The sun., 1913-11-30

millions IL 1t wishes to keep up with the
movement for city betterment that has
taken hold Of many towns and cities In
all parts Of tho world. Just how far
New York il behind In this respect may
br seen from the many thousands OF
photographs and plans NJ other cities
displayed in the city planning exhib-
ton In the Public Library. Civic centres
seem to be the aim Of every city in the
land, so many are planning such places.
Parks and recreation spaces are receiv-
ing considerable attention everywhere.
Small cities are planning great touie-
wards. circles, bridges. viaducts. piers
that would put the great New York the
LEADING city OF the Western world) to
shame. Every town seems To bc striv-
ing to equal II not surpass Berlin. which
city planners claim Is the best planned
city in the world. London II just the
reverse, the worst planned city. II IL
toward the English capital that Father
Enickerbocker seems to he leaning. no
little has he to exhibit in the way Of
msnts for his city.
Chicaso is the most ambitious city In
the United States In this respect. 1t
plans to make over most OF the area
bordering on the lake front and along
tho Chicago River. The plans mean an
outAy OF many millions Of dollars. 1t
viii b spent a little at time. so thas
the drain for improvements shall not ne
great, although all the time the great
city Of the middle West In being made a
hstter city. II is about fifteen years ago
since the Improvement Of Chicago was
first sRttated. I'VE want better city"
the Chicagoan demanded. ut Will give
us and our posterity better health and
will improve the commercial value OF
Chicago" Chicago was willing to build
for tho benefit OF posterity, which is NOT
SO with New York. The Commercial
cub one of Chicsgo's leading organize-
t,ons, got together and decided they
would not wait for politicians, but would
70 ahead themselves and see what could
be done to make Chicago more beautit"i
and q greater business city.
CITY planners, architectS and sculp-
t,ra formed a commission which WAS To
show how Chicago could equal the Ger
man capital. European cities were
studied and then ths plan for chicago
vas drawn. That plan cost the Com
nerc,al Club $4,000. 1t 10 being fol-
lowed carefully and In . dozen or moro
vears Chicago will be one OF the best
nlanned cities in America Many mill
ions have been spent already In carry
ing out these plans. Chicago mas one
cr the best park systems In the world
o.a result, Just now the city Is en-
,aged In spending millions OF dollars on
Grant Park, along the lake front: tho
rebuilding Of Michigan avenue anu the
Improvement Of its harbor ana the
bu,lding OF q number of docks along the
chicago River at cost OF So'ooo'ooo'
Boston Il credited with the best park
svstem In the United States. The park
.ystsm In operation In New York now is
.aid to be equal to that OF the Hub. anu
with the attention Father knickeF-
Locker is giving to this phase OF city
I.fe and to children's Fairgrounds
won't bs long before he will have the
best parks In the country.
Kansas City u Q close rival OF Boston
IN regard to parks. Twenty years ago
this town began the development OF It's
uarks. II then had no boulevards an"
only twenty-six acres of park lana.
pou,evardv were laid out which w1dened
INTO parks. Streets were parked and
the result was that Kansas City was
.oon given the name Garden City OF
the VEST 1t has done everything TO
live up TO this name and every year
more boulevards are laid out and the
park area Increased to accommodate the
stasAy increase IN the population.
xaneae CITY has now thirty-two miles
OF boulsvards and s.%is acres Of parks.
pniIaAs,phia. . city six times ~ large
IN pepuiatiou and area, has b,2lo acres
~ SaSka - parkWay and eleven ooulo-