trees.
No lot is to be narrower than 50 feet.
so that with 25-foot house % feet OF
breathing space will be allowed be.
tween all houses.
II Is estimated that these lots. unim.
proved, can be sold for about 1888 and
still bring a small profit to the city.
and that a good six-room house. n
built by the city, could be sold. with
lot, for $1,000 to $500
The dream contemplates municipal
lighting heating housekeeping. cook,
ing, ironing--everything that can be
done BY gas, electricity or steam-at
the lowest possible cost to the people
10 Done in England.
How can all this be done?" repeat
ed Treasurer Whitnall Because II
has been done. In England such a
parkway was established and the city
that did II madeNa big profit
"As to the electricity and steam
plan, we have shown what can bC
done about furnishing water. The
average cost now Is eight cents I
month per family, and the city clear.
about $50 900 q year The same could
be done with steam and electricity.
-And we don't intend to let the Ions
franchises OF street railways (some
atill 60 last for 20 years. bother u,
any. They may run right along. We
shall offer comfort, speed and lower
fare. We don't worry about which
line the people viii ride on.
Our policy with saloons will be the
same All along our parkways there
WIN be little parks. They will b,
made attractive. Social center house,
rot indoor entertainment will be there
"a think NE can see which will he tl,,