Evening journal., 1911-11-20
MONDAY, NOV. 20, 1911
CITY BEAUTIFUL.

A T THE convention of the American Civic AS
"A sociation TO be held in Washington on De-
cember 10 a project TO secure the creation of
Federal Bureau of National Parks will be urged
and the cooperation of President Taft and Mr..
Walter L. Fisher, Secretary of the Interior, has
been secured.
Impetus will be given to the movement for a
More Beautiful America During the meeting every
phase of civic Improvement work will be consid-
cred and the speakers will pay particular atten-
ton 10 the material benefits that accrue to COM
munity incident to the undermining and beautify-
ing of streets and parks and even vacant lots IN
business as well as in residential communities.
In his annual address President Mcfarland OF
the association will answer the question: Are the
National Parks worth while? He will urge upon
Congress the creation of the Federal Bureau OF
National Parks The creation and maintenance
hy the states of state recreation reservations viii
be discussed
At the city planning sessions of the convention
experts and business men will dwell on the Wis
dom Of applying system to the development OF the
aesthetic as we'll as the practical city of today.
Other speakers will report the latest and most
effective methods of freeing cities from unneees-
sary clouds Of smoke and from objectionable out
door advertising The smoke and billboard nui-
sanceS will be thoroughly discussed.
Intimate work that may be done TO beauufy
home and neighborhood surroundings will be de-
scribed by successful campaigners along this line
Responding to a general demand for information
about Municipal Art Commissions, one speaker
will tell of the creation and functions of such or
ganizations
The American Civic Association is the recog
nized national organization engaged in arousing
and assisting cities and communities in important
efforts for their physical development. 1t numbers
thousands of individuals and hundreds of affiliated
societies in its membership and the attendance at
the Convention will be representative of civic
improvement activity in all parts of the United
States and Canada.
The convention will be very important gather
ing to those interested in civic Improvement and
Wilmington should he we'll represented.
We need such work in this city as the Civic As
sociation stands for, and it might be good idea
for the new charter commission to provide for a
Board of Municipal Improvement which should
supervise the Improvements OF the city. Such a
Board, for instance, would be valuable at present
in considering the improvements at the Court
House. 1t would be of great service in matters
that do not directly come under the control Of
the Park Commissioners There should be body
with at least advisory authority If nothing else.
The convention promises to be we'll attended,
and its purposes show the keen interest taken by
municipalities in the work OF beautfying If
for no other reason the material benefits that
follow intelligent city planning should cause citi-
zens to lend a helping hand in city beautifyng.
Nothing can advertise city better than we'll paved
and clean Streets good lights, fine parks splendid
buildings and good government
Men like TO live in attractive homes. Manu-
facturers looking for sites prefer a clean, hand
some city. In such city property advances in
value, population increases and the people are
more likely to be happy.
The subject is pertinent in Wilmington because
we are taking some long steps forward with the
new hotel building the contemplated city anc
county building and the latest and ore of the best
the fine new temple which the Order of Odd Eel
lows intends TO erect
Even in the construction of ordinary buildings
the advice of City Beautiful Commission nigh
be desirable 1t would prevent the haphazard
method in the construction of buildings, the lay
ing out of streets and in other city work of tha
kind