The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1912-10-11
MOVEMENT FOR
GARDEN CITIES
Described by Its Leader In
Great Britain
HAS PROVED A BIG SUCCESS.

Tenement Life Dwarfs People Phys
ieally and MoraIly-Garden City Chill
dren Taller and Heavier by Actual
Tests.
Henry Vivian, chairman Of the CO.
partnership tenants movement in Eng.
land and an ex-member of parlia-
ment from Birkenhead, recently de-
scribed the growth Of the garden city
idea in England in two addresses deliv-
cred in America. One was in the old
home Of Colonel Robert G.. Ingersoll,
now occupied by his daughter, Mrs.
Walston II. Brown, at Dobbs Ferry,
N. Y, and the other was at a dinner
given at the City club, New York, by
Frederic Howe, director Of the Peoples
institute
Mr.. Vivian had previously spent six
weeks in this country and Canada
studying the problem Of housing per-
sons in large cities. He said that he
had found slums on this continent
worse than any in Europe. He would
not name the city he had in mind, but
he said that the tenements Of New
York city were very bad and that if
such a style Of living continued in
this and other large cities for many
generations 1t would result in the de-
cay Of the race on this continent.
To illustrate the value of suburban
garden towns for the housing of work
men of large cities and their families
Mr. Vivian gave some interesting sta.
tistics. He said that the average child
Of seven years brought up in one of
these communities had been shown to
be three inches taller than the average
child of the same age living in dense
ly populated city.
City Life Dwarfs the Children.
At the age of fourteen the difference
was still more marked. A garden city
youth Of this age averaged five inches
more in height and thirty pounds more
in weight than one of the same age
from the big cities. In some of the
crowded manufacturing towns of Eng
land, he said, the death rate was forty
for every thousand inhabitants, while
In garden cities the rate had been re-
duced to between eight and nine a
thousand.
These statistics were gathered by a
committee OF parliament, of which Mr..
Vivian was a member. On the report
of this committee the housing and
town planning act was passed In 1909
by parliament. This act gave govern
ment support to the building of ideal
suburbs around the great centers of
population in the British isles
The cOpartnership tenants move
ment, Mr.. Vivian said, had designed
suburbs near Liverpool, Hampstead, Ea-
ling, Manchester, Birmingham, Stoke
on-Trent and elsewhere. The most per-
feet type Of the garden city, he said,
was at Hampstead. One of the car
dlnal principles in laying out such a
suburb he said, was to leave the trees
untouched so far as possible. The
land is parceled into large lots, so that
on an average there are not more than
two houses to an acre.
Land Speculation Prevented.
hV SUCH SuDuTD
building prevent land speculation and
are all framed for the benefit of those
who are to live there. Any kind of
home may be built, from cottage to
mansion, the building restrictions
providing, however, against structures
which would mar the architectural har-
mony. Large spaces are set aside for
parks and Fairgrounds. The gardens
are the distinguishing feature of these
suburbs, as those dwelling In them
are aided by the city In surrounding
their homes with flowers.
Hampstead Is laid out so that the
view up and down every street ends
in the sight Of handsome house. the
speaker said. The suburb at Hamp-
stead covers between 700 and 500 acres
and is building for population of So
900. Factories are allowed, but they
are built in an area set apart for them,
where they do not mar the beauty Of
the community. Care is taken to place
them where the prevailing winds will
blow the smoke and odors away from
the city. The garden city at Hamp-
stead, Mr.. Vivian said, was the most
beautiful city in the world.
Those who attended the dinner at
the City club passed a resolution call
ing for the appointment of commit
500 90 -.