New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-12-07
New Fields Opened Up by
Improved Means
of Travel.
SUBURBAN GROWTH
CHALLENGES CITIES
Reservations for Parks and Othe,
Public Properties Now
Necessary.
By &. ". LcaNitt.
Chairman Pebble Park Commission. West
chester County Chamber Of Commerce.

Chairman Pebble Park tommlsslcn. West
chester County Chamber Of Commerce.
The advent Of the automobile has made
it possible to see large stretches OF coun-
try within such short spaces Of time as
To make comparison possible. The mind
can now grasp the relationship OF one
part of county TO that of another. even
IL it ne remote. This means that the de-
velopmcut Of the land distant some miles
from railroad communication will be
quite rapid. and care must be taken 10
provide the necessities which go with
modern civilization-roads. wafer supply
drainage. electricity. etc. These improve
ments are bound 10 follow the consuuc-
ton OF industries and habtations or We
might say that they must prccede such
buildings. or at least 20 hand I'm hand
with them.
There must also be reservations made
for parks. Fairgrounds. forest preserves,
cemeteries schools, churches and other
institutions.
The counties in the vicinity OF large
cities arc growing to-day with almost
the rapidity Of cities, although in more
open or scattered manner. This naturally
presents new and difficult problems.
The county dweler is desirous Of hav-
ing all the comforts which arc TO be had
i'm the city and inasmuch as his nearest
neighbor instead of being directly next
10 him. as in the city may have his
house from fifty feet TO two miles away.
the necessity FOR great care and fore
thought in arranging for the necessary
improvements become apparent. Other
wise il may be impossible 10 have "A
proper return from the money invested in
these plants, OF il necessitates such prices
/, upon these utilities as to prohibit their
use. excepting by the very rich. County
planning is therefore the working out OF
these problems with view TO making il
possible 10 put in all necessary improve
ments that the county may grow in
population i'm a practical and economic
manner ami in a way that may be sani-
tary and attractive.
In building factory or a house We
would not think of starting until we had
well matured plan, and after once set
Ting upon plan and beginning the con-
struction the practical builder is loath to
change lie knows that 1t will mean loss
and expense. Yet we find the hamlets,
villages, towns and cities in our county
being constructed without any prear-
ranged plan or programme.
With each new political administration
new schemes are taken up with rarely any
thought of what has been done or OF the
future additions which are bound to come.
| We thus find loss and expense from con-
slant changes necessitating the destruction
I of work which has been finished construe-
ton which in short time will become OBJ
solete. and may not admit Of improve
ments or additions. Consequently the tax
payer suffers II is plain TO be seen that
we need plan.
When the plan has been made and APP
proved work can be taken up with assur-
ance OF accomplishing something that will
he of lasting benefit with moneys appro-
priated from year TO year; unit by unit
can be constructed. and the whole Of any
one undertaking be accomplished with an
appearance when finished OF having been
done at one time and the practical work.
ing of the structure may be made perfect.
Frequently large plants are planned and
constructed in units with perfect results.
WHY not the part of our county in which
| we live and which means more to US than
our workshop, Office or business? This
Continued on second page, third column.