Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1910-11-26
MUNICIPAL BEAUTY
 A GOOD INVESTMENT
Success of Dusseldorf, Germany Timely Hint for SlipshOd
 American Cities.

Der Hampton's Magazine explains why German cities are so much more beautiful than American cities. He takes the case of Dusseldorf as an example.
 Dusseldorf has been planned by expert architects and landscape gard ners who make a profession of city planning. Nothing has been left to chance. The individual property own CT is no more permitted to spoil the harmony of the whole than an in- competent workman would be per- mitted to wreck an expensive ma- chine.
 Streets, squares, parks, gardens, play grounds, all have their place in the scheme of the city architect, while in the designing of private and public work. open spaces and street corners, lamp posts and street signs, the skill of the artist has been join ed with that of the buildedr and engi- neer. Everything is orderly, symme- trical and beautiful
 In America, man may do as he wills with his land. He may erect a dirty factory in the midst of a residence district. He may put up twenty story sky scraper o" a miserable tax earner. He may lay out mean and narrow streets and use the section for anything that suits his fancy. And the law protects him in his lawlessness.
 Dusseldorf is planned in detail for fifty years to come,' says MT. Howe, Upon the maps in the city hall one can see the location of future streets boulevards, parks, open spaces, sites for public buildings and school hous- es, all located in anticipation of the l city's growth. The streets are wide and spacious; large amount of land is dedicated to public use.
 Certain sections of the city are set aside for mills and factories while ne'ghboring property is re. served for work 'ng mems dwellings, Ia other sections the land Is devoted to villas or expensive apartments Everywhere, even in the heart of the city, the height of buildings is limit ed, usually to the width of the street The area which may be built upon is also fixed and must not exceed l from three fifths to three fourths oi the lot area. Thus, neither the s.um nor the tenement can reappear as in ] the older sections of the city.
 "The city says to the factory own- CT: You must build your mills in the outskirts, and so located that the prevailing winds will carry the smoke away from the city And whenever you build you must not offend your neighbors With smoke, dirt, and noise. You must provide your fac tories with baths so that your en- ployees can keep themselves clean Your buildings must also be eouip- ped with the latest and best safety appliances
 Far from injuring the landowner these regulations protect him; they increase the value of his property and safeguard him from the get-rich- quick speculator who divides his property into cheap lots and paves and sewers his streets with worthless material, which in a few years time must be rebuilt by the city. At the same time the gardens, open spaces and playgrounds add to the value of the land and yield a return to the owner as we'll as to the community.
 From every point of view munich pal beauty is one of the best of city Investments. It not only increases the value of neighboring land, but lures population to the city as a place of residence.
 Dusseldorf has developed a system Of municipal harbors and docks that are marvellous of convenience. The cost of the improvement was $4,500,- 900. In ten years time this invest ment has increased the river trade by 300 per cent. while the cost of the harbor is being paid by the dues and rentals from it's use. Dusseldorf was not a natural harbor The water front which extends for miles along the Rhine, was low lying land. The bank opposite the city was covered with shacks and huts, which were torn down and the land developed into beautiful parkway several miles in extent. The city side was reclaim ed from the river and confined with stone embankments. A wide esplan- ade was constructed. upon which sev- eral great public buildings as we'll as a splendid exposition building have been erected. In the latter. an nuaI' exhibitions of art are held.
 Farther up the river a system of docks was constructed, with power ful cranes and devices which handle all kinds of freight at an insigniti- cant cost. Crossing the river is a beautiful bridge upon which hundreds of thousands of dollars were expend-