Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1911-10-26


towns business center. On this card
the terminal to the right is the Ii
brary tower. The terminal to the
left is an ordinary building with an
awning on a site that ought to be
occupied by a fine structure, prefer
ably one with an arcade or an open
passage on the line Of First street
to the proposed river side promenade
Through such an opening, which neeC
not be street wide, a view of the
falls could be secured from the main
business street that would be a fit
ting recognition OF the power factor
that means so much in the city's pros
perity. The fall is necessary inter
mittent, but I believe q very small
volume of water could be made con
slant and be lighter at night. A
little water spread in to a thin wav-
ing sheet or dashed into curtains Of
spray by suitable Instructions can
be made very effective As seen
from the shore with no water over
flowing, the dam is massive and i'm
pressive but not pretty, but I believe
a suggestion of Mr. Witter that mass,
es Of rampant hardy vines be es-
tabIished among the stones at the
heads of the teeth" of the dam,
would greatly add to its beauty and
distinction when at rest. I believe
this to be quite practicable.
The most effective view of the
fall that I saw away from the shore
is at Fifth street looking over Bak-
er street and the city property. 1t
is far enough away to subdue the
coarser. details and is at present eff
fectively framed with foliage. 1t
will, however, be soon completely
shut out by the growth Of tall trees
recently planted on First street that
should be replaced by low topped
trees of the apple tree form. It is
very important in your city plan that
this view of the falls from Baker
street, a proincipaI out country thor
oughfare, be preserved when it be-
comes necessary to place more build
ings on the city's holding here.
Another effective beacon in the
city plan is the graceful Catholic
church spire as seen in the up-riVer
view from Grand avenue bridge or
through the Irving street vista north
of the Irving school.
Equally as effective would be a
spire on the Christian Science church
as seen. up First street to the north
east, as well as from Fifth street
near Avon The old spire that ap-
peared in a colored postal Of Pub
lie Library, Grand Rapids, Wis" was
too short to be graceful. This church
could do no better service to the pubs
lie and itself than to construct tall
and graceful spire This would be a
most effective feature Of a street ter
minus in it's association with Mr.. Ar
pins house. This house is one of
the best of its type that I know of and
it is an ideal street ard river view
terminal to be seen from a distance
BY. reason of the shafts of high light
and deep shadow that its cOlumned
portico presents. For both of these
terminal features it would be neces-
sary to repIant First street with low
trees so disposed as not to interfere
with the best view points on this
street and elsewhere.
From the westerly side of the riv-
er the new stone church at Birch
street will be a fine terminus from the
city Market Square through Johnson
street, especially effective by reason
Of the view over and the reflection
in the water. The value Of having
already acquired the shore frontage
to prevent the erection Of structures
thereon is here made evident. Look
ing north on Fourth avenue is an
attractive church spire terminal over
low buildings, but higher buildings
are likely to shut it out here.
The value of residential street ter
minals is represented here by the
home of Mr.. T. E. Nash as seen from
First avenue looking to the south
west, and of Judge Conway's from
the same street looking north. On
the easterly side Mr. Woods home
offers a most attractive terminus to
Drake street. 1t is to be noted in
the homes of Mr.. Nash, Mr.. Wood,
and Mr.. Arpin, that the grounds are
so arranged and planted that the
family can enjoy seclusion in using
them and that it is not necessary
to open them fully to the gaze OF
the public to make them ornaments to
the city A coIored postal card OF
Mr.. Nash's home published by the
DAILY Drug & Jewelry Company gives
evidence of this.
Recommendations fer the West Side.
I have indicated that Fourth ave
nue. should be broadened to not less
than 100 #, preferably ITO #, to
provide for double track eIectrics to
connect the Union station site with
the river reservations below and
above the town. This broad thor
oughfare I regard as very important
because with the development of a
state plan, it will naturally be a part
of the important trunk highway that
1 have referred to, and nothing will
add more to Grand Rapids distinc
ton and future welfare than a fine
main road. A part of this thorough
fare will follow railroad rights Of
way on their cUrving lines. The
value of such rights Of way in a
city plan is not generally recog-
nized, it being too often assumed
that they are necessarily unattract-
ive,-so often in fact that the gate
ways through which most people
raa oh n town are hack wards and