The St. Mary banner. (Franklin, Parish of St. Mary, La.) 1889-1931, 1911-02-25

rousel in the geographical cen
ter of Paris. the Notifications,
~ great wall. glacis and moat,
200 feet wide altogether and p
miles long surround the city in an
irregular circle. Make the circle regu-
lar and perfect and then draw two
diameters at right angles to each
other, and they would meet just where
we stand You would expect, there
fore, TO see around you in the exact
center of a city of nearly 3,0O0,OO0
people, the densest tratfic-the closest
area possibe-the congeSted heart OF
city gravity. Not so. You are in the
midst OF an open area, of parks, gar
dens. quays. places, bridges, boule-
wards and river, continuous and con-
tiguous, Of nearly 1000 acres. In that
vast open into which million people
can pour from their dwellings, in ten
minutes walk. you may look for and
see nothing but trees and water and
open spaces and blue sky. That open
area is the worlds playground, as well
as that of Paris You have seen there
rle moving freely and enjoying the
illumination of the city the evening
preceding the opening Of a worlds
exposition.
Around ,lis open center of the city
circle are two great systems of boule-
wards inside the Notifications. These
form wide rings, one about a mile
from the center the second about two
miles-great arteries of life, intersec-
ted by other great cross boulevards
where thousands promenade and sit
In the shade of trees and take refresh
ments in the open air. Then come
the Notifications, which it is now pro
posed shall be leyeled and made the
grandest city boulevard in the world,
from 200 to 400 feet wide. with its
places" and small parks and forests
contiguous. hundred times more
magnificent than the Ringstrasse of
Vienna.
All through the city and scattered
conveniently over its area are "rond
points" and squares and places" to
the number of six score, having from
one to thirty acres each of open space,
the hubs Of the wheels from which
radiate from five to twelve streets
and boulevards, making easy circula-
ton for the human stream that flows
along them. Still again. outside the
Notifications lie the adjacent city and
national parks and forests.
The average Partisan family of the |
middle and poorer class is as regular
in the weekly visI. to the great PARK
or forest and in the daily walk IN /
the smaller place or boulevard. as .the |
wild deer is going to the stream, or
the pigeon to the feeding place.
One is continually surprised ana
refreshed. in circulating about Paris,
to see the delight of the children on
the boulevards and in the places ana
gardens. and the joy of families in the
outside excursions to the parks ana
forests. The gardens Of the Luxem-
bourg, 6O'acres; the Champ de Mars
100 acres; the Esplanade des In
yalides. 40 acres; Trocadero Place
and gardens. 60 acres; Jardln des
Plantes. GO acres; Park Monceau. Az
acres; Buttes Chaumont. 60 acres.
and a score of other great places"
like those OF the Vauban. Vendome.
Bastille. Republic. Nation. Vosges.
Palais Royal. Etoille-averaging IL
acres each, are all in the center OF
he city and always filled with throngs
who seek the open air-are alive with
all ages and classes the year through.
1t is estimated that the window pai-
comics of Paris afford an open-alr
space Of 500 acres. and the open roofs
over 500 more, to be added to the
IS 900 acres of playground already
No city in the world is
4 worthy second to Paris as an open
and no people can surpass
he Parisians in their love Of the open
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