Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1910-11-25
The Sage Garden city.

When one recalls the quiet, -seedy,
individual thc daily routine of whose.
life was SO well known in New York.
even to his habituai apple buying. the
suggestion arises, Wonder what
Uncle Russell would say could he
appear upon the earthly scene in
these days" Today, the Russell
Sage foundation announces the early
opening of a garden city, similar in
design to the English types which
are being copied all over Europe. 1t
will be called Forest Hills Gardens,
at Forest Hills station, near Jamaica,
ard will be niEe miles in distance and
thirteen minutes in time from the
Pennsylvania Terminal at 7th avenue
and 34th street. New York, by a new
line of the Long Island railroad
through the East River tunnels. 1t
will combine one and two-s story
houses in blocks with detached
houses, most attractively laid out
with parking and trees, designed to
meet the needs of families on mod
crate salaries whose homes in New
York are pretty generally restricted
to the dreary discomfort and hoIpii-
ness OF the typical flat" midway
between the tenement and the higher
priced apartment.
Perhaps Cncl" Russell might be ap-
reased by the fact that this property
is to be developed as business in
vcStmcnt. 1t will be conducted on
strictly business principles, and a fair
profit is expected. Houses will be
built, SOLD and rented: lots will be
sold under protective restrictions in
tended to insure to their owners and
to adjacent owners the residential
advantages OF the neighborhood.
Anyway. it is not a charity. yet its
intent is a distinct educational pur-
pose, Mrs. Russell Sage and those
"h6m she has associated with her in
the foundation have been profoundly
impressed with the need Of better and
more attractive facilities in the SUBJ
urbs Of New York for persons of mod
est means. They believe that homes
should be supplied like those in the
garden cities Of England, with green
cry and flowers around them and ac-
cessible Fairgrounds and recreation
facilities. They believe that this
could he brought about at little great
or cost than is now paid for the same
roof room in bare city streets. They
expect :" appeal to people of moder-
ate income and good taste who ap-
preciate sympathetic surroundings
bat are tied close to city life by the
nature of their occupation.
If the majority of our great phil.
anthropists should devote a proper
ton of the millions they give to
avoid dying rich as intelligcntly as
do Mrs. Russell Sage and Miss Helen
Cloud 1t seems to us that conditions
in our large cities would soon be
vastly improved. The giving of Ill
brarics and taxes" and the building
OF mighty educational tonbstones out
of one or two selected institutions
have their uses for humanity in more
ways than one. and it is not our pur-
pose to claim that these millions are
not well spent but the intelligence
with which Mrs. Sage has gone about
spending the vast fortune which her
husband spent his lifetime piling up,
appeals to us as having something
far beyond a selfish origin In the
heart OF this woman of beautiful
character must burn the living fires
of love for humanity. May she be
spared many years to spread the les
sons Of her wisdom and her charac-
ter